Quote:
Originally Posted by calvin-c
IMO the biggest failing of ebooks is the lack of a secondary market. I buy many books that I decide aren't worth keeping once I've read them. Or I'll buy a short story then, later, buy a collection containing that story so I end up with duplicate books. With pbooks, no problem-I sell them to others or donate them and get a tax deduction. With ebooks? I either throw them out so nobody benefits from them or I keep them in case I change my mind. Fortunately storage costs for ebooks are nothing.
Since I strip the DRM I suppose I could sell them and, provided I sold no more copies than I bought (usually 1) I believe I could prevail in court should I be sued over it-but I don't think it's worth the trouble. Maybe if ebooks cost more, like hundreds of dollars each, then I'd think it was worth the trouble-but if they cost that much I don't think I'd own so many. Paradox.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks
Not to mention you might have trouble finding buyers. Unless you run a very popular site, selling any book (visibility) is not all that easy...
I'll not argue the moral, ethical or legal issues as there is no point and we don't need another thread on that topic.
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While I have been told that trading books online is quite doable and saves big bucks, I pretty much gave up on trading paper books in stores 20 years ago. For a new book you are very lucky in my experience to get 20% of what you paid. Perhaps if you donate hundreds or thousands of dollars to charity every year the tax deduction thing could be worthwhile, but the paperwork and accounting for each small deduction seems a bit over the top to me. Might be different where you live.
While I won't say it makes up for not being able to sell for many I have some (to me) big reasons to prefer ebooks.
Location, Location, Location. The books I have and want to read are always on my ereader(s). Occasionally my ereader may fall of my bedside table, but if it buries itself in some unusual place then I have another ereader or two always handy.
Time is money. Not that I have enough of either, but do I want to trek across town to a place or two that might want to buy my books, or even trade them, or sell them online and read half-hearted enquiries wondering if I can lower my price or pay the shipping but they don't think they want the book anyway, do I have anything better. Many enjoy this process but not me. I would rather work an extra half hour here and there or make my espresso at home to save the cash. My book budget is under $30 a week (usually way under as I read at least 50% library books and bargain books. If I got back 50% of that it would be $0 to $15. More likely $0 to $2. Just does not make it a big benefit in my eyes.
To recoup two or three bucks on a $10 paper book or even $4 to $6 on a $20 one, I might have to spend money on transportation, time already spent on getting the books I am trying to flog, and the fact that I might not even find a buyer at all as Bear Mountain said, if it is a popular book and the second hand market is flooded.
Of course some may be on a limited income and must spend the time due to lack of money, but then how does a tax deduction help?
Helen