MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - first look at Chapters selection in Canada

hermes · 05-30-2011, 04:10 AM

Maybe Canada and USA are the same. Who knows?

In what will become a series of posts comparing various online sources of ebooks and audiobooks I begin with Chapters (Kobo). I dropped into my local Chapters bookstore and poked around on their in-store computer in order to determine what their selection is like. I typed in 32 subjects and found that the selection is mediocre. Now, there *is* enough perhaps to merit owning a Kobo if it takes other suppliers' ebooks without a complicated workaround but I wasn't impressed compared to their paper selection or to Kindle. If I was going to buy only from chapters they are not for me.

Now, maybe my reading habits don't mesh with yours. I like 17th century history; natural medicine and health, traditional religions, controversial subjects, business and investment, travel, hotsprings, offshore banking, essential oils and especially travel in ASIA.

Now, of course if anyone wants to track me down by my purchase habits it is easy - but for me this is an academic exercise more than anything.

The list wasn't 'wow, gotta' get a Kobo!' or 'wow, who needs Kindle I'm going the Chapters route!'

Here are some titles that interested me so you'll get an idea of price...

01. Religion and the Decline of Magic $21.39
02. Learning to Speak Alzheimers $9.79
03. Emperor of Scent $9.29
04. Opium for the Masses by jim Hogshire (of Loompanics fame) $13.97
05. Eating India $13.19
06. Living Abroad in India $13.59
07. Frommer's India $19.99
08. Fishers Investments in Emerging Markets $23.99
09. Demise of the Dollar II $11.99
10. Mission to China: Jesuits $13.69
11. Factory Girls $10.59
12. Infidel $16.59
13. Patients Beyond Borders - Malaysia $15.89
14. Buddhism in Thailand $4.59
15. Black Flag: Kropotkin on Anarchim
16. Through Central Africa $1.79
17. Short History of Bali $16.99
18. Travels in Ghana $2.88

Zero Lonely Planet travel guides, zero Hawaiian shirts, just 2 on the Orthodox church, only 1 on Borneo, and almost all of the Vietnam ones were on the war. Plenty on travel (519) but most looked like titles restricted to digital versions not real stable ones (except a few by Moon, which used to be a good company before it fired all its best mature authors in favour of younger ones who would work for less!!!).

I don't need millions of titles, just a few hundred in my niche/eccentric market interests - Chapters failed this test. So, I give Chapters a bog yawn. I am not speaking of the device, only the digital bookstore.

05-30-2011, 04:10 AM	#1
hermes non-techy Posts: 110 Karma: 50586 Join Date: May 2011 Location: wherever I can afford to get laid and eat vegetarian Device: Sony pocket edition and Kobo touch both died - looking at Kindles	first look at Chapters selection in Canada Maybe Canada and USA are the same. Who knows? In what will become a series of posts comparing various online sources of ebooks and audiobooks I begin with Chapters (Kobo). I dropped into my local Chapters bookstore and poked around on their in-store computer in order to determine what their selection is like. I typed in 32 subjects and found that the selection is mediocre. Now, there is enough perhaps to merit owning a Kobo if it takes other suppliers' ebooks without a complicated workaround but I wasn't impressed compared to their paper selection or to Kindle. If I was going to buy only from chapters they are not for me. Now, maybe my reading habits don't mesh with yours. I like 17th century history; natural medicine and health, traditional religions, controversial subjects, business and investment, travel, hotsprings, offshore banking, essential oils and especially travel in ASIA. Now, of course if anyone wants to track me down by my purchase habits it is easy - but for me this is an academic exercise more than anything. The list wasn't 'wow, gotta' get a Kobo!' or 'wow, who needs Kindle I'm going the Chapters route!' Here are some titles that interested me so you'll get an idea of price... 01. Religion and the Decline of Magic $21.39 02. Learning to Speak Alzheimers $9.79 03. Emperor of Scent $9.29 04. Opium for the Masses by jim Hogshire (of Loompanics fame) $13.97 05. Eating India $13.19 06. Living Abroad in India $13.59 07. Frommer's India $19.99 08. Fishers Investments in Emerging Markets $23.99 09. Demise of the Dollar II $11.99 10. Mission to China: Jesuits $13.69 11. Factory Girls $10.59 12. Infidel $16.59 13. Patients Beyond Borders - Malaysia $15.89 14. Buddhism in Thailand $4.59 15. Black Flag: Kropotkin on Anarchim 16. Through Central Africa $1.79 17. Short History of Bali $16.99 18. Travels in Ghana $2.88 Zero Lonely Planet travel guides, zero Hawaiian shirts, just 2 on the Orthodox church, only 1 on Borneo, and almost all of the Vietnam ones were on the war. Plenty on travel (519) but most looked like titles restricted to digital versions not real stable ones (except a few by Moon, which used to be a good company before it fired all its best mature authors in favour of younger ones who would work for less!!!). I don't need millions of titles, just a few hundred in my niche/eccentric market interests - Chapters failed this test. So, I give Chapters a bog yawn. I am not speaking of the device, only the digital bookstore.