Browsing at a bookstore but never buying. wrong? - Page 2

NewNole2001 · 01-02-2008, 12:54 PM

I think that B&N and Border's made it okay to never buy a book as soon as they put a cafe in.

On another note though. Going in to one of these stores and reading a book cover to cover with no intention of ever buying it hurts one person the most: the author.

If you go to a chain bookstore to research which book to buy then go to Amazon or Buy.com or whatever to buy the book, that's fine.

I often will think of going to B&N as an activity for an evening. I will go, buy a frapp and pick out a few books that might interest me to look through.

I usually end up buying at least one book a month, mostly from Amazon, but B&N is still getting my money, and probably making a higher profit per dollar spent to boot.

ps I wouldn't do this to a locally owned bookshop, unless they also had a cafe.

Savio · 01-02-2008, 02:25 PM

I know its quite frustrating when someone hogs a book for hours and never buys it.

But just taking notes of book titles is ok I guess.

Anyways I always end up buying a book everytime I go into a bookstore. So I've stopped going to bookstores. XP

boba1212 · 01-23-2008, 03:22 PM

Agreed, all the big chain bookstores are set up with tables near their large coffee and dessert stand. They still make $$$ that way.
Personally, I don't find it a problem to browse and not buy. If I find an author I like, then I probably will eventually buy one of their books or anthologies.

peanut · 01-24-2008, 07:24 AM

I have a kind of sliding scale for things like this. All of it applies to B&N and Borders rather than independent local bookstores. I will pick up a magazine that I have no intention of buying and read it while I drink a coffee I purchased at the store's cafe. (Note: I generally don't read magazines I would otherwise buy, because I would feel slightly less okay with that. Like, I'm not going to buy Cosmo no matter what -- but if I'm having a coffee to kill 45 minutes before meeting a friend, I'll pick up a Cosmo and flip through it and then put it back on the shelf, and so I don't feel like I'm cheating the store out of $4 or whatever.)

I don't read books or use them as study tools, whether I've bought a coffee or not. Magazines are 'disposable' in my mind -- so a bent corner or a creased spine is not an offense to the magazine's future owner, though I do choose the rattiest copy available if I'm not going to pay for it, so I have less of a chance of costing the store money. As opposed to books, which I view the way I see clothing or other 'permanent' items. The person buying them will spend more money on them and the book will become a part of that person's home, so I'd find it disrespectful and rude to sit there reading two chapters a day as I sip my coffee. For that, I go to a library.

I don't read anything -- even magazines -- if I don't buy a coffee. And I rarely buy a coffee if I can't find a table to sit and read at, because I loathe those people who sit reading in the aisles of the bookstore clogging things up so that when I am looking to buy a book I can't get anywhere near the books I want to see.

I treat independent bookstores more as stores than as entertainment venues, because I think that B&N and Borders make a good portion of their money from being a source of entertainment rather than a bookstore -- which I don't think is the case for most local bookstores.

Maybe I'm just really good at rationalizing, though.

farley2k · 01-24-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NewNole2001

On another note though. Going in to one of these stores and reading a book cover to cover with no intention of ever buying it hurts one person the most: the author.

I guess to solve that just go check the book out from the library, keep it for a day, then return it (so others can enjoy it). Unless somehow checking out from a library is hurting the author as well.

purplefdu · 01-24-2008, 07:47 AM

Yay, I hate going to buy a book I heard about on TV or through a newsletter only to find one copy that looks like its been in thebottom of someone's locker for a year. I think browsing and reading through books is ok, but too many people break the binding in or really wear the book "browsing". I even have gone to buy a book at B&N and had it covered in coffee stains. Mt idea of browsing doesn't include more than reading the back cover or fly leaf. I've never written down titles to buy elsewhere unless they were dog training books I could buy at the local mom and pop petstore instead of B&N.

My mom is one of those browse, read and take notes type people and it disgusts me. She never reads the books she has, but if Oprah mentions a book she feels the need to go and dig through it at B&N without buying it to see if its worth it *rolls eyes*

lvngwell · 01-24-2008, 10:44 AM

I always love to browse - and often buy. but if they dont have anything that appeals to me - no matter how long I have browsed - I dont feel guilty about leaving without purchasing.

Books are one thing I love, and I always feel my money is well spent on them. now, I always look at the discount or used books first. if I have to purchase new I go online to get a discount, but if I pay full price it is usally a book that I get at my local Christian book store that I dont want to wait to have shipped.

Frugality serves us all in different ways. I am frugal yet I feel money spent on books - which I use often - is not wasted at all. We all have different priorities.

rstlne · 01-24-2008, 02:06 PM

I don't think it's necessarily wrong to browse but not buy. Why does Borders put out all those comfy chairs if they weren't to some degree encouraging people to take their time and flip through the books? They're playing the odds that some people will buy and that's what usually happens.

I have actually bought books that are useful and that I might refer to again and again. However, I always use a coupon from the Borders mailing list.

merlik · 01-24-2008, 08:40 PM

I've skimmed books to see if I like them and if I want to buy them, but I have never really stood or sat in a book store and read a huge chunk of a book without buying it. I figure if I want to read for free I can always go to the library.

cheapskate · 01-25-2008, 10:36 AM

As long as you don't write all over the book and fold down pages and mess it up. I'd say it's fine. And as long as you maybe sorta consider buying? At some point?

01-02-2008, 02:25 PM	#12
Savio Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 53 Reputation: (20)	I know its quite frustrating when someone hogs a book for hours and never buys it. But just taking notes of book titles is ok I guess. Anyways I always end up buying a book everytime I go into a bookstore. So I've stopped going to bookstores. XP __________________ A man should control his life. Mine is controlling me. --Rudolph Valentino.

01-24-2008, 07:47 AM	#16
purplefdu Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Eliot, ME USA Posts: 491 Reputation: (27)	Yay, I hate going to buy a book I heard about on TV or through a newsletter only to find one copy that looks like its been in thebottom of someone's locker for a year. I think browsing and reading through books is ok, but too many people break the binding in or really wear the book "browsing". I even have gone to buy a book at B&N and had it covered in coffee stains. Mt idea of browsing doesn't include more than reading the back cover or fly leaf. I've never written down titles to buy elsewhere unless they were dog training books I could buy at the local mom and pop petstore instead of B&N. My mom is one of those browse, read and take notes type people and it disgusts me. She never reads the books she has, but if Oprah mentions a book she feels the need to go and dig through it at B&N without buying it to see if its worth it rolls eyes __________________ Homeward Bound Puppy Blog&Personal Blog best general coupon site & organic grocery coupon help

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01-02-2008, 12:54 PM	#11
NewNole2001 Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2 Reputation: (10)	I think that B&N and Border's made it okay to never buy a book as soon as they put a cafe in. On another note though. Going in to one of these stores and reading a book cover to cover with no intention of ever buying it hurts one person the most: the author. If you go to a chain bookstore to research which book to buy then go to Amazon or Buy.com or whatever to buy the book, that's fine. I often will think of going to B&N as an activity for an evening. I will go, buy a frapp and pick out a few books that might interest me to look through. I usually end up buying at least one book a month, mostly from Amazon, but B&N is still getting my money, and probably making a higher profit per dollar spent to boot. ps I wouldn't do this to a locally owned bookshop, unless they also had a cafe.

01-23-2008, 03:22 PM	#13
boba1212 Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 72 Reputation: (10)	Agreed, all the big chain bookstores are set up with tables near their large coffee and dessert stand. They still make $$$ that way. Personally, I don't find it a problem to browse and not buy. If I find an author I like, then I probably will eventually buy one of their books or anthologies.

01-24-2008, 07:24 AM	#14
peanut Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1 Reputation: (10)	I have a kind of sliding scale for things like this. All of it applies to B&N and Borders rather than independent local bookstores. I will pick up a magazine that I have no intention of buying and read it while I drink a coffee I purchased at the store's cafe. (Note: I generally don't read magazines I would otherwise buy, because I would feel slightly less okay with that. Like, I'm not going to buy Cosmo no matter what -- but if I'm having a coffee to kill 45 minutes before meeting a friend, I'll pick up a Cosmo and flip through it and then put it back on the shelf, and so I don't feel like I'm cheating the store out of $4 or whatever.) I don't read books or use them as study tools, whether I've bought a coffee or not. Magazines are 'disposable' in my mind -- so a bent corner or a creased spine is not an offense to the magazine's future owner, though I do choose the rattiest copy available if I'm not going to pay for it, so I have less of a chance of costing the store money. As opposed to books, which I view the way I see clothing or other 'permanent' items. The person buying them will spend more money on them and the book will become a part of that person's home, so I'd find it disrespectful and rude to sit there reading two chapters a day as I sip my coffee. For that, I go to a library. I don't read anything -- even magazines -- if I don't buy a coffee. And I rarely buy a coffee if I can't find a table to sit and read at, because I loathe those people who sit reading in the aisles of the bookstore clogging things up so that when I am looking to buy a book I can't get anywhere near the books I want to see. I treat independent bookstores more as stores than as entertainment venues, because I think that B&N and Borders make a good portion of their money from being a source of entertainment rather than a bookstore -- which I don't think is the case for most local bookstores. Maybe I'm just really good at rationalizing, though.

01-24-2008, 10:44 AM	#17
lvngwell Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Reputation: (10)	I always love to browse - and often buy. but if they dont have anything that appeals to me - no matter how long I have browsed - I dont feel guilty about leaving without purchasing. Books are one thing I love, and I always feel my money is well spent on them. now, I always look at the discount or used books first. if I have to purchase new I go online to get a discount, but if I pay full price it is usally a book that I get at my local Christian book store that I dont want to wait to have shipped. Frugality serves us all in different ways. I am frugal yet I feel money spent on books - which I use often - is not wasted at all. We all have different priorities.

01-24-2008, 02:06 PM	#18
rstlne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 364 Reputation: (115)	I don't think it's necessarily wrong to browse but not buy. Why does Borders put out all those comfy chairs if they weren't to some degree encouraging people to take their time and flip through the books? They're playing the odds that some people will buy and that's what usually happens. I have actually bought books that are useful and that I might refer to again and again. However, I always use a coupon from the Borders mailing list.

01-24-2008, 08:40 PM	#19
merlik Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 18 Reputation: (11)	I've skimmed books to see if I like them and if I want to buy them, but I have never really stood or sat in a book store and read a huge chunk of a book without buying it. I figure if I want to read for free I can always go to the library.

01-25-2008, 10:36 AM	#20
cheapskate Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 50 Reputation: (10)	As long as you don't write all over the book and fold down pages and mess it up. I'd say it's fine. And as long as you maybe sorta consider buying? At some point?