Everyone has different reasons for purchasing a physical book over an e-book. I really do love both physical books and e-books for different reasons. I tell my kids that too when they ask who my favorite kid is, but in reality it’s actually the dog. 😉
If I REALLY want the physical book, I will buy it over the e-book no matter what. Some books you just need to feel in your hands and you need to be able to smell those amazing pages. Some books I don’t mind reading on an e-book especially if it’s a book I want to read all day even when out and ebooks are a better format for me.
Recently I started purchasing more physical books over ebooks, especially new releases and here is why….
Lately I have given up on the ARC books not because I don’t love to read books before everyone else but I am trying to remove the stress of deadlines when my real life has been so super busy. So I have been like every other non-blogger and have been waiting for release day (it’s really, really hard, the struggle is real!!!) The thing about release day books is that the e-books run about $9 or $13 dollars. I’m sorry to say but I don’t want to purchase an e-book for that much money, especially when the hard cover or paper back is a dollar or two more. So instead I will grab the physical book over the e-book. It’s not that I don’t want to spend the money on the book it’s that I think $13 is a lot for a book you can’t touch or smell. (books smell is the best smell) #booksnifferFOREVER!
When a book is released on e-book first, I still will not grab it if it is $9.99. I will either wait for it to go on sale or for the physical book to be released. I also might not grab the hard covers because believe it or not I prefer paperback books over the hard cover even thought hard cover books are GORGEOUS! I find them harder to read. (I never said I was normal)
The problem now has become that I need to get more shelf space because my bookshelves have runneth over. My husband keeps asking where I plan to put all these books, I don’t need that kind of negative talk so I just ignore him.
So for now I think as long as the prices for New Release ebooks are going to be the same as a physical book, I will be purchasing physical books which mean eventually I might need a bigger house.
I know there are lots of options for getting books but this post is about why I purchase a physical book over an e-book.
What format book do you prefer to buy and does the price influence why you prefer one over the other? Let's Talk about it! Share on X
What format book do you prefer to buy and does the price influence why you prefer one over the other?
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Michelle ox
This post made me laugh. 🙂 So true. I generally prefer physical books because after all the look good on the shelf (or in a cough pile on the floor cough) and yes the book smell! But I do splurge on 9.99 ebooks even though I hate that price point. And if an ebook is more than that I almost NEVER buy it. It’s so dumb for them to charge that for a book you can’t even hold! But anyway… as for hardcover vs paperback, I go back and forth. Generally if it’s a book I really love the look of, I’ll go hardcover, but for reading purposes I do like paperback better.
I may love the feel and smell of books but because of storage and portability I want all digital, all the time. I have just a few physical books for autographs. Sometimes I do wait until a book is on sale (ebook or audio). Anne – Books of My Heart
I am very selective when it come to book but I tend to grab a lot more ebooks unless they are the same price then I would rather physical. Digital is just more convenient for me sometimes but that feel and smell, nothing can beat that.
I never used to care if it was paperback, hardcover, audio or ebook. Now, I prefer hardcovers for my favorites or paperback (trade paperback preferably) if that’s not an option. There aren’t many I buy right at release. I tend to wait and see if I can score one at a book sale or used on Amazon. I also won’t buy an ebook if it’s more than $6 or so. I know the same amount of work goes into it writing and editing and cover, but there’s no printing and distribution involved so I just can’t justify paying more for a virtual book over a print book.
When I have gift cards I will grab books when they are first released but only the ones I REALLY want. Otherwise I will wait for a sale or the price to lower. I agree with you on the amount of work but still not spending that much money on a book I can’t feel or smell. I do love ebooks but lately I prefer physical. I’m a very moody reader 🙂
I prefer physical books. I save all my money for those. I’ll only read an ebook if it’s free. I don’t like reading on screens because I stare at computers all day. I’d rather relax with a paper book.
The feel and smell of a book is just amazing. I do ebooks more when I want to read when I am out and about but I recently feel back in love with physical and the price makes a huge difference when buying one or the other.