I feel like I have to talk about this topic, especially since I’ve seen the topic of supporting independent bookstores, also known as indie bookstores, a lot in the blogosphere.
Like most of you (I can’t exactly say “all of you” since I don’t know everyone’s opinion and some people probably won’t agree with my next statement), I want to support independent bookstores.
However, as much as I do like and want to support indie bookstores, I have this one huge problem that prevents me from doing so: I live in New York City and there’s not a single independent bookstore near where I live. Not one. The closest independent bookstores to where I live is an hour away, by train. It’ll probably be an hour and thirty minutes away if I drive, which I don’t. Here’s my problem: one trip to the indie bookstore and back costs me $5 because you have to pay for two rides on the subway (one ride to go and one ride to come back). $5. That’s half the price of a paperback and one-fourth the price of a hardback.
Sure, I can always order online from the indie bookstore, but have you seen the shipping cost? Once I tried placing an order with an independent bookstore and it cost me anywhere from $5 to $19 just to ship one book. You’ll also have to wait a long time for the book and worry about it getting lost since most independent bookstores uses Paypal and you can’t get the tracking number, if there is even one used. On the other hand, when I buy books from Amazon, shipping costs me nothing since I have the free student Amazon Prime trial. Unlike indie bookstores, Amazon also helps me save at least 10% off a book with their decreased prices.
I do go and support indie bookstores when they hold book events with authors I want to meet. I usually buy a lot of books written by the author that’s signing and some other books that’s not written by the author too. That’s the only time when I can really support independent bookstores.
How about you? Are you in a similar situation as me? What do you do to support indie bookstores?
I have several within a 10 mile radius of me, but I don’t really go there much anymore. They very rarely ever have YA books, and when they do, it’s nothing that I would want to buy. I usually just go to Half Price Books or order from Amazon =/
Jessi @ Novel Heartbeat recently posted…Life of a Blogger: Non-bookish Hobbies
My problem is there are no bookstores near my town – the nearest is an hour away and they don’t even have new YA books (especially) most of the time. It appears months later, and by that time, I would rather check it out from their own adjoining library (yes, they have their own library right next to it, which I am a member of). However, when it comes to new releases that I just HAVE TO READ IMMEDIATELY, I prefer ordering online from Amazon. Also, the fact that there are discounts make it better.
Krutula recently posted…ARC Review: The Almost Girl
Lucky for me, there’s an indie bookstore less than five minutes from my house and two or three more within half an hour. If I can’t get a book from the indie store or it’s a new release, I’ll order it from Amazon, but I do try to support the bookstore whenever I can!
Isabel recently posted…December Wrap-Up
I don’t really know of any indie stores around me. I would love to support them though because while I love the big chains, there’s something to be said about the intimacy with smaller stores.
Ashley recently posted…The Finish Line by Alicia Kobishop
I’m really lucky, because I have an amazing indie about 10 minutes away from my house. They have a great selection of YA, too (one of the owners writes children’s books, so that’s their main focus). It’s hard for me to support them right now because I’m broke and on a no-buying/library only kick. When I get a new job, however, I know that I can usually order something from them and get it within a week if it isn’t on their shelves. I can’t complain ;)
Lizzy recently posted…2013 in Review, Thanks, and Contests
I live in a section of Stockholm where there are no bookstores. I have to take the bus to a mall where there is a chain bookstore that doesn’t have the greatest selection of books. When I am in downtown Stockholm, it’s a different situation–there’s an indie bookstore that’s a 20-minute walk from my job, another is a 5-minute subway ride away. I try to support both as often as I can, especially when there are author events.
One of the stores has an online store, so I often order books from them instead of Amazon UK or any of the other large online bookstores.
KimGM recently posted…So it’s New Year’s Eve, and what have I done?
Like you, I have to travel a bit to get to an indie bookstore when I’m at school. While it’s great that I get a public transportation pass through my school, it’s a 30 min. bus ride away and buses only come once an hour. I try to group the bookstore trip with other errands but it’s hard. However, when I’m home though, I try to support my local indie bookstore whenever I’m around.
On a side note, isn’t the Strand an indie?
alice-jane recently posted…A Visit to the Bookstore
I really want to support bookstores, no matter indie or not, because I fear that soon Amazon will force all physical bookstores to close. But my dilemma is that buying books on amazon are so much cheaper compare to bookstores, ebook even more so. So it’s hard sometimes since I buy so many books every month. I would not want to see physical bookstores to go away in the future though, so I will support as much as I can!
Angel (Spare Reads) recently posted…Waiting on Wednesday (2) : Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira
I’m in a similar situation I live in a small city, but there are no independent bookstore. There’s 2 BAMs and a B&N within 10 miles of me, but I actually want to go to an indie bookstore. Unfortunately there’s only one an hour away, and not worth the drive, so I never went to one. I also just find Amazon much more efficient to get what I need
I’ll go if it’s convenient, and frankly, it’s not. I know a few, but one of them doesn’t have any books I’d be interested in and the other isn’t very close to me. I don’t want them to close, but I have a Chapters and a Coles nearby, and they have a pretty great selection. Also, books are kind of expensive for me, especially having to pay so much for hardcovers. I usually just go to the library five minutes away from my house. I understand wanting to support a bookstore, but I have to consider myself too as a consumer and I’ll often choose convenience over everything.
P.E. @ The Sirenic Codex recently posted…Diversity in YA
There’s a book warehouse canned Book Outlet close to where I live, but even then, it costs way more to go there than my local Chapters Indigo. The prices at Indie Bookstores are better for me, though. Instead of buying a HC for 20, I can get it for as little as 8. It’s a struggle definitely. What I do is that when I’m going somewhere for a purpose (like the Doctor’s office) I’ll go to the indie because I’m already there. I’ll schedule my “Book Adventures” with when I need to go places.
– Nova
Nova Lee @ Musings of a Blogder recently posted…Update!
I only recently found a good shop where I sometimes buy books, because they have a great bargain section. Most of the other bookstores sell only books in my language – and when they have English books it’s most of the time adult. The YA section is small and crazy expensive, so I’m a bit forced to buy books online.
Mel@thedailyprophecy recently posted…Review 225. Brodi Ashton – Evertrue.
I’d like to support indie bookstores too, but it’s just so impractical for me. I couldn’t name a single one in the town I live in, the closest we have is a couple second-hand books shops and second-hand books creep me out. I try to buy from Waterstones (it’s a chain, but I tell myself that it’s better than Amazon, maybe?) but it’s more expensive and the range of books in store and on their website just isn’t as good as Amazon or other online stores. The shipping takes a long time. I know we’re not supposed to help Amazon destroy bookstores, but when it’s cheaper, faster and they’re the only place that actually has the books I want? What are you supposed to do?
Lesley recently posted…Happy New Year!
Shipping from an indie bookstore has me wondering if they’ve never heard of media mail! I wanted to buy 2 signed books from an author I really like, but the bookstore wanted to charge me $20 for shipping. No, thank you! I have a great indie store that I use to frequent but that’s when they had a great selection of used books because you could get new releases for less than $5 (we’re talking hardbacks too). Since they closed their used section, I don’t go often.
Jess @ Literary, etc recently posted…Cover Reveal: Molly McAdams’ Deceiving Lies
I really have no excuse when there is one 5-10 minutes from my apartment, but I’ve scaled back on buying books in general. Like you, when I go to an author event, I support the indie bookstore and buy the book or books. I did challenge myself to buy some Christmas presents from my indie bookstore. The other problem is we have some discount book stores nearby as well. It really is hard to pass up a good bargain. I do go to my indie’s YA conference each year and probably spend a good $100 or more, so I feel like I support once a year at least.
Kristen H. recently posted…Book Review: Wake Up Missing
I’m very lucky that I have an indie bookstore chain in my city, so there are three in the area, one of which is just a couple blocks from me and at which a friend works so I can just text her if I want to order a book. However, that store also has $1 shipping all over the US, so you could totally use them if you wanted to order and get reasonable shipping ;-) http://www.schulerbooks.com/
Anya recently posted…Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau ARC {3 Stars}
I think it’s good to support indie bookstores as much as you’re able to, but I also don’t think you should feel bad if you’re just not. I love supporting authors at signing events and buying as many books as I can – because it’s fun. But I also love using my library to read as much as possible and then buying the books I end up really enjoying.
Annie recently posted…the fall of Camelot
I don’t have any book stores within like 2 hours of my town so 80% of all the books I buy are online and if I do happen to get to an actual book store, it’s almost always a B&N. But there is an indie store 4 hours from my town and I love to go there.
The book are a little bit more but I’d rather spend a little more on books and support a small store then a big one.
I find the help at indie stores are a lot better then at B&N. They’re friendlier and more helpful and tend to get excited about books. They’re more like readers.
And I’ll pay extra for that.
Where I currently reside, the closest Indie bookstore is a used bookstore, other than that we have a Coles/Chapters. The nearest city is 5-ish hours away. When I used to like in said city I didn’t make a special trip to these stores, but if I was already in the area I’ll stop in and take a browse.
– Krys
Krys recently posted…NY Challenge 2014
The only independent bookstores in my town are USED book stores, so I can’t really buy new books from an indie even if I wanted to. I’d have to drive, like you, probably an hour and a half away just to get to the closest one(which I’ve been to and love, but it was for an event–I am not driving three hours round trip to go to the bookstore every time I want to!). I do buy from the used bookstores when I’m just browsing, but I can’t go there if I have a specific book in mind–especially a new release. Plus, those bookstores keep insane hours–just typically from 10 to 5 or 5:30, weekdays only, which isn’t that sustainable to me because I WORK during that time. I end up buying almost all my books online.
I actually have no independent book stores anywhere in my town or anywhere close to me. But I live in the most rural area of the Netherlands and if there were to be one, it would only sell Dutch books, and I want to read English books. Same goes for libraries. So it’s hard for me to support Indie Bookstores. Although I prefer buying online, because it’s usually cheaper.
Sandra @Sandra’s World of Books recently posted…Anna and the French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins
I agree. I use Amazon a lot because the books are often discounted and because if I spend a certain amount of money (which I’m likely to spend regardless of where I buy books), I get free shipping. There are several indie bookstores in my city, but as far as I know, only two of them are new bookstores; the rest are used (which is a big deal for me because I have a hard time buying used books–yet I check out library books all the time. go figure). I absolutely adore one of those indie stores, but I hate the other. The one that I love is the one that’s farther from my house. But, the one that I love recently expanded, focuses on children’s and YA books, and has been bringing some awesome YA authors to town, so I’m trying harder to support them more.
Kelly recently posted…Review: Smoke, Wings and Stone
I have an indie in our downtown business district, but the prices are sky high!! I don’t know if it is because I live in a college town or what, but yikes!! I only go there if I need a special gift because they do have some unique book related items. At Christmastime they run sales, but it is only usually on cookbooks and children’s books, so…
I think my problem is that A) I have no local indies that are close by. B) Indies are expensive, especially when you’re a student. C) I can buy at least two books for the price of one at an indie.
-Scott
Scott recently posted…The Finisher by David Baldacci
I have the same issue. The closest indie bookstore to me is over 2 hours away. There’s like no bookstores near me. Thr closest bookstore at all is a B&N that is 40 minutes away. I love indie bookstores, especially one I visited in Minnesota that was amazing, but I have no access to one close by! Plus I totally agree on shipping costs. Usually when I can order a signed book online I’ll do it but I can’t afford those shipping costs for a regular book I could buy for half as much from Amazon :( plus, I’m so broke that if I were to buy a book I’d HAVE to go for the cheaper price