I was reading an article, Bargain Hunting for Books, and Feeling Sheepish About It, at New York Times today and it made me sad. According to the piece, bookstores are slowly losing revenue and some are even closing due to the easy of buying and reselling books online.
“In other words, it’s all the fault of people like myself, who increasingly use the Internet both to buy books and later, after their value to us is gone, sell them.”
In some ways, the Internet has made it easier to read more books, making lesser known and rarer books available, especially the classics and out-of-print books that are now hard to find in some stores. On the other hand, though, it cuts into profits for both bookstore, publishing companies, and authors, because when people like me or you sell or trade books with each other, the three entities mentioned above don’t get a single cent out of our transaction.
I’ll admit that I’m one of those guilty of using the Internet (and libraries because they’re free!) a lot more than bookstores when it comes to acquiring new books. Lately, I’ve been using Swaptree.com, which allows you to list all the old books, dvds, and CDs that you don’t want anymore, create a wishlist of items that you do want, and then uses a system to match you up with someone who can trade with you so that everyone ends up happy. Neat, right? So far, I’ve gotten an almost brand-new copy of Kung Fu Panda, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the book The Queen’s Fool in exchange for old books I didn’t read anymore. Someone else’s trash is another person’s treasure, right? And what’s wrong with spreading the love of books all around?
I do love going to Barnes and Nobles, but just looking at the price tags on some of the books makes me cringe. Why should I pay $20 for a hardcover copy of Jodi Picoult’s Nineteen Minutes when I can get the same book, used but in almost new condition, for around $5 or less online? Or pay $200 for a new textbook when I can find the same thing for $100 on Half.com? I think what the publishing companies and bookstores need to do is capitalize on the advantages that the Internet offers. E-books are quickly becoming popular, and it’s an area they should look further into. Otherwise, they have to find other means of luring customers into stores or face a slow death of the industry :(
I am guilty as well, because I will only read a book once, so I do not want to pat £10 for a brand new copy, when someone is selling a slightly folded version for £2.
I really think the prices of books need to go down. Of course people buy books online if they can get them for half the price the book store would take.
It’s really a downward-spiraling situation for those guys who sell books, because the online market/bartering for books makes it quite so easy just to get these text around and thus lowering their prices as compared to pre-conventional means.
E-books… Well, I can’t say much for its future either. Digital text and media are not only easily generated, but easily copied as well (despite some of the counter-measures used), so I don’t see that source of distributing as a profitable service.
It’s just the way today is. Information gets around so quickly, so easily, and so cheaply that it’s almost impossible to be in this “market” and obtain desirable profits from it. The way I see it, in the future, information (not education, mind you) will be so readily accessible, it’ll be almost a standard to have it given to you fast, cheap, and free.
Ex. When’s the last time you brought or used a physical copy of a local area map, over using your computer or cellphone to give you a more comprehensive and more controllable map (thanks to digital technology)? Would you use an old version of Britannica encyclopedia text in the basement, or use the online version that is up-to-date?
Digital technology and internet are to us as printing press and trains are to those back then.
I pity these authors and publishing companies. They have no fault; they’re just being slowly eroded by the river of technology, just like all those before them.
This is not surprising, since a lot of retailers in general are losing so much revenue that closing seems to be the only alternative. Unfortunately, online shopping is just more economical and convenient these days, especially getting books for five bucks as opposed to 20. I’m guilty of that..and I love amazon.com! lol
I agree with you…Textbooks are just becoming SO expensive. Like you have said, I could always find a book on half.com for such a cheap price.
I just wish bookstores wouldn’t overprice their books =\
When it comes to reading for pleasure, I purchase 98% of my books in bookstores. I know it’s easier to just order them online but I find it’s much more of a fun experience for a book-o-phile as myself to actually go into a store. I find it rather sad that stores are losing business to websites like Amazon.com and Half.com. And as much as I adore Amazon, I will still buy my beloved books in a store. :)
*despair
I agree- books are way to expensive around here. I don’t understand why it doesn’t dawn on any of the book sellers to open a business online for a certain campus and sell half price. you could make so much more money than the other companies simply by slashing the price significantly (at least $50).
Books usually do get the short end of the stick. The mayor here in Philly, because of the economy, attempted to close libraries in order to save the city money. PROBABLY shouldn’t be on your budget-cutting shortlist – it sure angered a lot of people lol.
Anyhow, I don’t think that the e-book thing will take off. I dislike them myself, because I think that there is something to be said for physically owning a book as opposed to digitizing it into your PDA or whatever. The music industry faces the same sort of conundrum, but CDs are still racked-up, and I can’t imagine them not being because of iTunes – just as I can’t imagine too many bookstores closing because of things like PaperBackSwap and Amazon.
Aww this really is sad :( I love bookstores! But, most of the time i get mine from second hand stores as well…mainly because its cheaper. Or i can order a book I like from the library and theyll get it for me.
BTW thanks for the link! Im being hosted at the same place as u! >.< this one is for my literature site :) Like my poems & Stuff. freehostia sucked really bad Lol. Hey did you ever send that goodie bag swap in the mail? I sent yours a long time ago so I think you got it.
I myself love to read, and I agree the prices of books are way way too high. I always use the library, but I’d rather own the books myself. Thanks for posting swaptree.com!!
PS, The “Currently reading” on my sidebar isn’t a plugin, I do it manually. It’s really not that hard to manage ^.^
I like the idea of that SwapTree site. Pretty neat!
I’m guilty of this too. I never buy books from stores any longer. To be honest I rarely go to any stores any longer. I do the majority of my shopping online for whatever I need. It’s just easier and I’ve never been one for going into the city anyways.
It sucks to hear that bookstores are closing though I must admit =( I agree with you. They need to find new ways to appeal to the general public.
An! I use to loveeee going to the bookstore and buying books when I was a kid. That was until I got into college. I’d rather spend $100 dollars on a used chemistry book than go to my bookstore and buy one for over $200. I think that’s ridiculous. I also hate it that they pay you hardly anything when you sell it back to the bookstore. You get more buy selling it to a friend or online. So I completely agree with you. We’re definitely guilty, but it’s not our fault that we resolve to more economically sound (to our advantage anyway) decisions.
Just stopping by because I haven’t spoken to you in a while. :)