New Books Or Used

Discussion in Books, eBooks & Audio Books started by Sunshine • Feb 24, 2015.

  1. Sunshine

    SunshineActive Member

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    Do you buy new books or used? Nowadays I can feel I can find just about any book used on Amazon. It's almost as if there is no need to ever buy new anymore.

    Do you still buy new books at the store? Or do you buy them used online?
     
  2. Colebra

    ColebraActive Member

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    I mostly just buy used from my friend Amazon.:)
    If I can't find it there, and I really want the book, then I have no problem with paying 25$ for a new one.
    But I can't remember the last time I couldn't find something on Amazon...
    I always buy "used" books (they look brand new to me), for awesome prices.

    Also worth considering is that, if you can keep the books looking good, Amazon might be very happy to buy them back from you. ;)

    Happy readings! :cool:
     
  3. Aladar

    AladarWell-Known Member

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    Always new. The price difference isn't that bad, and if I'm buying a book I want to support the author, so... yeah, new.
     
  4. eppie

    eppieActive Member

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    It really doesn't matter much to me whether a book is new or used - I'll buy if I find it very interesting. I have good titled books that I've bought from garage sales and thrift/2nd hand stores. :)
     
  5. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    I buy new books at bookshops and online bookstores and old books at thrift stores or book shops that sell surplus books. I'm not extremely picky, I just try to strategize with my book choices. In thrift stores, for instance, there's always going to be that rare-to-find book. And because I know it's going to take me ages to find another book like it, in addition to the fact that it still looks presentable, I'd rather go and buy it at that very moment.
     
  6. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I buy a mixture, but I prefer new books. The only used books I tend to buy are the old editions you find in the thrift shops with original covers. These days there are so many choices, especially with the classics, of typeface and introductions (I do read those) that you can be choosy when you buy.
     
  7. Flowerpower

    FlowerpowerMember

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    I don't mind either although I'd much prefer the new ones, I once bought a used book that hadn't been properly checked by the seller, and found that the original owner had highlighted random words throughout the novel (words they didn't understand, I think) It was very distracting to read and was overall unsatisfying.
     
  8. May102014

    May102014Active Member

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    I always try to look first at thrift shops or book shops that sell surplus books. If the book that I am looking is there I buy it as long as it still looks good. I then try to look at the pages to check if there's any torn pages or any marks or highlighted words in it.

    If the book that I'm looking is not available at thrift shops, I go to bookshops. Since the books are new they are more expensive than those books found at the thrift store. If I still cannot find the book that I want in the bookshops, my last resort would be to go online.
     
  9. TommyVercetti

    TommyVercettiActive Member

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    For me it comes down to this: if it's for a collection or it's bound to be re-read, I buy the brand new hardcover ones. Books that are for research, or generally those that you only read once and you don't necessarily need to keep, I buy the used ones, preferably paperback.
     
  10. valiantx

    valiantxActive Member

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    I buy used or new books, but it depends on how well kept the used book is and if it is half the price of a new version of it, or, if there are no more new prints and only used copies are left for sale. Otherwise, I will buy new books only if it has good reviews and is a book I will reread more than once. Paperbacks are much better than hardbacks most of the time, but hard-backs do last longer and endure much more against damaging accidents.
     
  11. jbepp

    jbeppMember

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    There's nothing like the smell of a new book, but I personally don't mind buying used. You can find used books in really good conditions for $3 or even $1 if you're lucky. Just last week I bought 3 used books in good conditions and they were less than $10. Honestly, it really doesn't matter to me.
     
  12. tipoywizard

    tipoywizardActive Member

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    It actually does not matter whether it is new or old what matters most is that I like the book and its storyline. I willing to buy it as long as it suits the genre that I want.
     
  13. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    Depends on the book. For a non-fiction book which I'll find useful years from when I buy it, then I'll have to get it new.

    For fiction books, if I must buy one then I'd prefer buying a cheap, used copy. Why? You read such books once, twice or three times at most and you are done with them. Why pay full price for them?
     
  14. Lushlala

    LushlalaWell-Known Member

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    It depends on how much I want it and the availability. If I can get it second hand, and it's in good condition; I don't see why not. If I'm struggling to find it, then I'm willing to shell out however much it takes to get it.
     
  15. Radix24

    Radix24Active Member

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    I now buy most of my books 2nd hand. Only when I am really excited to get a specific book that I opt to get a new one. I have my 2nd hand books on a used book store. The selections can be amazing if you know how to look. About the online thing, I have never bough a book online yet. I am far too afraid of my country's customs requirements that it might get held there.
     
  16. Happy247

    Happy247Member

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    Back in the day, buying new was the only way to go for me until one little shopping trip that I made with my mom. The building was ugly and I didn't want to go in but I couldn't believe my eyes when I walked past a book that I had recently bought. It was more that 50% off the price that I paid. I felt like a complete fool, and the book was practically new. Why would I spend so much money like that? Since that day I only buy used. I can get the same book, and same reading experience at a cheaper price.
     
  17. Beautyspin

    BeautyspinMember

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    In my place, I will not get new books if it is not on one of the top seller list. In my city, we used to have a Sunday market where you get a lot of used books, almost half a kilometer stretch of pavement sprawled with the books. I used to go there and browse the books, trying to find a book that is large (It should last a week at least and something that is really novel and holds my interest). Then the bargaining process starts. Most of the time, the sellers would have got the books from a garage sale and would not know the price of a book so one would get a good bargain. The process of buying a book itself was an experience. Nowadays, even they have only best sellers and they have become smart. I have taken to reading ebooks so no more buying printed books.
     
  18. DesignerMum

    DesignerMumActive Member

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    I prefer new books every time. Most of my books are new, and I like that they're new. That does not mean that I don't have used books. When I find an interesting, used books that are as good as new, I would buy it and I would read it. A special exception is for comic books. I don't buy used comic books and would prefer reading them at the kiosk or at the book store.
     
  19. Rosyrain

    RosyrainActive Member

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    I typically buy all of my books used, unless I see something at the store new that I can't live without. People tend to get rid of their books after they have been sitting on the shelf for quite a while, or after they have read through them once. This means that most of the used books I buy are like brand new at used book prices. It is an excellent deal, and I feel that I would be foolish to purchase the book new and pay a more expensive cover price.
     
  20. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    I mostly buy new books, and the only time I'm getting a 2nd hand one is if I pass by a shop in the mall that sells them. New books can be expensive, like $20 or more, so if I see a 2nd hand book that looks good as new, then I would definitely buy that book.