Preferred Store?

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 02:14 PM

SILLY POLL TIME!

If the availability and price are equal across the board and no coupons/discounts/etc. apply, which store do you buy from?

Poll to follow -- explain why (format preference, device sync, store interface, customer service, return policy, etc.) in the comments!

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 02:18 PM

For me, it's B&N. I like the library interface -- you can download from the computer and archive books with a single button press. I tend to use that archive/non-archive distinction to remind myself whether or not I've downloaded the book and tossed it into Calibre yet.

I don't really like the store interface (too clunky, and crappy search engine), but it's inertia keeping me with them at this point. That, and I keep hoping they'll implement online shelves with the MyNook Portal or whatever it's going to be called.

If I could do it all over again, I might go with Kobo, but since I like having my online library all in one place, I'll probably keep buying from B&N.

Ron. · 08-16-2011, 02:20 PM

Amazon followed by Kobo

Elfwreck · 08-16-2011, 02:21 PM

I prefer Fictionwise; their library & bulk download options edge out SW's availability in RTF (which tends to be atrocious anyway). And their books are formatted more consistently, almost always better. I buy a lot more from Smashwords, though, because books rarely are equally available and priced.

Smashwords' library of books-you've-added/books-you've-purchased is awful; a single column of ALL THE BOOKS in purchase order. When I had bought 10 books from them, that was fine. With over 50 added and over 70 purchases, I can't find anything unless I already remember it; there's no re-sorting by genre or author or even title.

Pookeysgirl · 08-16-2011, 02:21 PM

I voted Kobo, even though I have a Kindle. I would prefer to buy straight from Amazon but I've had a few problems with the "plug-in-that-must-not-be-named". When I buy from Kobo I don't have to worry about that since I have other options when it comes to liberating my books.

HomeInMyShoes · 08-16-2011, 02:22 PM

Amazon for my e-books since I've got a Kindle, but otherwise, I shop at Chapters for pBooks now that my local bookstores have all closed. My favourite bookstore in recent years was Left Bank Books on Euclid in St. Louis.

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Smashwords' library of books-you've-added/books-you've-purchased is awful; a single column of ALL THE BOOKS in purchase order. When I had bought 10 books from them, that was fine. With over 50 added and over 70 purchases, I can't find anything unless I already remember it; there's no re-sorting by genre or author or even title.

I vaguely recall Kobo is like that, too? That's one thing that keeps my from them -- I like my B&N sorting options.

ilovejedd · 08-16-2011, 02:25 PM

Fictionwise. I really like the search engine and I find the site layout to be pretty functional and helpful in finding books. Multi-format is great. Being able to download a sizable chunk of your library in one go (zipped) in your preferred format of choice is pretty awesome. To me, Fictionwise feels more like a library while the others are more akin to a book store.

Asawi · 08-16-2011, 02:29 PM

Sony is my forst choice, but I buy where the price is best. So far that has been Sony and Kobo for the (few) titles I have bought.

ucfgrad93 · 08-16-2011, 02:43 PM

Amazon for me.

shanghaichica · 08-16-2011, 03:17 PM

Amazon. Simple, straight forward, no messing about.

apesmom · 08-16-2011, 03:27 PM

All things being equal I had been buying from Kobo as support/thanks for when they do offer coupons. Not so much these days but I'm still going there out of habit.

pdurrant · 08-16-2011, 03:27 PM

Given the conditions in the poll, I'd buy from webscriptions or from the author's own store. (So I chose 'other'.)

DRM-free, and more of the money gets to the author. Oh, and getting multi-format helps too.

anamardoll · 08-16-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Given the conditions in the poll, I'd buy from webscriptions or from the author's own store. (So I chose 'other'.)

DRM-free, and more of the money gets to the author. Oh, and getting multi-format helps too.

Yeah, I chewed on my lip re: Baen and the like. I'll buy from Baen first every time, but I can't really include them in a "selections being equal and all" poll because they're a niche store. Time for another poll, maybe!

toddos · 08-16-2011, 03:56 PM

I go with Barnes & Noble for one simple reason: money. I have a Discover credit card, and I get 10-15% cashback on B&N purchases including ebooks from the Nook store. Similarly, I can spend my cashback bonuses on gift certificates for B&N ($45 buys $50, or a 10% discount, and they just added electronic certificates so I no longer have to wait two weeks to get physical cards in the mail), which in turn give me cashback again when I spend them. I'm surprised that works, but I guess because I have my Discover Card as my primary payment instrument and I enter the site from Discover's cashback portal they give me the money even though I buy using a gift card. I'm essentially getting a 20-25% discount depending on if cashback is 10% or 15% in a given month, and spending money on other things gets me free money for ebooks. Out of all the books I've purchased at the Nook store, I've spent non-cashback gift card money maybe twice.

If it weren't for that, I don't think I'd have a store preference. All DRM for the listed stores is easily broken, so I'd shop around and buy wherever the prices are lowest (for agency books I'd probably stick to Amazon or B&N, preferring B&N for epub).

View Poll Results: Preferred Store?
Amazon	69	44.23%
Barnes and Noble	18	11.54%
Kobo	21	13.46%
Sony	13	8.33%
Smashwords	10	6.41%
Fictionwise	4	2.56%
Other (Specify in comments)	19	12.18%
iBooks	1	0.64%
Google Books	1	0.64%
Voters: 156. You may not vote on this poll

08-16-2011, 02:14 PM	#1
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Preferred Store? SILLY POLL TIME! If the availability and price are equal across the board and no coupons/discounts/etc. apply, which store do you buy from? Poll to follow -- explain why (format preference, device sync, store interface, customer service, return policy, etc.) in the comments!

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08-16-2011, 02:18 PM	#2
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	For me, it's B&N. I like the library interface -- you can download from the computer and archive books with a single button press. I tend to use that archive/non-archive distinction to remind myself whether or not I've downloaded the book and tossed it into Calibre yet. I don't really like the store interface (too clunky, and crappy search engine), but it's inertia keeping me with them at this point. That, and I keep hoping they'll implement online shelves with the MyNook Portal or whatever it's going to be called. If I could do it all over again, I might go with Kobo, but since I like having my online library all in one place, I'll probably keep buying from B&N.

08-16-2011, 02:20 PM	#3
Ron. Evangelist Posts: 448 Karma: 864744 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle 3, LookBook, Nook Simple Touch	Amazon followed by Kobo

08-16-2011, 02:21 PM	#4
Elfwreck Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,185 Karma: 25133758 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area, California, USA Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3 (Past: Kobo Mini, PEZ, PRS-505, Clié)	I prefer Fictionwise; their library & bulk download options edge out SW's availability in RTF (which tends to be atrocious anyway). And their books are formatted more consistently, almost always better. I buy a lot more from Smashwords, though, because books rarely are equally available and priced. Smashwords' library of books-you've-added/books-you've-purchased is awful; a single column of ALL THE BOOKS in purchase order. When I had bought 10 books from them, that was fine. With over 50 added and over 70 purchases, I can't find anything unless I already remember it; there's no re-sorting by genre or author or even title.

08-16-2011, 02:21 PM	#5
Pookeysgirl Wizard Posts: 1,705 Karma: 12696746 Join Date: May 2010 Device: K3, Kobo Mini	I voted Kobo, even though I have a Kindle. I would prefer to buy straight from Amazon but I've had a few problems with the "plug-in-that-must-not-be-named". When I buy from Kobo I don't have to worry about that since I have other options when it comes to liberating my books.

08-16-2011, 02:22 PM	#6
HomeInMyShoes Grand Sorcerer Posts: 19,226 Karma: 67780237 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: none	Amazon for my e-books since I've got a Kindle, but otherwise, I shop at Chapters for pBooks now that my local bookstores have all closed. My favourite bookstore in recent years was Left Bank Books on Euclid in St. Louis.

08-16-2011, 02:25 PM	#8
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	Fictionwise. I really like the search engine and I find the site layout to be pretty functional and helpful in finding books. Multi-format is great. Being able to download a sizable chunk of your library in one go (zipped) in your preferred format of choice is pretty awesome. To me, Fictionwise feels more like a library while the others are more akin to a book store.

08-16-2011, 02:29 PM	#9
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	Sony is my forst choice, but I buy where the price is best. So far that has been Sony and Kobo for the (few) titles I have bought.

08-16-2011, 02:43 PM	#10
ucfgrad93 Wizard Posts: 2,360 Karma: 9026681 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2nd Gen	Amazon for me.

08-16-2011, 03:17 PM	#11
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	Amazon. Simple, straight forward, no messing about.

08-16-2011, 03:27 PM	#12
apesmom Wizard Posts: 2,535 Karma: 24702524 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: Boox Nova Air, Galaxy Note 10	All things being equal I had been buying from Kobo as support/thanks for when they do offer coupons. Not so much these days but I'm still going there out of habit.

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08-16-2011, 03:27 PM	#13
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 71,515 Karma: 306214458 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Voyage	Given the conditions in the poll, I'd buy from webscriptions or from the author's own store. (So I chose 'other'.) DRM-free, and more of the money gets to the author. Oh, and getting multi-format helps too.

08-16-2011, 03:56 PM	#15
toddos Guru Posts: 695 Karma: 822675 Join Date: May 2010 Device: Kobo Aura, Nokia Lumia 920 (Freda)	I go with Barnes & Noble for one simple reason: money. I have a Discover credit card, and I get 10-15% cashback on B&N purchases including ebooks from the Nook store. Similarly, I can spend my cashback bonuses on gift certificates for B&N ($45 buys $50, or a 10% discount, and they just added electronic certificates so I no longer have to wait two weeks to get physical cards in the mail), which in turn give me cashback again when I spend them. I'm surprised that works, but I guess because I have my Discover Card as my primary payment instrument and I enter the site from Discover's cashback portal they give me the money even though I buy using a gift card. I'm essentially getting a 20-25% discount depending on if cashback is 10% or 15% in a given month, and spending money on other things gets me free money for ebooks. Out of all the books I've purchased at the Nook store, I've spent non-cashback gift card money maybe twice. If it weren't for that, I don't think I'd have a store preference. All DRM for the listed stores is easily broken, so I'd shop around and buy wherever the prices are lowest (for agency books I'd probably stick to Amazon or B&N, preferring B&N for epub).