I have realised only very recently that I am quite unlike some other bloggers. This is definitely not a trumpet blowing extravaganza, this is but the truth people. I am, more than likely, quite different to you when it comes to buying books. I like to buy books for as little as possible. I know what you're thinking.. 'But Amanda, don't we all? What makes you so different?'
Now, most people probably, more than likely, don't have an issue with this, I mean, it's my choice right? If I would rather have a 'Used - Very Good' copy of Ex-mas for -�3 rather than a Brand New copy for �6.11 (at the time of writing this post, according to Amazon) then it's all go for it, right? Well, technically yes, but I got me thinking - by searching out these deals, by buying them and having them shipped from different countries, by buying books from somebody else who has already paid for the book, and therefore, effectively, not contributing to the amount of sales the author has made, am I being hypocritical and in some ways, am I being a bad blogger?
You see, by buying a book for less than the RRP price already (which is usually the case on Amazon), I'm affecting how much is made from the sale of that book. If you then further considered the fact that, there is an x amount of money spent to create these books, and if everyone did buy the novel at less than the RRP price, there is a chance that they'd be causing the revenue (made by selling the books) to equal to x amount spent on getting the book out there, if not driving the revenue into a loss. This in itself always leaves me feeling guilty when I've bought a book on Amazon for �3.99 knowing that the books RRP is just less than double that, but because it's cheaper for me, the buyer, I will do just that.
When I buy books that are shipped from other countries, I feel bad about the fact that right now, the UK economy is in the absolute sh*t and that we are seriously going to need a million ladders to get ourselves out of this hole, yet by buying books from a different country, I'm supporting their economy, not my own country. Is this wrong, morally? Does my scouring the web in search of 'hot deals' on the books I want at a much cheaper price from the US in comparison to the UK make me a bad person, and in turn, a bad blogger?
Does my complete 180 degree turn around at the prospect of having unmatching covers and formats of books on my shelves in order to have them for a cheaper price, make me a bad person? Does succumbing to these publishing changes, to these mismatched formats, to the idea of not wanting to wait for the perfect set, make me a bad person? Does feeling the need to own and read the book, no matter how it looks, rather than admire and appreciate my pretty collection anymore sound bad, and make me a bad blogger?
Further, does by buying some of my books through other people who have already bought the book make me a bad person? The original person may or may not have paid full price for the novel, (lets for this sake, say they have), they've paid �7.99 for the novel, read it, (thus making it no 'new' anymore) and now want to sell it on to somebody else for, lets say, �5.59. While the sale of the first purchase, between original buyer and wherever they bought it from, does count towards the authors sales, I'm pretty sure that the after-sale, the sale from original buyer to me, does not, and this makes me feel bad. This is also exactly the same with charity shops, which I utilise a lot.. All I want is to get a book I want for the cheapest price possible, while having it in the condition I want, but does the fact that this affects the sales and the amount of recognition authors get based off these sales, make me a bad person, and a bad blogger?
I am more than fully aware of the struggles authors go through. I know that some have their books pirated through the internet. I know that some choose to publish themselves rather than through publishing agencies. I know that authors struggle, just as much as anyone else, the survive on their money. I understand that while they are doing their dream job, it's not an easy one, but where does a reader draw the line? Does a reader spend all their wages, their gifted money, their saved money on books at their full price in order to support the author to the fullest possible amount, or do we focus on ourselves, getting books for as cheap as we can get them, without sparing a thought to the people behind them? It's a thought I have whenever I find myself book-browsing online, (which is actually what spurred this discussion post on, I was doing just that) and it really makes me wonder whether, by blogging, reading and reviewing the books I buy, am I making up for the loss to or of sale that I have gotten away with by giving the books free marketing, or am I still a bad person, and in turn, a bad blogger?
- I spend hours online searching out deals.
- I will order them from different countries.
- I will buy used or like new instead of new.
- I will even have unmatching covers and formats.
- I do WHATEVER it takes to save money.
Now, most people probably, more than likely, don't have an issue with this, I mean, it's my choice right? If I would rather have a 'Used - Very Good' copy of Ex-mas for -�3 rather than a Brand New copy for �6.11 (at the time of writing this post, according to Amazon) then it's all go for it, right? Well, technically yes, but I got me thinking - by searching out these deals, by buying them and having them shipped from different countries, by buying books from somebody else who has already paid for the book, and therefore, effectively, not contributing to the amount of sales the author has made, am I being hypocritical and in some ways, am I being a bad blogger?
You see, by buying a book for less than the RRP price already (which is usually the case on Amazon), I'm affecting how much is made from the sale of that book. If you then further considered the fact that, there is an x amount of money spent to create these books, and if everyone did buy the novel at less than the RRP price, there is a chance that they'd be causing the revenue (made by selling the books) to equal to x amount spent on getting the book out there, if not driving the revenue into a loss. This in itself always leaves me feeling guilty when I've bought a book on Amazon for �3.99 knowing that the books RRP is just less than double that, but because it's cheaper for me, the buyer, I will do just that.
When I buy books that are shipped from other countries, I feel bad about the fact that right now, the UK economy is in the absolute sh*t and that we are seriously going to need a million ladders to get ourselves out of this hole, yet by buying books from a different country, I'm supporting their economy, not my own country. Is this wrong, morally? Does my scouring the web in search of 'hot deals' on the books I want at a much cheaper price from the US in comparison to the UK make me a bad person, and in turn, a bad blogger?
Does my complete 180 degree turn around at the prospect of having unmatching covers and formats of books on my shelves in order to have them for a cheaper price, make me a bad person? Does succumbing to these publishing changes, to these mismatched formats, to the idea of not wanting to wait for the perfect set, make me a bad person? Does feeling the need to own and read the book, no matter how it looks, rather than admire and appreciate my pretty collection anymore sound bad, and make me a bad blogger?
Further, does by buying some of my books through other people who have already bought the book make me a bad person? The original person may or may not have paid full price for the novel, (lets for this sake, say they have), they've paid �7.99 for the novel, read it, (thus making it no 'new' anymore) and now want to sell it on to somebody else for, lets say, �5.59. While the sale of the first purchase, between original buyer and wherever they bought it from, does count towards the authors sales, I'm pretty sure that the after-sale, the sale from original buyer to me, does not, and this makes me feel bad. This is also exactly the same with charity shops, which I utilise a lot.. All I want is to get a book I want for the cheapest price possible, while having it in the condition I want, but does the fact that this affects the sales and the amount of recognition authors get based off these sales, make me a bad person, and a bad blogger?
I am more than fully aware of the struggles authors go through. I know that some have their books pirated through the internet. I know that some choose to publish themselves rather than through publishing agencies. I know that authors struggle, just as much as anyone else, the survive on their money. I understand that while they are doing their dream job, it's not an easy one, but where does a reader draw the line? Does a reader spend all their wages, their gifted money, their saved money on books at their full price in order to support the author to the fullest possible amount, or do we focus on ourselves, getting books for as cheap as we can get them, without sparing a thought to the people behind them? It's a thought I have whenever I find myself book-browsing online, (which is actually what spurred this discussion post on, I was doing just that) and it really makes me wonder whether, by blogging, reading and reviewing the books I buy, am I making up for the loss to or of sale that I have gotten away with by giving the books free marketing, or am I still a bad person, and in turn, a bad blogger?
Do My Buying Habits Make Me a Bad Blogger?
Tag :
Books,
Discussions
0 Komentar untuk "Does Free Marketing Make Up For Not Buying Many Books?"