When we buy ebooks and When it has to be print…
At Nielsen Book’s annual conference (Nielsen are the people who count books worldwide) it was reported that many readers in Britain and the US buy both print and digital books which isn’t a big surprise.
Most people buy ebooks when they are cheaper, or when it is a riskier read, an unfamilar author perhaps. However, print is preferred when the price is similar, or if it’s a favorite author or if it’s bought as a gift.
That all makes complete sense, but I was interested to learn that teenagers want a print book for pleasure, and ebooks for schoolwork.
“They want people to know what they are reading. They are aware that print says something about them.”
I know someone who bought her ereader because she desperately wanted to read Wolf Hall but knew she didn’t have the stamina to hold a big fat book for long. Another friend relished the way she can change the font size – with deteriorating eyesight she can be a reader again.
When do you buy ebooks?
When they are cheap?
When you don’t want others to know what you’re reading? (Teenagers might like to show off, but sometimes it’s nice to have a bit of privacy. Both erotic fiction and happy-ever-after romance have had a real boost in sales since ebooks came on the scene.)
Me? I prefer print for fiction and ebooks for non-fiction. I’m not entirely sure why except I like the casual availability of a print book. I can pick one off the floor with the sincere intention of tidying up, only to flick it open and be lost for an hour…
photo credit: Ebook readers via photopin (license)
10 comments on “When we buy ebooks and When it has to be print…”
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BRIDGET WHELAN writer 
I have no choice Bridget, I had to get an eReader because my allergy to the dust and ink fumes from real books was giving me breathing issues – up until just over two years ago, I was a ‘real’ book reader…
What a nightmare allergy for a reader – you must bless ebooks.
Indeed I do Bridget, otherwise it would have been audio books for me and narrators are not always good enough to keep my interest 😀
We buy ebooks as we have run out of bookcase space – we have 7 filled to capacity. Plus the convenience is wonderful and for my migraines, background colour and font adaption are incredibly helpful.
Plenty of positive arguments for but does this mean that you no longer re-visit the books in all your bookcases…?
I would never reject a book, m’lady. That is simply incomprehensible! #happyaddict 🙂
Interesting you prefer ebooks for non-fiction and print books for fiction. I’m the opposite. Perhaps it’s because I have an old ereader, but I find I flip back and forth, plus skim read, in non-fiction so find the paper copy easier.
It’s an interesting issue, though, especially when we read so many opinions that the print book is dead.
I’m not sure why I do – but I don’t think I’m alone. I think print is far from dead – most people seem to use different formats for different purposes.
Nice post! I buy printed books after I read them on the e-reader and want them to sit pretty on my shelf. But I prefer e-reader because I’m faster at reading when am. And my absolute fave books I have to buy in person 🙂
You are a Reader with a capital R. Love the fact that you have to physically go to a bookshop to buy the books you love the most…