To ask if you buy actual books?

[Wriggler79]

I'm having a debate with DP. I have been driving past an independent book shop each week. It has been closed for some time, and books have been piled in the window. I last bought books from there 15 years ago.
Today there was a skip outside the shop. It looked as if it was full of books. I have had a shitty week, and for some reason this was the last straw. It made me sad. I had a strop about it. I posted about it on Facebook, which was quite therapeutic in itself as I had to reason that I couldn't have rescued and cuddled ALL the books, and would have looked an idiot digging through them on a main road.
But what has puzzled me is the number of people telling me "people don't buy books any more". I haven't seen this to be true. As far as I know, books are sold as much as they ever have been in my lifetime. I know two people who own a Kindle, and only one uses theirs; the other person gave up on the idea and their device is in a drawer somewhere.
Just wondering what general experience/opinion on this is.

I only buy books but sadly from the charity shop now as they 3 for a £1

Yes I do, don't own a kindle. I don't keep books though, read and pass them on.

Book sales are rising again, its a 2.7 billion pound industry in the UK.

People are buying books.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/12/books-are-back-printed-book-sales-rise-for-first-time-in-four-ye/

I buy books, so does my husband. We love them, have a houseful of them. I've read from a Kindle like device, but didn't like it as much and found my eyes got tired (to the extent that I thought I needed glasses, but on testing my eyes were perfect).

Yes I do, but like londonarch, I get them in charity shops.

I hate reading on electronic devices. Books all the way for me.

I love the smell and the feel of the pages.

I don't tend to buy new books though. I prefer searching through charity shops or doing book swaps with friends/family.

Yes, I still buy books and keep them after I've read them. I don't own a kindle.

Well you haven't bought books there for 15 years, obviously other people made the same choice as you either to buy books elsewhere or not buy books at all

I do still buy books, usually from Amazon (I know but they're cheap) or local charity shops if I'm not looking for anything in particular. I have an iPad and iPhone with the kindle app but much prefer to read a real physical book

God yes,way too many.

Love paper books, the smell almost makes me horny. Would cry if I saw a skip of books, and DH would leave me when I brought them all home

I certainly buy (too many) books, and I am not alone, if the number of people I see taking books/piles of books to the counter in Waterstones, Foyles, and the various independent bookshops and charity bookshops I frequent... Not to mention all the books now sold in supermarkets and online.

The sales figures seem to back me up too: www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/72450-print-book-sales-rose-again-in-2016.html

I have a kindle too, but I generally only use it while travelling.

yes I buy books - don't like kindles etc

I own a Kindle and read fiction on there but i also bought several new paper books this week, and don't expect to stop even when i run out of space again.

I don't, I bought a Kindle when they were first released and never looked back. I much prefer reading on the kindle. I struggle with certain fonts so it was marvellous.

I sell books as well as buy and even read them. Sales have definitely improved in the last year or so. 😀

Since I have had a Kindle (5 years or so) it is very rare for me to buy a fiction book.

I still buy factual books eg: cook books, travel guides, reference books but for fiction I use kindle & my library.

Can I just go a bit off track & say how wonderful the library is? I can order a book on line & it costs me 60p. What a bargain.

Even better is that if it is an older book & is in the county library store & I order it, it costs me nothing.

Please, all join your local library & take books out. Libraries rely on borrowing numbers - doesn't matter if you don't read them, your library will love you if you go along and take out lots of books.

You will all be very sad when libraries go due to diminishing borrowing numbers.

Book sales are on the up and I think I read that Waterstones won't be selling the kindle anymore because they don't sell

I have a kindle but its gathering dust.

Much prefer books and have lots of bookcases around the house.

People buy books but there are a lot of second hand books, a lot of Amazon books, a lot of Book People books and a lot of discounted copies of 50 Shades of Grey etc thrown in with the bread and apples in the trolley on the way round Asda.

If you want a bestseller then you can get it cheap in the supermarket. If you want a specific book then Amazon will get it to your door cheaper and often quicker than a trip to your local bookshop.

Second hand books for me too. I'm more likely to take a chance on a new author or unusual premise for £2.50 than one for £7.99. If there's a title i particularly want i'll generally get it for my kindle

I buy books, but normally from a supermarket not an independent book shop, don't know where my nearest one is to be honest

They put them in a skip? Unless they were fire or water damaged, thats unforgiveable
I have 2 huge bookcases full and a kindle.

I do buy books, but mostly get them from the library as I don't really read them more than once

I buy secondhand books and kindle books. I love being able to share good reads with my friends and after I've read something on kindle I always want a paperback to read afterwards.

Harderandharder - I think the owner died tbh. I knew another book shop (in another town) where the owner was a single man in poor health. He also had a scruffy dog that looked to be quite ill. His shop got really messy after a few years and then I moved away. Makes me sad thinking of them.
Charity shops for me too, mostly. Occasionally I go into Waterstones and have massive book-lust.