Paperback vs. digital

stop__dreaming · 05-28-2012, 10:26 AM

If you find a book that is offered on both formats (paper and digital), which do you normally go for if the price of the physical form is cheaper than digital?

Do you go for the 'ease' and pay a little more?

kennyc · 05-28-2012, 10:31 AM

I usually prefer e-book (except for most poetry) but also buy a lot of p-books used via amazon for much less than the ebook price.

RDaneel54 · 05-28-2012, 10:35 AM

I prefer digital.

The hassle of reading a paperback for me must be overcome by a substantially lower price. Out of print/not in digital format is an exception, but in most cases the price there is substantially lower than today's paperback prices.

paulsalter · 05-28-2012, 10:47 AM

if the paper edition is quite a bit cheaper i would go for that, or get an alternate ebook

I prefer ebooks, but the price puts me off

stop__dreaming · 05-28-2012, 11:11 AM

The book I am pondering over is half the price, second hand, over the Kindle edition, but we're only talking a couple of pounds/$3-4 dollars.

paulsalter · 05-28-2012, 11:16 AM

for a couple of pounds different i would probably go for the kindle edition

HomeInMyShoes · 05-28-2012, 11:22 AM

I like digital, but if the price is $16 for e and $10 for p then I usually go to the library. Keep losing those sales Amazon and Big Publishers. My wallet thanks you. Again and again and again.

mr ploppy · 05-28-2012, 01:07 PM

Paperback, usually used unless it's one of the pre-order writers I follow. I would only buy an ebook if it was significantly cheaper than the (new) paperback, or (more often) isn't available in print. A lot of the value of a book to me is in its resale value, even if I have no intention of selling it.

carld · 05-28-2012, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stop__dreaming

If you find a book that is offered on both formats (paper and digital), which do you normally go for if the price of the physical form is cheaper than digital?

Do you go for the 'ease' and pay a little more?

I don't buy in either format.

Edit: That makes me sound like I steal books. I meant, given that situation, I refuse to buy the paperback or the overpriced ebook.

pidgeon92 · 05-28-2012, 01:29 PM

All digital, all the time.

BeccaPrice · 05-28-2012, 01:40 PM

It really depends on how badly I want the book. My preference is for eformat, for a number of reasons, including the fact that I really don't have any more room for more books. If the eformat is more expensive than the paper, I'll either try to find it in the library, or pass on it entirely... unless it's a book that I think I want to add to my collection (rather than just read), in which case I'll go for the used paperback.

RainingLemur · 05-28-2012, 02:47 PM

Ebook for me, anymore. if I go to a signing, or I absolutely cannot find the ebook at all, then I'll buy the physical copy.

elemenoP · 05-28-2012, 07:57 PM

Given the same price for an ebook and a pbook, I would take the pbook. As much as I love ebooks, they do not have as much value as a pbook, to me.

eP

xg4bx · 05-28-2012, 08:40 PM

i almost always get the paper editions. i only buy the ebook version if thats the only way its available or if theres a massive price difference.

bfisher · 05-28-2012, 09:09 PM

It's hard to beat a used paperback on price. Last week I got "Cancer Ward" for $0.10 at week 3 of the "Friends of the Library" sale at Ithaca, and the 3rd ed of "The Norton Anthology of Poetry" for $0.25

"Cancer Ward" is currently $11.19 at Kobobooks and the anthology doesn't seem to be available in ebook.

05-28-2012, 10:26 AM	#1
stop__dreaming Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1211098 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bristol, England Device: Kindle 3	Paperback vs. digital If you find a book that is offered on both formats (paper and digital), which do you normally go for if the price of the physical form is cheaper than digital? Do you go for the 'ease' and pay a little more?

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05-28-2012, 10:31 AM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,930 Karma: 119747553 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2 & PW, Onyx Boox Go6	I usually prefer e-book (except for most poetry) but also buy a lot of p-books used via amazon for much less than the ebook price.

05-28-2012, 10:35 AM	#3
RDaneel54 Aging Positronic Brain Posts: 633 Karma: 2155452 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Aurora (when off-Earth) Device: Amazon Oasis; iPhone, iPad Mini	I prefer digital. The hassle of reading a paperback for me must be overcome by a substantially lower price. Out of print/not in digital format is an exception, but in most cases the price there is substantially lower than today's paperback prices.

05-28-2012, 10:47 AM	#4
paulsalter Fanatic Posts: 579 Karma: 3243761 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Fire HD8	if the paper edition is quite a bit cheaper i would go for that, or get an alternate ebook I prefer ebooks, but the price puts me off

05-28-2012, 11:11 AM	#5
stop__dreaming Addict Posts: 202 Karma: 1211098 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bristol, England Device: Kindle 3	The book I am pondering over is half the price, second hand, over the Kindle edition, but we're only talking a couple of pounds/$3-4 dollars.

05-28-2012, 11:16 AM	#6
paulsalter Fanatic Posts: 579 Karma: 3243761 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Fire HD8	for a couple of pounds different i would probably go for the kindle edition

05-28-2012, 11:22 AM	#7
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	I like digital, but if the price is $16 for e and $10 for p then I usually go to the library. Keep losing those sales Amazon and Big Publishers. My wallet thanks you. Again and again and again.

05-28-2012, 01:07 PM	#8
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	Paperback, usually used unless it's one of the pre-order writers I follow. I would only buy an ebook if it was significantly cheaper than the (new) paperback, or (more often) isn't available in print. A lot of the value of a book to me is in its resale value, even if I have no intention of selling it.

05-28-2012, 01:29 PM	#10
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	All digital, all the time.

05-28-2012, 01:40 PM	#11
BeccaPrice Wizard Posts: 2,146 Karma: 11174187 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Sony 350, K3-3G, K4SO, KPW	It really depends on how badly I want the book. My preference is for eformat, for a number of reasons, including the fact that I really don't have any more room for more books. If the eformat is more expensive than the paper, I'll either try to find it in the library, or pass on it entirely... unless it's a book that I think I want to add to my collection (rather than just read), in which case I'll go for the used paperback.

05-28-2012, 02:47 PM	#12
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Ebook for me, anymore. if I go to a signing, or I absolutely cannot find the ebook at all, then I'll buy the physical copy.

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05-28-2012, 07:57 PM	#13
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	Given the same price for an ebook and a pbook, I would take the pbook. As much as I love ebooks, they do not have as much value as a pbook, to me. eP

05-28-2012, 08:40 PM	#14
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	i almost always get the paper editions. i only buy the ebook version if thats the only way its available or if theres a massive price difference.

05-28-2012, 09:09 PM	#15
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	It's hard to beat a used paperback on price. Last week I got "Cancer Ward" for $0.10 at week 3 of the "Friends of the Library" sale at Ithaca, and the 3rd ed of "The Norton Anthology of Poetry" for $0.25 "Cancer Ward" is currently $11.19 at Kobobooks and the anthology doesn't seem to be available in ebook.