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Old 08-13-2008, 03:25 AM   #1
charlieperry
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What are the top 5 ebook stores and why?

I've just had a look at the list of ebook stores on the Mobile read wiki and it's a pretty long and confusing list so I just wondered what people thought were the top 5 ebook stores in terms of
  • size of catalogue
  • availablity of formats
  • price
  • ease of use
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Old 08-13-2008, 04:15 AM   #2
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It's not necessarily that straightforward. For example, both Amazon and Sony have stores with extensive catalogs, but neither is of relevence to people who don't own a Kindle or Sony Reader respectively.

I personally buy most of my books at Baen, FictionWise, or BooksOnBoard.
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:34 AM   #3
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I buy from Baen (WebScription.Net) for DRM-free science fiction, Fictionwise for DRM-free and DRM-ridden ebooks, and Amazon (Kindle ebooks only). I avoid MobiPocket.com because of its high prices.
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:49 AM   #4
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Booksonboard and Fictionwise are the main ebooks sellers, in my opinion. (Amazon is anoter obvious one, for Kindle owners).

I like Booksonboard a little bit more, because there's no crap like "club price", "micropays" and other such things. It's a little bit cheaper in most titles, just like that. But I'm not a voracious reader. For people who buy a lot of books, Fictionwise's club and micropay systems are valuable and very worthy.
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:51 AM   #5
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I like Booksonboard a little bit more, because there's no crap like "club price", "micropays" and other such things. It's a little bit cheaper in most titles, just like that. But I'm not a voracious reader. For people who buy a lot of books, Fictionwise's club and micropay systems are valuable and very worthy.
BooksOnBoard have "reward dollars". Every site seems to have some "scheme" or other .
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Old 08-13-2008, 08:57 AM   #6
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I buy every month's Webscription at Baen. A hardback costs A$60+ in Australia so Webscriptions are great value. (I did buy 2 hb copies of Time Spike because my Tuckerisation was in it.:-) )
In 4 years I've bought more than 1,500 books from Fictonwise. The micropay is handy when you only want one book to keep down the charges on your credit card.

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Old 08-13-2008, 09:03 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT View Post
BooksOnBoard have "reward dollars". Every site seems to have some "scheme" or other .
That's right. But at least the discounts are applied to the prices, while in Fictionwise are only for Club members. And even then, most of the times the discount is through micropay, which means you get the discount in the next book you buy, not the one you're buying.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Laine View Post
I buy every month's Webscription at Baen. A hardback costs A$60+ in Australia so Webscriptions are great value. (I did buy 2 hb copies of Time Spike because my Tuckerisation was in it.:-) )
In 4 years I've bought more than 1,500 books from Fictonwise. The micropay is handy when you only want one book to keep down the charges on your credit card.

Laine

Wow! I said above I wasn't a voracious reader, so I just can't even imagine how can someone read 1500 books in 4 years! That's more than 1 book/day! I'm really slow...
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Old 08-13-2008, 09:14 AM   #8
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That's right. But at least the discounts are applied to the prices, while in Fictionwise are only for Club members. And even then, most of the times the discount is through micropay, which means you get the discount in the next book you buy, not the one you're buying.
Isn't that the whole point of an "incentive scheme" - to give you a reason to want to visit the store again?
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Old 08-13-2008, 09:26 AM   #9
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Isn't that the whole point of an "incentive scheme" - to give you a reason to want to visit the store again?
Sure. And that's why I said I prefered Booksonboard: you get the discount on the book you're buying.
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Old 08-13-2008, 10:42 AM   #10
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Sure. And that's why I said I prefered Booksonboard: you get the discount on the book you're buying.
Not exactly true - when you have Rewards Dollars you have to email them the receipt and the amount gets deposited in your account towards next purchases. The problem I have with Micropay at Fictionwise - do not know if it's still an issue since I've been using BoB almost exclusively for a while now - is that you either have to pay all Micropay or you cannot use the funds, so if you have 2.33 say, you have to add to them to buy a 6$ book, you cannot use them and the rest from you. That is very annoying.

At BoB you just specify how much of your Rewards you apply to your purchase, so you can use them and add the rest from you...

Overall BoB is the best in my opinion for "mainstream" ebooks not tied to a specific device or of special interest like small independents, Baen...
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Old 08-13-2008, 11:27 AM   #11
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Besides the "reward dollars", almost all prices have discounts. That's what I was refering to.
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Old 08-13-2008, 12:10 PM   #12
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That's right. But at least the discounts are applied to the prices, while in Fictionwise are only for Club members. And even then, most of the times the discount is through micropay, which means you get the discount in the next book you buy, not the one you're buying.
You must be speaking of a different booksonboard, the booksonboard I buy from applies the Rewards on the next book you buy. It's also more of a hassle to get the rewards since you have to email them to get the credit.

Micropay is automatically applied to your account. Further more Fictionwise has promotions which allow you to buy MicroPay at a discount.
I really dislike these types of schemes but FictionWise integrates it so well with their store it's hard not to take advantage of.

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Old 08-13-2008, 12:18 PM   #13
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I never said I read them ALL! LOL
I have read a lot though. During July I read about 35 books. Some were dead tree.
I have to keep lists of every book I buy and mark them off when I've read them or else I know I'd never remember to read them.

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Old 08-13-2008, 12:43 PM   #14
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You must be speaking of a different booksonboard, the booksonboard I buy from applies the Rewards on the next book you buy. It's also more of a hassle to get the rewards since you have to email them to get the credit.
There's a direct discount, before the reward dollars. At least, the price to be paid, is the discounted price. I'm talking about the BoB price being inferior to the listed price. For example, "The Stand", by Stephen King:

Fictionwise:
- General clients pay 17,95USD
- Club members pay 15,26 USD

Books on Board:
- General clients pay 15,26USD

Note that the discounted price is the same in both ebook stores, but in Fictionwise, you have to be a (paying) club member to enjoy the discount, in Books on Board, you don't.

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I never said I read them ALL! LOL
I have read a lot though. During July I read about 35 books. Some were dead tree.
I have to keep lists of every book I buy and mark them off when I've read them or else I know I'd never remember to read them.

Laine

And yet, 35 books in July equals more than 1 book/day! If you keep that rythm, you'll read those 1500 books in 4 years!
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Old 08-13-2008, 12:46 PM   #15
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In no specific order....

BooksOnBoard
Fictionwise
Sony
Amazon
BAEN

Those are my picks for the top eBook shops.
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