Register Guidelines E-Books Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Go Back   MobileRead Forums > E-Book General > General Discussions

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-15-2010, 04:54 PM   #1
davidhburton
Addict
davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!
 
davidhburton's Avatar
 
Posts: 211
Karma: 100001
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Toronto
Device: none
New poll: What impacts your book buying decision?

This is completely unscientific, but I'm running a poll on factors that affect book buying choices. I didn't put the poll here since I'm pulling in feedback from a few different sites/groups. I'm centralizing it on my web site. If you have a moment, please drop by and vote for your three most important factors.

Cheers!
David
http://davidhburton.com
davidhburton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2010, 07:59 PM   #2
Guns4Hire
Reading...Since 1970
Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.Guns4Hire knows the square root of minus one.
 
Guns4Hire's Avatar
 
Posts: 610
Karma: 7819
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nova Air C, Nova Pro, LifebookMars, BoyueT62+ Glowlight, NST, PB360
Should of had DRM on your poll.

For me the three top things is Price, Description/Synopsis, DRM. And of course a easy buying process. But thats a given.

Last edited by Guns4Hire; 04-15-2010 at 08:22 PM.
Guns4Hire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2010, 08:02 PM   #3
dmaul1114
Wizard
dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.dmaul1114 ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 2,300
Karma: 1121709
Join Date: Feb 2009
Device: Amazon Kindle 1
Went with Price, Reading Sample and Author from your options. More generally my decision process is as follows.

1. What I feel like reading at the time. Fiction? Non-fiction? A stand alone book or start up a series?

2. Price. I won't pay more than the cheapest print version for an e-book.

3. Is it available in the Kindle store? If so I'll send the sample, give it a read and buy it if I liked it and want to read more.
dmaul1114 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-15-2010, 10:41 PM   #4
Tricorp
Enthusiast
Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.Tricorp writes the songs that make the whole world sing.
 
Tricorp's Avatar
 
Posts: 36
Karma: 40000
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: Kindle
For cheap ebooks, I don't really have a decision tree, I just buy it if I feel like it, but anything over two bucks follows the following list.

1 Author
2 Description
3 Reviews
4 Cover
5 Price
Tricorp is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 02:05 AM   #5
sabredog
Geographically Restricted
sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.sabredog ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
sabredog's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,629
Karma: 14933353
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Perth, Australia
Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2
Geographic restrictions rate highly for me. The other options do not factor at all if the book is barred for purchase because I live in another region.
sabredog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 02:47 AM   #6
AlexBell
Wizard
AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.AlexBell ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
AlexBell's Avatar
 
Posts: 3,413
Karma: 13369310
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet
I think you should have included format - presuming you are talking about ebooks. I can only read ePub and mobi books, and won't read pdfs.

Regards, Alex
AlexBell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 03:16 AM   #7
BookCat
C L J
BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.BookCat ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
BookCat's Avatar
 
Posts: 2,912
Karma: 21115458
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Birmingham UK
Device: Sony e-reader 505, Kindle PW2, Kindle PW3, Kobo Libra2
I went for price (definitely my number one factor unless it's a book I'm hankering for), synopsis, and genre.

I agree that being in my preferred format - lrf - is important in ebooks; but pdf's can often be adapted, if badly.
BookCat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 04:18 AM   #8
Ea
Wizard
Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Ea ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Ea's Avatar
 
Posts: 3,490
Karma: 5239563
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Denmark
Device: Kindle 3|iPad air|iPhone 4S
The one thing that impacts my buying decision is if I want to read it. I. e., a decent sample is crucial. For fiction, the few first chapters is fine, but for non-fiction, I typically need a broader sample - the whole book is best, just like when you're in a book store and can browse the entire book.
Ea is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 04:35 AM   #9
Fat Abe
Man Who Stares at Books
Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Fat Abe ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Fat Abe's Avatar
 
Posts: 1,816
Karma: 10606722
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: 50th State, USA. Also, PA, NY, CA, and elsewhere.
Device: All of the Above
Author, Author, Author

I believe in the "auteur" theory of book-buying. Since the author serves as the the rough equivalent of a director, screenwriter and crew of his/her creation, this is about the only criterion I use to choose a book that I will purchase. The format of the book is immaterial. Even early reviews are irrelevant. Thus, if Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Herman Melville, or Theodore Sturgeon were still alive, I'd buy their books without hesitation. With living authors, I'll still order certain books in advance, but it's also sensible to browse through a novel in a bookstore, just to make sure the subject interests you enough to spend several hours reading the book from start to end. Sadly, some books just don't hack it with this test. How many pages does it take for me to decide that a book is just not worth perusing/pursuing any further? Three pages. I must fall for a book, hook, line and sinker. Otherwise, it's CUT!
Fat Abe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 07:18 AM   #10
Almas
Addict
Almas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura aboutAlmas has a spectacular aura about
 
Almas's Avatar
 
Posts: 330
Karma: 4099
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Device: Kindle Touch; Sony PRS-600
In regards to e-books, price is #1 for me. Geographical regional availability is also important. And available formats.

But I did vote in your poll, going for Price, Author and Genre.
Almas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 08:18 AM   #11
Worldwalker
Curmudgeon
Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 3,085
Karma: 722357
Join Date: Feb 2010
Device: PRS-505
For ebooks, DRM is at the top of the list. I flat-out will not buy DRM-restricted ebooks. If it's an author I like, or a sample of the book looks good, and of course if the price is appropriate (cheaper than the cheapest available pbook form), then I might buy it. But DRM is a deal-killer from the start.
Worldwalker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 08:43 AM   #12
davidhburton
Addict
davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!davidhburton rocks like Gibraltar!
 
davidhburton's Avatar
 
Posts: 211
Karma: 100001
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Toronto
Device: none
I was actually surprised at how much price is a factor. I might run a few more polls around DRM as well as prices you're willing to pay for ebooks.
davidhburton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 11:18 AM   #13
Worldwalker
Curmudgeon
Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.Worldwalker ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 3,085
Karma: 722357
Join Date: Feb 2010
Device: PRS-505
Price is a factor because so many of us are hardcore bookaholics.

To someone who buys two or three books a year, a $10 difference in price is no big deal. It gets lost in the noise. But to someone who, on occasion, buys two or three books a week, it's a very big deal. The serious readers among us buy a lot of books. I know for me, personally, the two things that have constrained me are price and shelf space. Ebooks transcend shelf space, so that brings price to the forefront.

I think you might want to break down the poll into two categories: positive factors that make people more likely to buy a book (good reviews, for instance) and negative factors that make them less likely to buy it (priced higher than a pbook). Any purchase decision is a tug-of-war between the plus and minus factors, and it's really hard to judge it without taking both into account separately.

For me, for ebooks, DRM is an absolute deal-killer. For pbooks, it's form factor: I almost never buy hardcover fiction because I haven't anywhere left to put it. That's not a problem that the person who buys two or three books a year has to worry about; for me, it's a matter of not having to sleep on in the back yard because the books have taken over my bed. So you may be polling two separate groups of people (the casual readers and the hardcore readers) and getting results about as valid as if you polled casual and hardcore World of Warcraft players on their interest in game features.
Worldwalker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 11:57 AM   #14
dyrinn45
Member
dyrinn45 began at the beginning.
 
Posts: 11
Karma: 10
Join Date: Apr 2010
Device: nook
I cant believe that publisher only has 2% of the vote. I haven't bought a single book, even ones less than $9.99 from any of the agency 5. I refuse to give them a single cent.
dyrinn45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-16-2010, 12:05 PM   #15
ficbot
Wizard
ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.ficbot ought to be getting tired of karma fortunes by now.
 
Posts: 2,409
Karma: 4132096
Join Date: Sep 2008
Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App
I just have so, so many books on my TBR list right now that I will not even consider a purchase unless 1) someone recommends it to me 2) I read about it and sounds interesting 3) the price is right 4) there is a free sample. I am not interested in taking a chance and wasting my money. It has to be a valuable read to me to buy it. No reviews, no sample, no purchase. I have too much else to read.
ficbot is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Poll on obstacles to ebook buying rhadin News 118 02-19-2010 07:25 PM
Kindle-- still proving why I made the right decision never buying one ardeegee News 56 10-09-2009 01:25 AM
Poll: Do you use a book stand? HarryT Sony Reader 34 05-16-2008 11:50 AM
decision time. hanlin vs cybook? anyone who's tried em? can you search in a book? nairbv Which one should I buy? 46 03-23-2008 07:32 AM
Trying to make a decision about buying Sony Reader Linda Introduce Yourself 6 11-10-2007 05:42 PM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:47 AM.


MobileRead.com is a privately owned, operated and funded community.