Duh - I finally Get the Problem - Page 2

eGeezer · 11-05-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jament

I don't think that store browsing and e-reading are mutually exclusive... ...I write down the titles, then go online to purchase them for my e-reader.

That's why I think more retailers need to move to allow e-book downloads right there in the store. Then I wouldn't feel so guilty about browsing there and buying elsewhere.

And its why the nook has its in-store browsing feature. It encourages people to still come to the BM BN, which means folks will still walk around the store looking, seeing other items of interest, and probably go away with extra items.

I have gone to BN upon occasion to seek out a particular reference in a "how-to" book, or determine how one book presents the information next to another. How much easier the task would be with the ability to browse electronically (provided, of course, you are lucky enuff to find the book(s) available for e-browsing.)

Our local BN store has a Starbucks with comfy seating. I wandered into BN for the first time in years and noted many of the chairs were occupied even now. How even better it would be not to wander around the store to find a book to drag back to SBs to browse.

Boston · 11-05-2009, 09:35 PM

I still find most of my books by browsing the bookstore. Its still one of my favorite things to do. The twist is that I will often go read reviews on-line before actually buying. Best of both worlds. I have read a lot of great books that never come to my attention on-line.

Likewise, I am finding books on-line that I wouldn't find in the store but I find that its more hit-or-miss and my buying is swayed too much by what strangers have to say and less selective.

I find shopping on the internet overwhelming...too much available and less fun to browse (for me). Yes, I have found some things that I wouldn't have otherwise but I wouldn't know the difference (or missed it otherwise).

I miss the fun of browsing independent stores (not just bookstores - btw). The thrill of finding something is more fun. I don't like looking at something on-line and wondering if it will be what I think/expect.

I think I've mentioned more than once that I still try to make small purchases at the bookstore (a magazine, a cookbook) as I would hate to see bookstores go the way of the record stores.

montsnmags · 11-05-2009, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Sounds like a "destination" vacation. I can't imagine the fun.....

I am having a three-day break by myself in Sydney in a couple of weeks, and those three days will be for, in order, pbooks, photography and cdmusic (the latter two might swap a bit, but the first'll stay first). Where I live is lovely, but I miss my bookshops.

Cheers,
Marc

HarryT · 11-06-2009, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jament

I don't think that store browsing and e-reading are mutually exclusive. I still love going to the local bookstore, sitting down with a pile of books and browsing through them to figure out which ones I want. I just don't buy them in the store anymore. I write down the titles, then go online to purchase them for my e-reader.

I'm afraid that strikes me as quite breathtakingly immoral. You're taking advantage of the bookstore's facilities to look at the books, but then not buying from them? If everyone starts doing that, the store will close and you'll have yourself to blame for it.

basschick · 11-06-2009, 04:35 AM

jament - if we all used bookstores (or any kind of stores) for browsing only, soon there wouldn't be any bookstores at all.

btw, i rarely go to bookstores. the thing is that they are limited in space. i tended for years to go try a new series or a new book in a series or books on a particular subject only to find the store would have to order it and it would take longer than getting it from an online store. and probably one out of six visits, i'd want a book that was out of print. this happened to me a lot - i mean REALLY a lot, and i became disenchanted to a degree. also i find i like browsing used bookstores more than new, as i tend to like odd or out of print books.

Sydney's Mom · 11-06-2009, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Considering I don't get to the city much, where there IS a bookstore, I buy most of my books of the internet. When I DO get to town I am way too busy getting things done to browse. Who wants to look at books when your feet hurt and you are exhausted?

If you haven't guessed yet, I live in a tiny town, without more things everyone takes for granted. Heck, we don't even have a traffic light!

Oh, I grew up in one of these. Now I live in Chicago, but still do a good bit of shopping online.

jament · 11-06-2009, 02:58 PM

Breathtakingly immoral? C'mon, it's not like murdering puppies or anything...

Economically, I don't think browsing at the bookstores is the issue - it's the medium of purchase. If all of my books are e-book purchases, that has the same financial impact on the bookstore whether I go there to browse or not.

Basschick, since you rarely go to bookstores, I could say the same to you - if we all rarely go to bookstores, soon there wouldn't be any bookstores at all.

Crusader · 11-06-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Considering I don't get to the city much, where there IS a bookstore, I buy most of my books of the internet. When I DO get to town I am way too busy getting things done to browse. Who wants to look at books when your feet hurt and you are exhausted?

If you haven't guessed yet, I live in a tiny town, without more things everyone takes for granted. Heck, we don't even have a traffic light!

I know that feeling. I'm in the same situation (traffic light included!). The nearest bookstore is around 230km away and I'm lucky if I can drop in there once every 3 months or so. That's why I mostly buy online and hopefully if my Opus ever arrives I'll be resorting to online purchases of ebooks.

I love to browse in the bookstore when I get the chance. They also have a nifty bargain section where you can get 3 books for around $12. A bargain I never pass up!

TallMomof2 · 11-06-2009, 03:48 PM

I stopped buying a lot of books in bookstores years ago because so many were shopworn from being browsed and then not purchased. Plus, as my tastes changed the local bookstores didn't carry a lot of what I wanted to read.

Nowadays I'll take my kids to the bookstores so they can find books to read, our library doesn't have much, and I rarely look at books for myself. I would much rather have electronic versions and that's not currently possible through a bricks and mortar bookstore.

I also order almost everything (except groceries) online. There's plenty of stores and shopping locally but it's easier to find what I like in my size online. Far less time and gas expended.

Jack Tingle · 11-06-2009, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6charlong

It would be nice if the publishers would sell copies of eBooks with the DRM keyed to the SD chip the book is on at the time of purchase...

OK, I know. There's probably some reason this can't work or someone would have thought of it. That's why I didn't want to embarrase myself by posting the idea, but here it is just the same.

Actually, SD cards specifically can do this already. That's where the name (Secure Digital) comes from. It's not a bad idea. It just never caught on.

Regards,
Jack Tingle

calvin-c · 11-06-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrscoach

Considering I don't get to the city much, where there IS a bookstore, I buy most of my books of the internet. When I DO get to town I am way too busy getting things done to browse. Who wants to look at books when your feet hurt and you are exhausted?

If you haven't guessed yet, I live in a tiny town, without more things everyone takes for granted. Heck, we don't even have a traffic light!

We have *lots* of tiny towns here in Alaska. Our solution is, usually, to make a trip to town an overnight trip. Yes, it raises the cost, but it also takes most of the rush & stress out of it. (And for some towns, like many in the SE panhandle, travel is by ferry-so you can leave home at midnight, catch some shuteye on the trip to town, shop all day, then leave late at night & catch some more shuteye on the return home. When the ferry schedules are right-they vary with the tides, you know.)

calvin-c · 11-06-2009, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basschick

jament - if we all used bookstores (or any kind of stores) for browsing only, soon there wouldn't be any bookstores at all.

btw, i rarely go to bookstores. the thing is that they are limited in space. i tended for years to go try a new series or a new book in a series or books on a particular subject only to find the store would have to order it and it would take longer than getting it from an online store. and probably one out of six visits, i'd want a book that was out of print. this happened to me a lot - i mean REALLY a lot, and i became disenchanted to a degree. also i find i like browsing used bookstores more than new, as i tend to like odd or out of print books.

The 'browse' in the bookstore & buy online could actually be made to work-if the online bookstores would support it. (All that would be needed are 1) where did you hear about this book? and 2) a 'commission' plan that would pay the BM bookstore a referral fee.) But I doubt if they will. Even the ones that are run by companies with BM bookstores (like B&N) probably won't look at the synergy generated by keeping both sites. More likely the bean counters will look at the profit & expense directly generated by each site, in which case they'll close the BM stores. And wonder why their ebook sales dropped, too?

neilmarr · 11-07-2009, 05:31 AM

I live in a non-English speaking country, but where I'm located, there s an Anglaphone community and we do get English-speaking tourists, so a few stores will have an (impoverished) 'English language shelf'. Few and far between are actually English book shops. Their choice is limited, prices are sky high and staff tend to be innocent of anything literature-related and not a little snooty with it.

The Internet has brought my enjoyment of recreational reading back to life. If anything, the online choice is overwhelming, and prices ain't too bad as a rule.

A visit to a bookshop when I still lived in the UK was an outing, an afternoon's vacation. These days, I find a few hours dedicated to browsing on line is just as satisfying -- and seems to achieve a better result. Now able to buy ebooks and read on my 505 has pretty well dimmed all quaint memories of the dusty, somethimes frustrating, brick-and-mortar experience.

I think the secret is, when searching for you next reads, to allow the same time on line that you once spent searching the shelves. Patience is the secret ... remembering that it's worth spending the time to carefully choose titles that are each likely to command the investment of ten or twelve hours of precious leisure-reading time.

Neil

Ea · 11-07-2009, 07:12 AM

The bookstores in my city aren't large and mostly have the same books - and they're a lot more expensive than buying online - so I've never had the habit of going. The library has much larger variety - and it's even free.

I really like online window shopping (as well as shopping, of course). Amazon is a great site for browsing, as there's both comments and suggestion of other books.

kennyc · 11-07-2009, 07:54 AM

Yes we are gradually moving towards The Matrix. All will be virtual there will be no B&M stores, houses, anything....

I find browsing better online than in stores, I can better find information, reviews, opinions and details about what I'm interested in.

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11-05-2009, 09:35 PM	#17
Boston Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 40032 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston :) Device: Kindle, Kobo Aura H20, Pixel XL	I still find most of my books by browsing the bookstore. Its still one of my favorite things to do. The twist is that I will often go read reviews on-line before actually buying. Best of both worlds. I have read a lot of great books that never come to my attention on-line. Likewise, I am finding books on-line that I wouldn't find in the store but I find that its more hit-or-miss and my buying is swayed too much by what strangers have to say and less selective. I find shopping on the internet overwhelming...too much available and less fun to browse (for me). Yes, I have found some things that I wouldn't have otherwise but I wouldn't know the difference (or missed it otherwise). I miss the fun of browsing independent stores (not just bookstores - btw). The thrill of finding something is more fun. I don't like looking at something on-line and wondering if it will be what I think/expect. I think I've mentioned more than once that I still try to make small purchases at the bookstore (a magazine, a cookbook) as I would hate to see bookstores go the way of the record stores.

11-06-2009, 04:35 AM	#20
basschick Wizard Posts: 1,096 Karma: 4695691 Join Date: May 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	jament - if we all used bookstores (or any kind of stores) for browsing only, soon there wouldn't be any bookstores at all. btw, i rarely go to bookstores. the thing is that they are limited in space. i tended for years to go try a new series or a new book in a series or books on a particular subject only to find the store would have to order it and it would take longer than getting it from an online store. and probably one out of six visits, i'd want a book that was out of print. this happened to me a lot - i mean REALLY a lot, and i became disenchanted to a degree. also i find i like browsing used bookstores more than new, as i tend to like odd or out of print books.

11-06-2009, 02:58 PM	#22
jament Enthusiast Posts: 40 Karma: 185 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Sony 505	Breathtakingly immoral? C'mon, it's not like murdering puppies or anything... Economically, I don't think browsing at the bookstores is the issue - it's the medium of purchase. If all of my books are e-book purchases, that has the same financial impact on the bookstore whether I go there to browse or not. Basschick, since you rarely go to bookstores, I could say the same to you - if we all rarely go to bookstores, soon there wouldn't be any bookstores at all.

11-06-2009, 03:48 PM	#24
TallMomof2 Kindlephilia Posts: 2,017 Karma: 1139255 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Snowpacolypse 2010 Device: Too many to count	I stopped buying a lot of books in bookstores years ago because so many were shopworn from being browsed and then not purchased. Plus, as my tastes changed the local bookstores didn't carry a lot of what I wanted to read. Nowadays I'll take my kids to the bookstores so they can find books to read, our library doesn't have much, and I rarely look at books for myself. I would much rather have electronic versions and that's not currently possible through a bricks and mortar bookstore. I also order almost everything (except groceries) online. There's plenty of stores and shopping locally but it's easier to find what I like in my size online. Far less time and gas expended.

11-07-2009, 05:31 AM	#28
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	I live in a non-English speaking country, but where I'm located, there s an Anglaphone community and we do get English-speaking tourists, so a few stores will have an (impoverished) 'English language shelf'. Few and far between are actually English book shops. Their choice is limited, prices are sky high and staff tend to be innocent of anything literature-related and not a little snooty with it. The Internet has brought my enjoyment of recreational reading back to life. If anything, the online choice is overwhelming, and prices ain't too bad as a rule. A visit to a bookshop when I still lived in the UK was an outing, an afternoon's vacation. These days, I find a few hours dedicated to browsing on line is just as satisfying -- and seems to achieve a better result. Now able to buy ebooks and read on my 505 has pretty well dimmed all quaint memories of the dusty, somethimes frustrating, brick-and-mortar experience. I think the secret is, when searching for you next reads, to allow the same time on line that you once spent searching the shelves. Patience is the secret ... remembering that it's worth spending the time to carefully choose titles that are each likely to command the investment of ten or twelve hours of precious leisure-reading time. Neil

11-07-2009, 07:12 AM	#29
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	The bookstores in my city aren't large and mostly have the same books - and they're a lot more expensive than buying online - so I've never had the habit of going. The library has much larger variety - and it's even free. I really like online window shopping (as well as shopping, of course). Amazon is a great site for browsing, as there's both comments and suggestion of other books.

11-07-2009, 07:54 AM	#30
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,897 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Yes we are gradually moving towards The Matrix. All will be virtual there will be no B&M stores, houses, anything.... I find browsing better online than in stores, I can better find information, reviews, opinions and details about what I'm interested in.