And the worst ones too.
This blog is for all you readers out there who search far and wide to find your books at the best prices. Reading is a fabulous pastime but when you are a prolific reader, the cost of this hobby can add up.
Buying a book in 2024 looks different from buying a book before the Internet changed our lives forever. Also, the pricing of books varies depending on where you buy them. A quick search online will show prices ranging from $20 to $60+ for physical books (+ postage) and eBooks range from free to $16.99+. Audiobooks are not immune to large variations in cost either.
These are the best places to buy books (and read them) -
Name Bookshops - larger ones like Dymocks
Independent Bookshops - usually smaller and local
Newsagencies - some smaller ones don't stock books
Specialist Stores - Big W, Kmart, Myer and other supermarket stores
The Airport - every airport in the world has a newsagent with a good book section
Libraries - local libraries are wonderful resources for book lovers and books are free to be borrowed
Online - Bookshops will usually sell online as well. Also, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Booktopia, QBD Books, Angus & Robertson, and so many other sites.
We don't even have to buy a physical book these days, eBooks are available online and Audiobooks are a good alternative if you enjoy reading but have time constraints.
For me, my favourite place to buy books is my local bookstore, there is nothing I enjoy more than browsing through shelves of books to find my next great read. A physical book is still my preference but I do have a Kindle, which I like to use when I'm away. Even when I take my Kindle with me, I usually still find a physical book at the airport that I want to read and buy one (or two). I can't help myself, I love being lost in a story, and holding a physical book makes this possible, more so than on my Kindle.
In my experience, I have found buying books online to be the least satisfying if I'm looking for a print book. Audiobooks and eBooks are fine, but I prefer going into a brick-and-mortar bookstore to select a print version. Some of the pricing of physical books on many online sites is outrageous. I have found my books can be up to $10+ dearer than if you were to purchase them directly from me. Even with postage, you will still save money.
I found an example of this inflated pricing on various online sites -
I sell my Edward's Cat* Books One and Two for $24.99. I don't know where it is sold 'Elsewhere' for $50.00 and there is definitely no saving if you buy from this online site.
*Edward's Cat Book Three will be published in mid-2024.
It would be wonderful to see some sort of regulation of book pricing but I know this is a pipedream. The ultimate aim of a business, book or otherwise, is to make a profit, so prices will always vary.
Speaking of businesses, we authors run a small business and so we seek to make a profit too. When you buy a book from a self-published author, you are helping them to (hopefully) make a living out of writing. If you see a book you like from a self-published author and buy it, remember that you are helping a small business to survive.
Good luck with finding your next read at the best price. Oh, and please, if you liked the book, leave the author a review, we appreciate it when our readers give us feedback.
Happy reading (and finding a bargain-priced book),
Maria P Frino
Comments