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View Poll Results: What is your #1 method of ebook discovery? | |||
I browse book covers, and if it grabs me I investigate further |
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22 | 6.98% |
I browse paper books at brick and mortar bookstores, then search for the ebook online |
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11 | 3.49% |
Recommendations from fellow readers on online forums, blogs, message boards |
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82 | 26.03% |
Personal friend/family member recommends it to me |
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13 | 4.13% |
I look first for my favorite authors |
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56 | 17.78% |
I read free ebooks, and if I like the author I buy their other titles |
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18 | 5.71% |
I browse randomly then look at reviews |
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26 | 8.25% |
I'll sample anything, and if it grabs me I'll download/buy it |
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12 | 3.81% |
Bestseller lists for my favorite genres/topics |
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16 | 5.08% |
Retailer recommendations (incl "people who bought this bought that") |
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16 | 5.08% |
Reviews/recommendations from traditional media (newpapers, television, magazines) |
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11 | 3.49% |
Other (please elaborate in comments!) |
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32 | 10.16% |
Voters: 315. You may not vote on this poll |
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#1 |
Connoisseur
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Karma: 4999999
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Los Gatos, CA
Device: iPhone
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What is your single most common method of book discovery?
Most of us utilize multiple methods of ebook discovery. If you had to choose a single method you rely upon the most, what is it?
Answer the poll, then please elaborate in you comments. Last edited by Smashwords; 09-19-2011 at 11:49 AM. |
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#2 |
Fearless Writer
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Karma: 375317
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: In a mitten!
Device: Kobo Wifi
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Where's the poll? >.>
Edit: There it is! I chose "other" because I rely equally on covers/descriptions, browsing in bookstores (though with the closing of Borders, I doubt I'll be doing that as much) and recommendations from friends (verbally) and reviewers through GoodReads.com. Last edited by OneandonlyDoc; 09-19-2011 at 11:55 AM. |
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#3 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 67780237
Join Date: Jul 2011
Device: none
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Sometimes I just trawl the Web for lists of the top books of all time and choose something from that list that strikes my fancy. Sometimes I'll start with a book I love on Amazon and go down the chain of others also bought until I find something interesting. Sometimes I'll pursue options suggested by others on MobileRead through threads like the 'book quote game' and 'what are you reading'.
My favourite method is to go to an actual bricks and mortar bookstore in town and wander the aisles and displays for things that catch my eye. I generally find better stuff in the physical world than in the world of bits. After I figure out what to read than I figure out how I'm going to read it. I'll check Amazon and other on-line stores and if the prices are more than I want to pay for the e-book then I'll head over to my library's website and see if I can find it there. Or I'll head over to a physical book and see if that price is better. When I've found all this out I'll make a decision if it's a buy or a borrow option. If I can't figure that out, I'll just toss the title onto the WTR pile and find something else. It's pretty unscientific how I find a new book and author, but pretty scientific once I figure out I want to read it. |
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#4 | |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 198099188
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
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I chose:
Quote:
But in reality, my number one method is: recommendations from other like-minded readers that it's taken me years to find. Whether they're online, down the street or across the hall. |
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#5 |
Chasing Butterflies
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Karma: 5074169
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: American Southwest
Device: Uses batteries.
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I rely HEAVILY on freebies and bargains to find new authors. And I also go to B&M stores to browse.
But if we have to pick one, my biggest method is probably the Amazon Recommends. ![]() |
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#6 |
Tea Enthusiast
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Karma: 75384937
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Somewhere in the USA
Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2
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I tend to read what my Mom buys so that we have something to discuss other then the weather and when I am going to get pregnant and her health.
That sounds bad, it is not that bad. I have a great relationship with my Mom but I do like talking to her once a week and need something other then normal stuff to fill the conversation. We share a Kindle account so I read the books that she buys on aregular basis. It also helps me read something other then Sci Fi Fantasy. I do look at recommendations from forums and newspapers. It has been ages since I have been in a bookstore. |
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#7 | |
Literacy = Understanding
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Karma: 59674358
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: The World of Books
Device: Nook, Nook Tablet
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Quote:
For pbooks, I rely on book covers, browsing B&M stores, and reviews in trusted sources like the New York Review of Books. |
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#8 |
Maria Schneider
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Karma: 26439330
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Near Austin, Texas
Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard
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Hard to pick just one, but usually rec's or things I see on Goodreads that others are reading. Some books from here and some from Amazon's "he bought" lists. Rarely best seller lists, but lately I've been picking up a lot of freebies.
I also use Books on the Knob and DailyCheapReads. They put bargains up and if the cover or description catches my eye, I check it out. I used those two sites at least 3 or 4 times a week and two weeks ago signed up for the daily emails. Curses! That meant I noticed at least 3 books I wouldn't have bought otherwise... |
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#9 |
Wizard
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Karma: 4132096
Join Date: Sep 2008
Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App
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I answered "bestseller lists" but that is not strictly true. For fiction, I tend to go in with a single title in mind and just buy that. For non-fiction, I start with the best-seller list and then follow the "people who bought" lists from there. For instance, I was recently looking for books on a certain health issue so I did a search, opened up the first few results and then followed the Amazon suggestions to other books of interest.
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#10 |
Enthusiast
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Karma: 100000
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Vancouver, BC
Device: Calibre
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No common method of book discovery. Combination of methods listed on poll. Perhaps a comment from a forum member will cause me to look up a work, or a recommendation from a friend, or just browsing books.
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#11 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 198099188
Join Date: Jan 2010
Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD
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Forgot to mention that the Man Booker Prize long-list has become a very solid "recommender" to me in recent years.
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#12 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 32763414
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Krewerd
Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6
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Other: I browse randomly.
I never read reviews. A good title is a pre, a good description as well. Unlike pbooks, I don't really look at the covers for ebooks, the title is more important. |
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#13 |
Gadgetoholic
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Karma: 3865860
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Sweden
Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6
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"Other"
I almost only read library books, so I keep track on titles added in my libraries. (I then check out reviews and recomendations for those books to try to figure out if they are for me.) |
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#14 |
Banned
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Karma: 4368191
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Oregon
Device: Kindle3
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I have multiple book feeds in my toolbar, I am forced to go by the one line description that the uploader has given to the book but if the description is even remotely interesting I will download.
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#15 |
Grand Sorcerer
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Karma: 464403178
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: 33.9388° N, 117.2716° W
Device: Kindles K-2, K-KB, PW 1 & 2, Voyage, Fire 2, 5 & HD 8, Surface 3, iPad
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i voted for browse book covers but actually i browse cover art [as opposed to covers that have printing all over the art] and if it grabs me i find out what book it was painted for and investigate further.
Last edited by alansplace; 09-19-2011 at 02:38 PM. Reason: clarification |
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ebook discovery, poll |
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