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I do all of the above that you mentioned. I ask BN workers for suggestions or help finding books. I read a little bit of the book in the store. But I end up buying the book at Amazon.com.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FreshFresh
It's more convenient if the books are shipped to my home. Why carry all those books back home?
Next time you're on Amazon, purchase a cheap book on ethics and ethical behavior.
Why would anyone chose Barnes and Noble over Amazon.com?
Maybe some people like to hold something in their hands before buying it. Maybe some people like sampling a few pages of a book before committing to it. Maybe some people don't want to wait 2 to 3 days. Maybe some people don't quite know what they want to read next. Have you ever tried to "peruse the bookshelves" at Amazon?
Maybe .... JUST maybe .... not every one is you. Just because YOU like to do something doesn't mean everyone else will like it too.
This essentially stealing the book. It's allowed but B&N isn't the library.
In response to you and a post that caught my eye as I began to respond to yours--Yeah, I don't know about that. I'm friends with Guy Harrison (author of a bunch of pseudo-philosophy and critical thinking-promoting books) on FB and have informed him that I've read several of his books without purchasing any of them, and he didn't take the news all that hard. No Facebook defriending ensued. Myself and a few others (mostly retirees) are 'regulars' at the Amherst NY B&N, and there's never any backlash from the store employees when we're there essentially reading entire books over the course of a few sittings. I've been doing this for several years, and the only in-store rule I've heard enforced was that no sleeping was allowed in the plush armchairs they've set up. Why provide those chairs if in-store reading/lounging isn't to be promoted? I'm friendly with many of the employees in the store; on a rainy November morning semi-recently, the one remarked loudly, to me and for the benefit of one of his co-workers within earshot, 'I envy you--you read a book per day!' This of course is not the case; I tend to read about 50 pages per sitting. I'm not about to quit my routine anytime soon, I'm sorry to report.
I just don't get how people justify that they go into a bookstore and sit for hours reading a book but not buy it (and think buying a beverage or a pastry makes it okay) - they have these things called Libraries!!
I generally dislike libraries. Too quiet, no refreshments available in the older ones, etc. But if I'm borrowing a book from a library, I'm not paying for it either, so I fail to see why book-borrowing is preferable to in-store reading. I guess if I help to elevate the 'borrowing rate' of a given book it might induce the library to purchase additional copies of same? I would think that would hinge on substantial additional demand though. And from what I remember as a kid, a time when I went to the library quite a bit, borrowing from other branches in the county system is common.
Last edited by Matt Marcinkiewicz; 12-07-2017 at 10:25 PM..
It’s not like anyone spends time writing those silly book things, or has to pay bills and buy food from the sales or anything like that.
Thanks a lot (wow)
- from a published author, and on behalf of most of my peers. At least have the decency to read at a library. They get my books discounted but I still get paid. Most authors don’t get those giant advance checks either, in case you feel entitled because we’re all “stinking rich”
If you're ever hard-pressed for whatever dollar amount was lost by the hypothetical non-purchase of a single one of your books (even if you're a fiction writer--I read non-fiction almost exclusively, but for this exercise we'll pretend that's not the case), let me know, and I'll send you a check for that amount. So if you're ever destitute, you know where to turn. I of course will then want to read one of your books to see what cause I have lent my support to. If you write fiction, I hope you do a reasonable Kafka impression. Now that I think about it, were this scenario to occur, it might lead you to do something of a Kafka impression in any further work you might produce....
I was mistaken. I thought BN sold books at their list price. I didn't know books on Amazon.com are just $2 cheaper.
I think I would still prefer to make my purchases on Amazon.com because I don't want to carry all those books home.
And for those that are trying to guilt me, please understand that you are internet users. So don't try to act like you're unfamiliar with utilizing free available open resources. Pot calling the kettle black?
I go to Barnes and Noble often here in NYC and I see lines of people about to purchase books. Books on Amazon are far cheaper and Barnes and Noble don't match prices. Barnes and Noble member discounts are pretty laughable as well. The way Barnes and Noble run their business is strange because they don't try to reach out to the customers. They have a very corporate structure and they operate their business like it's still 1999.
Why would anyone chose Barnes and Noble over Amazon.com?
Location: In my cat's house, until she finds a better human servant
372 posts, read 390,577 times
Reputation: 812
Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Marcinkiewicz
In response to you and a post that caught my eye as I began to respond to yours--Yeah, I don't know about that. I'm friends with Guy Harrison (author of a bunch of pseudo-philosophy and critical thinking-promoting books) on FB and have informed him that I've read several of his books without purchasing any of them, and he didn't take the news all that hard. No Facebook defriending ensued. Myself and a few others (mostly retirees) are 'regulars' at the Amherst NY B&N, and there's never any backlash from the store employees when we're there essentially reading entire books over the course of a few sittings. I've been doing this for several years, and the only in-store rule I've heard enforced was that no sleeping was allowed in the plush armchairs they've set up. Why provide those chairs if in-store reading/lounging isn't to be promoted? I'm friendly with many of the employees in the store; on a rainy November morning semi-recently, the one remarked loudly, to me and for the benefit of one of his co-workers within earshot, 'I envy you--you read a book per day!' This of course is not the case; I tend to read about 50 pages per sitting. I'm not about to quit my routine anytime soon, I'm sorry to report.
Your author friend on Facebook is the reason I used the term “most”, not “all” of my peers. No, a “few dollars” from one book isn’t going to leave me homeless. Your attempt to try to spin it into some humorous tale of my “Kafka-esque” existence and so heroically offering to send a few dollars my way to save me from myself is kind of sad. If your reply had been you can’t afford books so it’s the only way you can read might have come across a little more sympathetically (but still, -libraries-)
While there may not be a huge revenue stream from selling to libraries, it gives greater access to reading to those who might not be able to afford a book. In a sense, giving back to the community. If no one bought books at bookstores, paying the author, this would not be possible. There would be very few books if no one earned a dime for their efforts. Most people cannot, or would not, continue to publish.
If you indeed enjoy “critical thinking-promoting books”, perhaps you can contemplate things from my perspective. Do you also help yourself to snacks while grocery shopping without paying for them, because “it’s only a few dollars of food” (and no, I don’t mean the free samples)
Or, would you mind people coming in and taking some money out of your wallet without asking, because “it’s just a few bucks, he won’t miss it?”
If your answer is that you don’t care, maybe consider most people do care and that from an ethical perspective stealing just a few dollars is still stealing. Just because the workers at your local Barnes and Noble don’t stop you doesn’t change the scenario. Most grocery store workers won’t stop you from “grazing” either. It doesn’t alter the fact that you have consumed a resource and not paid for it. Yes, they have comfortable chairs and serve coffee, promoting a nice spot to read with a nicer ambiance than most public libraries. You still pay for your coffee. Why is it ok in your mind to not pay for the obvious pleasure reading those books gives you?
I go to Barnes and Noble often here in NYC and I see lines of people about to purchase books. Books on Amazon are far cheaper and Barnes and Noble don't match prices. Barnes and Noble member discounts are pretty laughable as well. The way Barnes and Noble run their business is strange because they don't try to reach out to the customers. They have a very corporate structure and they operate their business like it's still 1999.
Why would anyone chose Barnes and Noble over Amazon.com?
You are very young. Why would someone go to a concert, when they can watch one on their tablet?
It's called interaction and physical life experiences.
I go to Barnes and Noble often here in NYC and I see lines of people about to purchase books. Books on Amazon are far cheaper and Barnes and Noble don't match prices. Barnes and Noble member discounts are pretty laughable as well. The way Barnes and Noble run their business is strange because they don't try to reach out to the customers. They have a very corporate structure and they operate their business like it's still 1999.
Why would anyone chose Barnes and Noble over Amazon.com?
For book lovers book stores are great places.
Immediate access to a new book.
They are in the mood to read xyz book right now and don't want to wait.
They are in the middle of a project and need a computer book or self help or whatever, now
They are anti amazon because of their business practices
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