Re. ARC's and review copies (& alliteration) Bloggers should buy books too because it is of benefit to the brilliant authors who write them!
— Eugenia (@Genie_inabook) June 4, 2014
You know how it is - getting that little thrill every time you open a new book that you've just bought, smelling the pages and having the feel of it in your hands - this one object that has boundaries which span as far as your imagination may travel...
BUT WAIT.....What about ebooks?
Okay, so this has opened up a whole new avenue for people to get new books to read (and I'm not talking about getting them illegally - because that's just plain wrong people). Anyway, these days with Amazon and most other online retailers offering up these electronic copies, are physical books ever going to succumb to this threat? For me, I don't think so. Don't get me wrong, having ecopies of books are great because they do obviously take up less space and can be cheaper to produce. But - there just isn't anything like having that tactile feeling of an actual thing in your hands. Sure, they might get a little creased or aged as time goes on, but that just adds character. Other benefits are that you can get them signed and sometimes they can even be cheaper than their electronic equivalents.
Online vs. 'bricks and mortar'
This is another big issue in the book-o-sphere. Do we prefer spending that extra cash to get a book immediately in store, or wait for it to come from overseas but at a cheaper price? It's sad to see that so many physical book shops have closed in recent years. I remember how I loved to shop at 'Borders', and how sad it was to see it go. Nowadays, online retailers such as The Book Depository have made it so easy to purchase our books online. I suppose the cons here are waiting for it to come and the possibility of damages. I have to admit, I do buy some of my novels like this, but it's good to balance that with visiting stores and keeping these shops open. I don't want to live in a world in the future where you can't walk in and take your pick off the shelf - in some ways, it can take away the fun.
To sum it up:
- Buying books supports the authors who write them!
- The ebook vs. physical debate will probably still be a hot topic for a while
- It's good to balance buying online with actually going in-store - keep our bookshops open!
So it's over to you guys - how do you usually buy your books?
~Eugenia
~Eugenia
In terms of ARC vs buying your own copy, if I read an eARC and really enjoy the book, then I'll usually go out and buy my own physical copy. But if I already have a physical copy (whether it be an ARC or a finished copy) I usually won't buy another one for myself because monies. Although sometimes I'll buy a finished copy and give the ARC away to someone.
ReplyDeleteOnline vs. bricks and mortar: If it's a series I'm really excited about, I'll usually go out and buy it at the local bookstore to get it on the day (I was definitely upset to see Borders go as well! Now there's really only Dymocks here in Adelaide). But if it's a book I've already read an eARC of, or if I don't mind waiting, I'll buy online (since I buy a crapload of books, and need to save money where possible haha)
I've been known to buy the finished copies of some ARCs too. Unfortunately, I have space issues on top of my money issues so I don't do that so much anymore. What I should really do is use the library more...
DeleteThat is so true, I think us book bloggers are some of the biggest consumers of purchasing books because we want all the latest releases and we can recognise the titles! If I have a review copy on Kindle and I read and loved it, I will tend to buy it in physical form as well. Lovely discussion post Steph!
ReplyDeleteI love how I can walk into a shop/buy online and recognise all the new titles! Plus, we usually know what we're looking for :) I sometimes by physical copies of ebooks too, especially for my favourites.
DeleteBook bloggers probably are... I LOVE being able to recognize titles. I'm glad you liked the discussion but all credit goes to Eugenia! Isn't she really good at these?
DeleteAwesome post. I have a philosophy, for every paperback review copy I request, I spend that money to buy another book. On average, I spend around $50.00 per week on books, and any digital review copies or purchased Kindle copies that I've enjoyed, I always go on to purchase the paperback version too. I do buy a lot online though or from Big W. In my area, we only have one bookstore that is part of a chain and sells books at more than the RRP. If I'm lucky enough to receive doubles, I give them away, either privately to smaller blogs or via my own blog. My aim is to have at least one giveaway going at any one time for the rest of the year. I've managed it for the last three months now, so looking good.
ReplyDeleteThat's an expensive (but good) philosophy to have - receiving books is a privilege and it's nice to hear that bloggers do actually spend money on books too! I love to share doubles of books I get too - I love talking to people about books that I've read and bought and extra copy for them as a gift, it's all part of sharing the book love :)
DeleteBooks can get crazy expensive so I usually buy online if I can. As for e-books vs. hard copies, I'm one of those people who really doesn't mind. Usually just whatever's most convenient and cheaper. :D
ReplyDeleteBooks definitely can get expensive - especially if you buy a lot of them, so going online is definitely a money-saver. It gives me some satisfaction to see new books on my ereader, but seeing them in all their coloured and physical glory on my shelves is even better! :)
DeleteI usually buy physical copies of most of my books but that is because I love seeing all of them on my shelves and there is a lot of book signings I have gone to over the years. I do like to buy some indie books or cheaper NA books for my Nook though.
ReplyDeleteI have the same thing about seeing the books on my shelves - it's nice to see them standing proud :)
DeleteI'll be honest, I buy both e-books and physical books. Perfect example: Ruin and Rising. I pre-ordered the B&N Exclusive Edition but god knows when it's gonna get here and I am NOT going to let myself be spoiled so I had to get the e-book immediately to read it. Must admit the Aussie formatting is SO DIFFERENT to the US hardbacks. The US hardbacks are definitely more gorgeous, the chapter headings especially and the map too.
ReplyDeleteI also request and buy. Request an ARC, buy the final copy - unless I get a finished copy for review... Then I sometimes buy a finished copy of the US version aka These Broken Stars LOL and what I'm planning to do with Throne of Glass (I bought the paperbacks but also want the hardbacks they're so pretttyyyyyy).
A lot of the time, books I really really love I don't end up requesting for review e.g. Ruin and Rising... Because I'll speed read it and just jump onto another book I bought and won't up reviewing it. It's weird I know but I only review books I request to keep it fair - just don't have time to review everything!
Pure play e-tailers will always have the advantage of clicks and mortar because pure plays save money on logistics and not having to maintain a physical store front. Hence why their books are so cheap - I do love TBD. This doesn't mean I don't still buy at Kino/Dymocks but yeah it's harder because it costs twice as much. The challenge for clicks and mortar is to maintain costs but keep those distribution channels utilised to reach as much of their target market as possible.
Great discussion and Eugenia you made an excellent point with that tweet!