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I haven't bought any books that I already own in paper. I guess it's because I rarely re-read books and the few that I do are actually in my library's ebook collection or the Public Domain. I do buy a lot of books but I only buy when I want to read them. I get the free sample first and only buy the book when I've read it. I spend far less on books now than I used to. Buying the book at the end of the sample is so quick and easy, I don't really find a need to buy in advance. I generally have good Whispernet coverage so I've only done that when I was going out of the country.
I've never really had the urge to build collections of things. I know many do and that influences their purchasing decisions in electronic media as well as physical items. With physical books I can see the appeal of having a vast collection on the shelves to look at. They're a great conversation piece when friends visit. You talk about things you've both read or learn new things about each other's tastes. Plus I loved when a friend spotted an interesting looking book on my shelves and I could lend it to them. Since I don't get that with digital media, I'm less likely to buy speculatively or to have a complete collection. I stopped buying CDs years ago and only bought the songs I wanted after I'd listened to them. I'm the same way with books now.
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