Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18883 posts, RR: 54 Posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1389 times:
Do you prefer going into a bookstore, be it in a worldwide chain or an independent outlet, and browsing books, or buying over the ‘net, via Amazon or another retailer? Which do you find most exciting, worthwhile and generally a better experience?
While I prefer the lower prices of Amazon, I much prefer shopping in a real, physical bookshop.
[Edited 2007-07-15 17:06:22]
"Everyone writing for the Telegraph knows that the way to grab eyeballs is with Ryanair and/or sex."
Adopim88 From United States of America, joined Nov 2006, 2007 posts, RR: 12 Reply 1, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 23 hours ago) and read 1381 times:
I prefer a bookstore. Just because I rarely buy anything over the internet (so easily people can lie about a product.)
Early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
Mexicana757 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 2961 posts, RR: 30 Reply 4, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1361 times:
I usually get my books at a bookstore. Most of my books I have bought at Borders. If there's a book a cant find I go online to find it.
AeroWesty From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 19238 posts, RR: 63 Reply 6, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 22 hours ago) and read 1342 times:
I prefer to receive them as gifts off my amazon.com wish list.
When I'm just browsing and buying the odd book, I can spend hours here:
Egmcman From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 898 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1338 times:
If want a title I can't get from the local high street shops the net is great.
I bought my Dad's Fathers Day & birthday presents which were tram books online as they were not available the in my high street. One of the books took over a week to be dispatched which was disgusting imho as it was in stock.
As I don't always plan to buy book I enjoy going to the high street shops and coming back with a surprise purchase.
MBMBOS From United States of America, joined May 2000, 2562 posts, RR: 1 Reply 8, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1334 times:
I prefer independent bookstores as the buyers for Borders and Barnes & Noble are far too predictable. I enjoy hanging out at a Borders or Barnes & Noble as they're sort of the present day "community centers" in the U.S. That is, places where you can go, hang out, have a cup of coffee, read, or listen to a lecture. It's sad that we have to go to a retail shop to find such an environment, but at least it exists in some form.
MD-90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 8422 posts, RR: 13 Reply 10, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1326 times:
Amazon.com, my university library, or Bookleggers, a used bookstore in Huntsville.
STLGph From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8994 posts, RR: 27 Reply 11, posted (5 years 11 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 1325 times:
I go to a bookstore. I tried the order online concept about 3 or 4 times, and they always sent me the wrong book.
Eternal darkness we all should dread. It's hard to party when you're dead.
BigOrange From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 2358 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1236 times:
It depends what I'm looking for. If it's something that I've seen a reccomendation for e.g. Diary of a Dysfunctional Flight Attendant, then I'll but it online.
Most of the time though, i just go in the bookstore I hate (Barnes & Noble) and browse there.
Gunsontheroof From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 3462 posts, RR: 11 Reply 15, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1223 times:
From an independent bookstore, preferably used and relatively unmarked. Used paperbacks ($2-$5!) are just as good as the overpriced copies you can buy with one click at your online shitshop of choice!
KBFIspotter From United States of America, joined May 2005, 729 posts, RR: 1 Reply 16, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1220 times:
Quoting AeroWesty (Reply 6): When I'm just browsing and buying the odd book, I can spend hours here:
I can easily spend a whole day in that place. I made the mistake of taking my fiancee there when we were dating, and now she wants to go back very bad... In fact, I plan on spending some time there on Monday... Powells Technical Books is another great store, just a few blocks down from the main store. I have found many great aviation books at that location.
Banco From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2001, 14752 posts, RR: 55 Reply 17, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1216 times:
Quoting EK20 (Reply 5): ASDA or Tesco are the cheapest by a mile
Er, yes. If you want the latest Harry Potter or Jeffrey Archer. But if you actually want a choice of books then you need to go to a bookshop - or look online.
I do both really. I've always loved browsing bookshops, but I do also buy online.
She's as nervous as a very small nun at a penguin shoot.
CastleIsland From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 18, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 1216 times:
I go most often to used bookstores. I rarely seek out a specific book; I'll go and see what they have and get what interests me. There are several good used bookstores within a mile or so of my place, so there's always options.
WrenchBender From Canada, joined Feb 2004, 1779 posts, RR: 9 Reply 19, posted (5 years 11 months 5 days 20 hours ago) and read 1210 times:
I used to live in Sidney, BC it's claim to fame was "booktown" around 1 bookshop per thousand inhabitants.
Link http://sidneybooktown.ca/shops.html
I preferred Tanner's as they always carried a lot of local independant publishers. I picked up a lot of WWII memoires/biographies written by locals.
57AZ From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2550 posts, RR: 2 Reply 21, posted (5 years 11 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1172 times:
It depends on whether I am looking for a specific book and what type of book it is. If I am looking for a collection of comic strips, I usually buy online as the ctrips that I like are hard to find in a commercial bookstore. If I am looking for rare or unusual book, I will usually check abebooks online. Abe Books is a search site that rare and used book dealers list their stocks on. You can order through the site or contact the seller by mail or phone. I've purchased over $1,000.00 of rare books from dealers on that list. If I'm in the NYC area, I'll visit one or both locations of Strand Books. They are the largest purveyor of used books in the world-18 miles of shelve space! No other store like it to be found.
"When a man runs on railroads over half of his lifetime he is fit for nothing else-and at times he don't know that."
JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 22, posted (5 years 11 months 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1170 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Thread starter): While I prefer the lower prices of Amazon, I much prefer shopping in a real, physical bookshop.
I love browsing through bookstores, I can spend hours - I can't even walk past a bookstore at the airport without checking for something interesting to read on the plane. I use Amazon.com when there is a book I want to pre-order, like the new Harry Potter, or the next Pratchett due in September, and sometimes I see something on there I'd like and I order it, but it can't replace the pleasure of a long wander round a big Waterstones or Borders.
SJUboeingGirl From Puerto Rico, joined Nov 2004, 274 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (5 years 11 months 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1126 times:
I go to a bookshop(Borders) and then I go only to bn.com or amazon and buy what I like.
If it's not Boeing, I ain't Going!
25 Femme: I plum for our used book store outlets, like in markets where books are second hand but in good shape. I can go to our local outdoor market and pick u
26 JGPH1A: Love second hand book stalls - you get some great stuff at car boot sales sometimes too, old out of print editions of Agatha Christie etc. Don't get
27 DIJKKIJK: How true! I once tried ordering through amazon.fr, and three months later the book still didn't arrive. I ordered the same through the American site
28 HAWK21M: Def a bookstore,where one can browse thru the book prir to purchasing it. regds MEL
29 ACDC8: I prefer to go into bookstores, preferably Chapters since they have a Starbucks in-store. Just grab a coffee, browse some books, find a few that you a
30 NWA742: Either way - bookstore or the web - usually the web has better deals. Come to think of it though - I don't think I'm allowed inside the local Barnes &
31 Allstarflyer: That's messed up. I prefer going into the bookstore - there's a Books-A-Million down the road from me, and a BN close to my church, so I enjoy freque
32 Mdodd: Same here. I always end up paying a premium for books at physical stores.
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