Specialty Stores vs. Mega Stores

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 03:36 PM

Poll time!

Do you spend time/effort/money going to specialty niche stores (like Baen) first for books, or do you head to the mega stores (like Amazon) first when you want a specific book?

Explain why (author cuts, DRM freedom, etc.) or why not (library all in one place, bargain prices, etc.) in the comments.

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 03:38 PM

(And I know that the way the questions are phrased is not mutually exclusive. Pick one and deal with it.

)

I have to go with the bottom one. I intend to check specialty stores and even remember to do so sometimes but the FAST FAST FAST buying options with Amazon and B&N make it tricky for me to remember to slow down and check out Baen, Harlequin, etc. first.

Pookeysgirl · 08-16-2011, 03:42 PM

I've only ever bought from Kobo and Amazon. Lately I've been buying from Kobo since it's been easier for me to strip the DRM off my books and of course I've been using the coupon codes. But if I find a really great deal from Amazon, I'll buy there instead.

pdurrant · 08-16-2011, 03:47 PM

Mostly because I like genre fiction, which is often in speciality stores more than the major stores.

Of course, I'll end up at a major store if there is no speciality store carrying what I want.

xg4bx · 08-16-2011, 03:47 PM

usually amazon but i sometimes check an indie authors site to see if they have coupon codes or in some cases, free books.

MrsJoseph · 08-16-2011, 04:09 PM

I hit them all but I check with Amazon first (most of the time). I get a lot from Baen but I do a lot of used books, too.

RainingLemur · 08-16-2011, 04:35 PM

Mega-store first (Amazon), because it takes a couple of seconds to search for it. If I don't find it there, then I go looking elsewhere.

ApK · 08-16-2011, 10:01 PM

Amazon first. It's easy and they're most likely to have info on just about anything that I would be searching.

I rarely think to go to Baen and such directly, but I do when reminded by, say, a post on MR....

Bookworm_Girl · 08-16-2011, 10:43 PM

I mostly read bestsellers or mainstream books. I go to the megastores especially since pricing is less of a differentiator these days. I am not picky about having all of my books in a common library. An inkmesh search is usually the most effort I expend to find prices at multiple locations. I don't have any specific requirements like indie authors or no-DRM that would be found in speciality shops.

shanghaichica · 08-17-2011, 04:43 AM

Mega- Stores (Amazon), as they usually have what I want. I have a Sony which I don't use anymore since getting the kindle. I used to hate trawling around all the ePub stores looking for the book I wanted and then looking for the best price. I much prefer having one dedicated, megastore.

tubemonkey · 08-17-2011, 04:57 AM

other - I head straight for the internet and download a free copy of books I want to read.

Asawi · 08-17-2011, 05:24 AM

Other:
First I check the libraries. Find a lot there. Of the 100+ books I've read this year the vast majority comes from libraries.
Then I Google and see where I end up if I still find I want the book bad enough to buy it. (Happens very, very rarely!)

afa · 08-17-2011, 06:32 AM

Usually mega-stores because they tend to have the books I want.

Specialty stores are a hit-or-miss.

John F · 08-17-2011, 08:05 AM

Other.

Libraries first.
Then Inkmesh.

I'm usually looking for the best price.

ilovejedd · 08-17-2011, 09:56 AM

Libraries first if I'm just looking for something new to read. From June to now, I've borrowed 47 ebooks from the library. I've finished reading 38 out of the 47. 5 ebooks, I just downloaded last night (although I'm halfway into one of the titles). The remaining 4 just didn't catch my fancy so I returned those after reading the first few pages.

If there's a title I want that isn't available from the library or I know I'll want to re-read, that's when I hit Inkmesh. For books with agency pricing, I use BooksOnBoard. Otherwise, it's Kobo since they usually end up cheapest after coupon codes.

View Poll Results: Speciality Stores vs. Mega Stores
I will spend time, money, or effort to check a specialty store first when looking for a specific title.	19	33.33%
I usually head straight to the mega stores when looking for a specific title.	38	66.67%
Voters: 57. You may not vote on this poll

08-16-2011, 03:36 PM	#1
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Specialty Stores vs. Mega Stores Poll time! Do you spend time/effort/money going to specialty niche stores (like Baen) first for books, or do you head to the mega stores (like Amazon) first when you want a specific book? Explain why (author cuts, DRM freedom, etc.) or why not (library all in one place, bargain prices, etc.) in the comments.

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08-16-2011, 03:38 PM	#2
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	(And I know that the way the questions are phrased is not mutually exclusive. Pick one and deal with it. ) I have to go with the bottom one. I intend to check specialty stores and even remember to do so sometimes but the FAST FAST FAST buying options with Amazon and B&N make it tricky for me to remember to slow down and check out Baen, Harlequin, etc. first.

08-16-2011, 03:42 PM	#3
Pookeysgirl Wizard Posts: 1,705 Karma: 12696746 Join Date: May 2010 Device: K3, Kobo Mini	I've only ever bought from Kobo and Amazon. Lately I've been buying from Kobo since it's been easier for me to strip the DRM off my books and of course I've been using the coupon codes. But if I find a really great deal from Amazon, I'll buy there instead.

08-16-2011, 03:47 PM	#4
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,504 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	Mostly because I like genre fiction, which is often in speciality stores more than the major stores. Of course, I'll end up at a major store if there is no speciality store carrying what I want.

08-16-2011, 03:47 PM	#5
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	usually amazon but i sometimes check an indie authors site to see if they have coupon codes or in some cases, free books.

08-16-2011, 04:09 PM	#6
MrsJoseph Loves Ellipsis... Posts: 1,554 Karma: 7899232 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Kobo Wifi (broken), nook STR (returned), Kobo Touch, Sony T1	I hit them all but I check with Amazon first (most of the time). I get a lot from Baen but I do a lot of used books, too.

08-16-2011, 04:35 PM	#7
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Mega-store first (Amazon), because it takes a couple of seconds to search for it. If I don't find it there, then I go looking elsewhere.

08-16-2011, 10:01 PM	#8
ApK Award-Winning Participant Posts: 7,316 Karma: 67862884 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NJ, USA Device: Kindle	Amazon first. It's easy and they're most likely to have info on just about anything that I would be searching. I rarely think to go to Baen and such directly, but I do when reminded by, say, a post on MR....

08-16-2011, 10:43 PM	#9
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,871 Karma: 36507503 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	I mostly read bestsellers or mainstream books. I go to the megastores especially since pricing is less of a differentiator these days. I am not picky about having all of my books in a common library. An inkmesh search is usually the most effort I expend to find prices at multiple locations. I don't have any specific requirements like indie authors or no-DRM that would be found in speciality shops.

08-17-2011, 04:43 AM	#10
shanghaichica Guru Posts: 989 Karma: 5782970 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Scribe,Kindle Oasis 3, iPad Pro 11, iPhone 13 Pro Max,iPad mini 6, PW5	Mega- Stores (Amazon), as they usually have what I want. I have a Sony which I don't use anymore since getting the kindle. I used to hate trawling around all the ePub stores looking for the book I wanted and then looking for the best price. I much prefer having one dedicated, megastore.

08-17-2011, 04:57 AM	#11
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,477 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	other - I head straight for the internet and download a free copy of books I want to read.

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08-17-2011, 05:24 AM	#12
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	Other: First I check the libraries. Find a lot there. Of the 100+ books I've read this year the vast majority comes from libraries. Then I Google and see where I end up if I still find I want the book bad enough to buy it. (Happens very, very rarely!)

08-17-2011, 06:32 AM	#13
afa The Forgotten Posts: 1,136 Karma: 4689999 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Dubai Device: Kindle Paperwhite; Nook HD; Sony Xperia Z3 Compact	Usually mega-stores because they tend to have the books I want. Specialty stores are a hit-or-miss.

08-17-2011, 08:05 AM	#14
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,166 Karma: 63764653 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Glo HD	Other. Libraries first. Then Inkmesh. I'm usually looking for the best price.

08-17-2011, 09:56 AM	#15
ilovejedd hopeless n00b Posts: 5,111 Karma: 19597086 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: in the middle of nowhere Device: PW4, PW3, Libra H2O, iPad 10.5, iPad 11, iPad 12.9	Libraries first if I'm just looking for something new to read. From June to now, I've borrowed 47 ebooks from the library. I've finished reading 38 out of the 47. 5 ebooks, I just downloaded last night (although I'm halfway into one of the titles). The remaining 4 just didn't catch my fancy so I returned those after reading the first few pages. If there's a title I want that isn't available from the library or I know I'll want to re-read, that's when I hit Inkmesh. For books with agency pricing, I use BooksOnBoard. Otherwise, it's Kobo since they usually end up cheapest after coupon codes.