In the bookshop, opinions needed.....

[leaserspottedmummybird]

Okay. I'm not nc because this is not a personal or intimate issue.

Just wondering. The book I want to buy in Waterstones is £16.99 BUT amazon have it for £9.

Books are so expensive in general but I really want a treat for myself ( it's a cookbook so of benefit to all the family really)

I'm heading to get some lunch and going back to Waterstones later. What do you all think?
AIBU to want to get the book cheaper online? Or should I support a bricks and mortar bookshop? It's not as though they are a struggling independent bookshop and we are on a budget.
Thanks all.

Thanks all. Expensive day shopping with getting a new coat for ds and groceries. Book now Ordered through amazon.

I’ve definitely had this dilemma. I don’t agree with Amazon (we pay our taxes, why shouldn’t they?) and I want to keep bookshops on our high streets, including Waterstones. My local has lovely staff and book events etc. I can’t always afford their prices though. I’d welcome a gift card now and again from relatives for presents, nothing beats going into a bookstore and choosing exactly what you want.

I tend to buy from Charity Shops and Hive, which supports the nearest local independent shop (quite far from my own town). Hive is almost as cheap as amazon more often than not and much more ethical.

OneHamm3r the reason they can't pay their booksellers enough is because they are in a tenuous business situation. At least they have booksellers, actual readers who can recommend you a brilliant book ... Amazon can't and don't do that.

Honestly, the profit margin on books is tiny. If you think Waterstones are raking it in you are misguided. Dillons and Ottakers folded (and were bought by Waterstones) because the market collapsed after the Net Book Agreement was rescinded, meaning that discounting became a dog-eat-dog world. Whoever could negotiate hardest etc. The guy who ran Dillons was instrumental in campaigning to get rid of the NBA, btw. It was this among other things that allowed Amazon to dominate the market.

Now people think Waterstones are expensive, and that they're raking it in, and Amazon can afford to discount deeply so why don't they? On the other hand, people will buy from indie bookshops as they can "see" that it's unfair to expect them to compete. Waterstones have even started opening up unbranded shops that look like indies in certain towns.

I know it's human nature to want the best deal. But without the range a good high-street bookshop with proper booksellers can show you, publishing really is a bit fucked. And books are still cheap in terms of the value you get. Amazon is too big to turn the tide, but we could all so more to support high street retailers and value what they provide.

I buy ‘needed’ books used off eBay (school things etc).

I then take DD to bookshops and let her choose books for joy (and the smell and covers).

Best of both worlds. I save money sometimes but the treat of browsing those lovely shelves and smelling all the books lives on. DD loves it.

No such thing as a local independent bookshop here.

@easyandy101 I do that too. I can't afford to buy from independent shops all the time, and support independent companies. It's sounds like a sterling thing to do it really does but when it's at the detriment of your own financial well-being it's a no brainer. I can't put myself out of pocket buying items from small businesses so they do well.

If you care about authors getting some remuneration you should buy from an independent bookshop if you can, then Waterstones, and only as a last resort should you buy from Amazon. Amazon will only stock a book if they get 60% discount on the RRP from the publisher, and that cut affects the royalty the author is paid. All the bookshops get some trade discount, but nobody else gets what Amazon gets because they’re too big to negotiate with.

Secondly, if the work the author puts in means anything to you, it’s important to support your local bookshop, whatever that is. Amazon’s algorithm is designed to move quantities. That makes it work harder to promote the bestsellers, and it’s great for the long tail of old books when someone is looking for something specific. What it doesn’t do is promote the mid-range authors. All the folk who never made it big but were comfortably making sales are now invisible because the algorithm promotes the things that are already selling big quantities. You can look at a table covered in books in seconds in a shop, and might pick something less famous. On Amazon you really need to either know what you want or take whatever they’re promoting.

I simply can’t afford to buy books. They are an expensive luxury so have to do the system I do- library,Amazon 2nd hand, supermarket, cheapest online new then Waterstones.

I read a lot and have no intention of giving up books so don’t really need the moral lectures. If I had spare cash it would go to charity. I don’t have cash spare to just pay extra on books.

This reminds me of those who bang on about buying local from farm shops. It’s great for the rich, the rest of us go to Lidl.

I'm far from rich but I gave up using Amazon 5 years ago and don't miss them at all. Disgusting company {angry] Wordery is a competitive, taxpaying online alternative.

I usually buy most things books from Amazon as I just can't afford to buy from a 'real' bookshop. It is a shame, and I do love a browse around my local Waterstones. I'm also guilty of finding something nice in a shop and instantly googling to see how cheap I can get it, ultimately it comes down to finances for me.

Sure, go and buy it from Amazon. With such a price difference it's not unreasonable. But try not to paw all the cookbooks in Waterstones first and make them unsaleable to anybody else.. The only way for any high street bookshop to offer any kind of decent range is by not discounting to Amazon/supermarket levels. The bestsellers support the backlist. Everyone buys online, just don't take the piss. If you appreciate the opportunity to browse a physical bookshop then let them have a bit of your money occasionally.

Possibly some people here don't know that until the late 90s , the Net Book Agreement meant that bookshops had to charge the full price set by the publisher. That helped to level the playing field between independent and chain bookstores, although of course the bigger companies got bigger discounts.

I worked in bookselling for many years; the demise of the NBA had a catastrophic effect on independent retailers. So I always buy from my local bookshop.

I like Waterstones and would pay extra to shop there.

I didn’t intend to give you a money real lecture, One - just to point out that if you think Waterstones are as bad as Amazon you’re not right.

By all means buy online. But if you could try Hive or Wordery it really helps. Using library first is an excellent way to consume books and the more you can ask your library to order in for you the better - authors and publishers directly see that benefit.

Reading is great! It just annoys me when people make out books are some luxury-priced item. They’re cheaper than they’ve ever been with more ways to consume them than ever before.

My rule is that if I know I want the book, I buy it online. But I buy it in the shop if I've found the book in there because it was on a table or the shelf or if I wasn't sure I wanted it until I'd had a chance to look through it. So basically, if I've benefited from it being in a shop, I buy it in the shop.

When Waterstones is gone because everyone buys at Amazon

Amazon will just up all their books to £20 and we’ll all be shafted!

I don't mind supporting local businesses in some ways, but I won't be doubling the price of a book to do so. I have to support my own family first and foremost.

I often buy from crafters on Facebook, always use independent tradespeople, and try to use smaller shops rather than the likes of Co-Op etc. But. You definitely have to draw the line!

Then maybe Verily Waterstones needs to do better offers.

Books are a luxury. Mortgage, food, bills, clothes, water, heating and children are non negotiable. Buying a book is.

I would only use Hive or Wordery if they were cheaper. Wordery has been at times so I have used them. It will come down to price every time.

Yes I do use the library but the system is hugely unfair as people who don’t have a huge well stocked library near them basically pay to stock the bigger libraries in cities fir other people.I think it’s ridiculous that we pay so much to order books due to lack of stock. The money we pay should go directly to the library we collect them from, it doesn’t. But that is a whole other thread.

Next time, look on world of books - or look in amazon's used books list further down the page and then see if uou can find the seller away from Amazon. Or as pp said, ebay. Am intrigued by the library comment. Would getting books from bigger library sent to local library counteract? I've done this a few times now.

That is what I do but it’s nearly a £1 a time. The money goes into the central system which then stock the bigger ones and not ours. I think the smaller the library the less you should pay or even better every time you pay it goes directly to the library it is sent to which is the customer’s nearest.

I’ve used non Amazon sellers but have had a few bad experiences with postage time and quality not as listed. I make a judgement each time.

@easyandy101 you need to change your business model. You will lose out if you offer and identical item that's available online cheaper. You need to sell stuff that's not readily available online OR sell something better with a good explanation (my local bike store gets my business as he fits bells, locks, kickstands for nothing - i.e. value added) OR Showroom yourself.

But the so will the online companies (eventually) when you have gone bust, they will have no where to look at the product before buying so their prices will have to go up to cover increased returns.

There's a special place in hell for people who physically check out an item in a shop and then buy it

I do that and don't feel any guilt. I'm on a tight budget so will shop around. The best price will get my money.

You can see the first few pages online.

I prefer a bookshop but for most it comes down to cost. Most of my friends wouldn’t dream of buying a book for themselves unless from a charity shop and most are teachers.

I think improving the loyalty scheme and multiple book offers is the only way Waterstones will attract custom from Amazon.

I think it’s ridiculous that we pay so much to order books due to lack of stock. The money we pay should go directly to the library we collect them from, it doesn’t. But that is a whole other thread.

My library charges 75p to order a book

Ditto but it adds up if you read a lot and have a family of 5 readers. Why should we pay because our library has buggar all and the money goes to keep on stocking the big city library. Our local library should get the money.