Hi everyone, it has been some time before I have done a full Let’s Talk post. I haven’t really had anything I wanted to talk about until today, I am writing this May 22nd. I was walking around the bookstore looking for a book to peak my interest. Which, if you read my post Decluttering | Switching to Ebooks, is most likely VERY confusing and pretty much hypocritical.
In this post I talked about why I wanted to switch to ebooks, how I didn’t have room on my shelves and how I wanted to carry all of my books around with me on my kindle. I made the very bold statement of switching to ebooks and committing myself to it. That was before really researching it and realizing how difficult it could really be.
Now, for some there are medical reasons why this is not viable, there is also the price of the device, and a few other issues with this. But, in this post I really want to focus on one aspect that I found difficult/annoying and derailed me from my goal.
So, like I said earlier in this post I was walking around a bookstore looking for a book to inspire me to pick it up. I received some great news and I wanted to treat myself in celebration. Now, I didn’t have a ton of money in my budget so I was looking strictly in the discount section of the store. I ended up finding a book I was really interested in called The Secret History of Twin Peaks, it appears to be a thriller/mystery told through documents and interviews. It kind of has a House of Leaves interview type feel, thankfully the pages aren’t as all over the place.
https://twitter.com/BookishLuna/status/1131280885628768263
As you can see from the picture I posted earlier today, The book was under $7, I actually for it for under $5 because I have a membership. Now, as you know I was making the switch to ebooks so when I find a book I am interesting I look up the ebook cost, this is where once again I ran into my problem/issue.
When I first looked it up on amazon, where I get my ebooks for my kindle, at first I was excited to see what the hardback copy was going for.
I knew right off the bat that I was getting a very good deal. I then clicked on the book and then switched to kindle edition and was not as happy. 
The ebook was more expensive than the hardback edition in person as well as online. It was a whole $10 more… How can I justify spending $10 more on a book? I can buy a lot of food and other necessities with this money. How is it that something that is digital is more than something made of actual matter? This is the issue I have found myself running into time and time again. The digital editions of books costing more than physical and not by a few dollars.
Now I know, I can spend $0 on a book by using the library via ebook or even physical. While, I am lucky my library generally has books I am looking for. But, recently they have broken from the company they were working with and the choices have gone down. So, where I was able to get ebooks and audiobooks for nearly all of the books I wanted that is sadly, no longer the case.
So, I am left with spending the least amount of money. That means I am picking up a physical book. Thus, my ebook commitment has kinda gone out the window. On top of that, I have the problem of not wanting to keep my credit card bill high and less and less stores are carrying gift cards for amazon. So, there is another issue that is kinda related.
So, thanks for listening to my rant/possible discussion about ebooks.
Have you ever run into this issue?
Do you know any other sites I can buy ebooks for my kindle?
Classic Bhaer 
I don’t think there are any other sites as Amazon developed Kindles. This is primarily why I use an iPad mini and just have a Kindle app (and a Google Play Books, iBooks and Swoon Reads app). I also tend not to buy physical books from Amazon as shipping to Australia is obscene. Book Depository does free shipping internationally and usually is cheaper than book stores here too. Plus I can’t get hardcovers in Aus as our bookstores really only sell paperbacks from release.
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Sadly, I can no longer read on tablets. I used to, then I started to get migraines all the time so I had to get a kindle with no backlight. But, I do appreciate you sharing incase it is a good option for others. I use book depository from time to time as well, they are very kind for having free shipping.
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I’ve noticed this quite often with Amazon. They often times have better deals on the hardcover vs kindle. Obviously not on everything, but I’ve found quite a few.
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It is so weird to me. I can’t really wrap my head around it.
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Same. Except when it’s something older and the paperback is out. Barnes & Noble adds those hardcovers to their clearance. But it’s odd for Amazon.
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I can’t justify paying a lot for ebooks. Usually I only get ebooks that are free and if I spend money on them I usually don’t spend more than like $2 on them. I just don’t see paying so much for an ebook when I can get the physical book which a lot of times are cheaper than the ebook like you said.
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I get email alerts from publishers and stuff about ebook deals I will usually guy an ebook then, but also if I get giftcards as gifts I will too.
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I get an email everyday from bookbud that tells me several books that are on sale.
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Yes, I used to get that one myself. I think I accidentally unsubscribed. lol
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Most of the time I just scroll through it pretty quickly but sometimes something will catch my eye and make me look into it more. I have accidentally unsubscribes from things before.
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My maximum for a single ebook would be 4-5 dollars. I don’t get why ebooks are sometimes so pricey.
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For me 4-5 dollars is still a little pricy for an ebook but I have paid that much when it’s for a book I’m really excited about.
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Excitement can always sway people to pay more sometimes. It is annoying.
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Yes so true!! Lol!
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It is. I agree with you.
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I agree completely. The only time I spend more is if I have a gift card and then I don’t spend more than $10.
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I get that. I’ve never received a gift card but that would be a brilliant present.
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My family always give me one, which is super sweet of them.
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I really don’t understand why ebooks are so much more expensive than physical. The average physical book is $15 so it makes me curious when the ebook is too because none of that money is going toward staffing or the physical paper. I feel weird paying more than a couple bucks on an ebook.
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I feel weird about it too, I can’t really wrap my head around it. I get they need to pay the author wand the publisher and seller need to make money, but there is no physical ink or paper involved. I would be interested to see how much of a profit they make off of each.
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I noticed that about Amazon books too. Sometimes they offer used books, that’s why they are cheaper than Kindle books. I must admit that I just recently purchased some Kindle books and I was surprised at the price sometimes, I was under the impression they would be cheaper.
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I feel like when nook, kindle, and ebooks in general started ebooks were cheaper and now for some reason they have gotten more expensive.
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Exactly, when digital books started to come around people would say they are cheaper. Like an incentive to get an eReader.
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It’s really annoying when this happens! I find that you have to either pre-order, or wait for AGES for Amazon to take the prices down on E-Books.
Thereare some sites with Free Ebooks, but they are very indieauthors and aren’t always the best quality
-Emma
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Thanks for the info, yeah I feel like waiting and checking on a wishlist helps sometimes.
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I hate when that happens.
I can’t read a ton of e-books since I am basically in front of a computer screen 8 hours/day for work, so even having an e-reader with no backlight bothers my eyes, unfortunately. I have been looking into buying a Kobo, which allows you to read in more formats than a Kindle, so you can shop around to see if there’s an e-book retailer that has better deals than Amazon. It’s all probably about the same, though, because the publishers often set the price.
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Would be interesting if there is a difference between the sellers though, worth looking into. Thanks!
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Interesting point that the ebook prices differ. I guess sometimes you get $1 Kindle deals and no paper book deal, and sometimes you get bargain paper books but no ebook deal! I only use my e-reader for books from the library, but this is definitely something for me to think about if I do decide to buy more ebooks.
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Yeah, it is interesting that the prices can be a bit all over. I use mine for library ebooks a well, which helps at times. Sadly, my library just broke with the company they were working with and we lost A LOT of ebooks and audiobooks.
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I can’t justify the price of ebooks! There is no reason for an ebook to cost more than a physical book. I do read ebooks on my iPad using the Kindle app, usually ARCs from Netgalley or books from Scribd or my library. Alot of times, I find new-ish releases I want to read on Bookoutlet for $3 or $4 and the ebook on Amazon will still be $15+! It doesn’t make sense.
I do have to wonder if ebooks are the cause of physical book prices dropping. Like, if more people are purchasing the ebook, then there is an excess in physical books, which is why the physical book is reduced in price or moved to the bargain section. The stores probably get a set number of new releases, but if more people bought the ebook copy, then they want some kind of return for the physical book and throw it in the bargain section. Just rambling thoughts here!
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That is a very interesting point, something to think about for sure! But, yeah $15 for an ebook is just madness to me. I can’t justify paying that much unless I get the physical book too. lol.
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