Have books gotten more expensive?

Submitted by syncomatic_columbia t3_zt0fps in books

Thanks to my secret santa for the $25 b&n gift card :) I spent it well (a walk in the woods by bill bryson, my favorite author) but I did notice books feel more expensive than they used to. Idk if we just don't live in the world of $7.99 books at the book fair, but I was really expecting 2 semi-good books with that money and only ended up with one ($8 left over on the card wasn't enough to even get a reading light!)

Has reading gotten more expensive as the years go on, and if so, why?

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Upton_Sinclair_Lewis t1_j1b4ijr wrote

The price of a mass market paperback book is a good indicator of inflation.

They were 25 cents in the 1940s, now $9.99 -- unless it's a famous author, then they bulk it up to trade paperback size and charge $14.99 or more.

The price of a new hardcover is so ridiculous that I don't even consider the purchase. Not when I can buy bestsellers and Pulitzer Prize winners a few decades old on Ebay for $5.

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PristineBookkeeper40 t1_j1beg6p wrote

I was trying to buy my daughter (4.5) some books for Christmas, and a couple of the hardcover ones are nearly $20 apiece! For a kid's book! I'm not saying the authors aren't deserving of the money for their work, but holy cow. (Sometimes I get hard cover books because they're easier for her to hold, whereas the paperback ones are super floppy.)

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Galaxy-Hitchhiker42 t1_j1e7rv5 wrote

You really ought to try searching for a used bookstore around you !

I live in a small college town and there is one used bookstore. The owner always complains about running out of space in the Children's book section because hardcover books take a lot of space. I don't think this bookstore even sells a book for more than $10.

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PristineBookkeeper40 t1_j1eds6p wrote

We have a used bookstore about a half hour away that I do really like, but we also get a lot of hand-me-downs from her older cousins and a really nice library. There's something special about college town bookstores tho...

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BookishBitching t1_j1ejwjw wrote

Generally, it's not the authors making bank on that. They get a paltry sum comparatively, so on a $20 book an author might make a couple of bucks if they're very lucky.

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dissidentpen t1_j1ezrwc wrote

This is misleading… authors very much rely on new book sales, especially in the first few months of release. It determines not just their revenue but their future opportunities and contracts.

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BookishBitching t1_j1hlwan wrote

I never said anything about that? I'm only commenting on the fact that authors don't make much per book, even if the price is higher. Yes, early sales are very important, I agree, which is why I never once even remotely implied the opposite.

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zedatkinszed t1_j1enwq0 wrote

Not the author. They might make $1-$1.50 on that. 50% of that cost is the retailer at 100% mark-up. 50% of the rest is publisher and the rest is print and logistics costs.

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dissidentpen t1_j1f086w wrote

FYI publishers have razor thin margins. Even the big ones. And “mark-up” is the necessary cost of distribution.

No one is getting rich in the book business, except probably the very top shareholders of corporate houses.

Books are more expensive because everything is more expensive. So I vary my buying habits with both used and new - keep some stuff in circulation and also sometimes support the people who make these things.

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RayDeaver t1_j1bi4te wrote

I was a book seller from 2007 - 2012. I remember the mass markers being 7.99.

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EmmaKat102722 t1_j1dzo1n wrote

When I started reading sci-fi in the early 80s, the thinner mass market books were 1.99 to 2.99.

Inflation since then has just about tripled, which puts mass markets at about 9.99 if they were following inflation. It's possible they've actually come down in price a tiny bit once inflation is accounted for.

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tonyrocks922 t1_j24xsqa wrote

Mass markets have kept pace with inflation but hardcover prices are definitely lower. I just pulled two books off my shelf from 2002 and they were $26 and $28 at the time ($43-46 in 2022 dollars). Similar current titles go for $25-35.

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Green-Enthusiasm-940 t1_j1eajsg wrote

I hate trade paperbacks so fucking much. Especially for the sometimes 1 to 2 year extra gap they cause before a mass market release.

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Frosted_Picasso t1_j1ayy8u wrote

Everything has gotten more expensive

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[deleted] t1_j1azdud wrote

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FunkTheFreak t1_j1e8a7x wrote

I want to support them because I like bookstores, but it is so difficult to.

I was very disappointed by their membership program and discontinued it because I didn’t feel I was getting any benefit out of it.

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jimbowesterby t1_j1ed2z9 wrote

Someone said it somewhere else in the thread, but used bookstores! I love the one near my house, the books are dirt cheap, and they always need the help. Far as I know B&N is just another big corporation, they probably don’t need your support as much.

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Apathetic-Asshole t1_j1eeqhu wrote

Look into local bookstores, you may be surprised how many are around near you

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dissidentpen t1_j1f0imo wrote

Huh? Their prices are on par with Amazon or Walmart.

What a weird call out. We should be happy to still have a major book retail chain in this country at all. Book spaces matter.

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[deleted] t1_j1f208y wrote

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dissidentpen t1_j1f2pml wrote

But what you’re saying is empirically untrue. They are not one of the most expensive places to buy books. They are on par with other sellers, and cheaper with discounts.

Maybe you’re thinking of a thrift store or eBay, but you can’t compare places that sell new books with ones that sell used books. It’s a completely separate market place.

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archwaykitten t1_j1bqbm6 wrote

Most media has gotten much cheaper in the last 20 years. Streaming services offer basically unlimited television and movies for a fraction of what cable used to cost. Video games go on sale almost immediately after release. Music is essentially free everywhere you look, no need to even pirate it.

Books are weird because they haven’t gotten cheaper.

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dairyqueen84 t1_j1d65y0 wrote

But you start adding up all the streaming services you need and you're probably spending as much as you did on cable.

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whisky_in_your_water t1_j1e957w wrote

Nah, you can just rotate as needed, and you couldn't realistically do that on cable/satellite. Also, you can "share" accounts (kind of unethical) and save even more, and that was unrealistic with cable/satellite (I guess you could record shows and share then, but that takes effort).

We only have Netflix and Disney right now, and we'll probably swap one out for Amazon Prime Video at some point. So we spend ~$20 on streaming services in a given month.

I also had Peacock for one month to watch the world cup and paid $5 to watch as many games as I wanted, when I wanted. Try doing that with cable/satellite...

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archwaykitten t1_j1e8a1d wrote

A single streaming streaming service (Netflix, say) provides more content (and more conveniently) than even the most comprehensive cable plans of old.

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logannowak22 t1_j1enpby wrote

Because of libraries, it is generally easier to access books for free than other media. Now with Libby, you can essentially "stream" books for free. And there are sites like Scribd that give you a large library of modern books for a subscription fee. So I think books have gotten cheaper overall, but a lot of book readers are "purists" for physical books and adding to their own personal library (which I think is especially promoted through booktube and booktok), which at this point has to be considered a luxury hobby similar to owning a vinal collection

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dissidentpen t1_j1f0mz3 wrote

Yeah but all of those digital modalities have led to a huge crisis in compensation for the people who actually make stuff.

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jeanlucriker t1_j1b2t05 wrote

I’ve really started to get most books second hand now, I don’t mean to diminish anyone’s work but if I buy a book brand new it instantly loses most of its value if I try to resell it to get more books if that makes sense? So usually it just ends up donated or given to someone.

Particularly with a new release hardback, if I wait a week or two second hand will be half price if not more

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vivahermione t1_j1bkrcu wrote

That's a good point. Depreciation is real. Also, buying secondhand is eco-friendly.

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[deleted] t1_j1ej305 wrote

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vivahermione t1_j1ezb95 wrote

That's a solid strategy, and usually what I do, except replace step two with "search Prime reading or Kindle ebook sales".

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SerBronn7 t1_j1mm5tn wrote

It's not really supporting the author though.

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mtmc99 t1_j1blngc wrote

For me I look at the time spent reading a book vs watching a movie. For most books I read I get 30-40hrs of enjoyment. For the same cost I can watch a movie for 3 hours so it seems like a worthwhile buy

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quats5 t1_j1enva5 wrote

I love Half Price Books. I pity the states they haven’t expanded into.

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Fox-and-Sons t1_j1b47qn wrote

At Barnes & Noble $25 wouldn't have gotten you two books 20 years ago unless they were very small paperbacks. Used bookstores are usually very affordable, but B&N hasn't changed, it's always been pricey.

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akira2bee t1_j1eao43 wrote

I think it depends because I remember getting a couple books for $25 at Barnes and Noble less than 10 years ago, but they would've been YA/MG and those are definitely slightly cheaper than adult, even with inflation. Theres also the sales! They used to be better but they still have some bogo 50% off

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Apathetic-Asshole t1_j1eekat wrote

B&N has always been pricey, but tyey have definitely gotten more expensive over the years. I remember the transition of being able to to buy a book every month with my allowance as a kid to no longer asking to go because i couldnt afford them new

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dennyfader t1_j1etljj wrote

Dumb question maybe, but how come people are saying that Barnes & Noble is any more expensive than any other new bookseller? B&N sells them at whatever price in on the back of the book from the publisher from my experience.

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Zikoris t1_j1bxx9q wrote

I've been pretty shocked lately to see $30 eBooks for some new releases. What the ever loving fuck is that about? It's a digital file!

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EpicTubofGoo t1_j1dimeq wrote

Publishers set the prices of ebooks, not retailers, my sense is this is done deliberately by publishers to keep ebooks from cannibalizing hardcover sales.

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Zikoris t1_j1dv7ri wrote

I'm used to new releases being a little on the higher end, like $16 or $17 sometimes, but JFC $30+ is steep for a digital file.

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whisky_in_your_water t1_j1e9ktt wrote

$10 should be standard for ebooks, maybe a little more for top authors.

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Zikoris t1_j1eb8vn wrote

Agreed. It's blatant gouging.

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whisky_in_your_water t1_j1ebvq7 wrote

Yup. I can't easily (legally) give away or lend out my ebooks, whereas I absolutely can do that with physical copies. Ebooks should absolutely be cheaper than any physical format.

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dissidentpen t1_j1f0wi2 wrote

That’s not true. Ebooks are almost always cheaper than print, and the margins on all this stuff are minuscule. Regardless of your “sense” the overhead remains the same regardless of format. You save on printing and storage but then there are unique costs to digital which make up the difference.

$30 is probably an academic press. I wish people would stop using cherry-picked anomalies as “proof” of their feelings.

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Suzune-chan t1_j1dcz27 wrote

I wonder this all the time. I am not paying for the paper why should it cost as much s a physical book.

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Zikoris t1_j1ebqdz wrote

Not only the paper, there's no warehouse, no shipping, no store overhead, no staff, no allowance for a certain percentage of damaged books, literally NOTHING that should bring the cost up.

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Bridalhat t1_j1ez3xa wrote

Nope, most of the costs of publishing books go into paying the author, the editors, typesetters, etc. Book and paper are usually sub $2 per volume when all is said and done.

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EvilLipgloss t1_j1e733r wrote

This is why I use Libby. I read quite a bit and Libby has saved me so much money!

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bichonfire t1_j1eba06 wrote

I checked Libby out once but the website said I only have like two weeks to read it? Is it true? I’m someone who needs much much muuuuch longer to finish a book lol ><

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EvilLipgloss t1_j1ecs1e wrote

Every library is different. I have two library cards through Libby. One of them gives me 3 weeks and another gives me 2. If no one else is waiting for the book, you can renew your loan.

Also, if you are using your Kindle, you can put your kindle in airplane mode and continue to read even though the loan has technically expired. It goes back to the library but since your Kindle is disconnected from the internet, it stays on the device until you connect it back to wifi.

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Zikoris t1_j1e8rjs wrote

Yes, I'm pretty sure we all know that the library exists, lol.

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zedatkinszed t1_j1hr6mf wrote

Yeah the pricing of ebooks is extremely predatory.and again the author's seeing v. little if it's a traditionally published ebook.

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Ki1gore_Tr0ut t1_j1b816p wrote

I still remember when gas was 39 cents a gallon... read in old grandpa voice

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Ghostforce56 t1_j1dexua wrote

Don't even joke, you'll be saying that some day "I remember when gas was $3 a gallon before the water wars!"

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Ki1gore_Tr0ut t1_j1eowdc wrote

We're definitely on track for an inevitable Mad Max era.

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Ok_Aioli1990 t1_j1e1am5 wrote

Honey I remember watching for the gas war prices for my parents and it was 19 cents. We were on the road all during my childhood.

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Ki1gore_Tr0ut t1_j1eolep wrote

Shit, I probably could have picked up a 25000 sq/ft manor on a private island for 100k back in those days.

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purplehandbag t1_j1cfgjd wrote

One factor that's contributed to the increase in book prices is an increase in the cost of paper (i.e., print books are more expensive to produce than they used to be). This piece goes into some of the reasons for the increase in the cost of paper, e.g.:

>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the costs of pulp and paper for corrugated boxes increased by over 25 percent between 2020 and 2021, making it more expensive to procure paper.
>
>Experts report that some of the major lumber supply chain problems come from a workforce shortage, a lack of truckers to move materials, manufacturing problems and now the increase in gas prices, all of which affect wood and its delivery.
>
>Over the last couple of years, the price of processed wood products increased significantly. During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, processed wood prices nearly quadrupled. Wholesale prices for plywood increased from $400 to $1500 per 1,000 square sheets.
>
>Although it is convenient to blame everything on COVID, the truth is that paper mill production in America has been declining since long before the pandemic. Like many aspects of industrialization, we are losing American made manufacturing and products, and that means paying more to get goods here.

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sirbruce t1_j1e6vtp wrote

Yes, I came here to post this. I sell magic cards online and pretty much everything involved in the shipping process that uses paper has gone up in price -- the cardboard shipping shields, the envelopes, the address labels, etc. And of course postage. I suspect a 300 page book has gone up at least $3 due to paper prices alone.

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sealevels t1_j1c6tzp wrote

It absolutely has.

I've begun to buy secondhand twice as much as I used to.

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The_not-chosen_one t1_j1cos90 wrote

Like others said the reason is inflation

Personally my own answer of this problem is to not purchase books (unless it's a book that I REALLY want to have in my bookshelf) and read them at my local library

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syncomatic_columbia OP t1_j1duxto wrote

Good advice to follow! I rarely buy my own book nowadays, just the library closest to where I live is pretty small and it’s a hassle to drive downtown for the “good” library. This thread suggests many people face a similar issue, small local bookstores are just not a thing where they live

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ElleHopper t1_j1evpoc wrote

If you don't mind reading on a screen, Libby is an app you can use with a lot of library systems to check out ebooks or audio books!

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VisibleDepth1231 t1_j1daifr wrote

Yes books have had a steep price increase in the last couple of years. Largely because there was a period where the price wasn't rising in line with inflation as publishers were swallowing increased production costs to try to keep books affordable. Then the economy hit a point where that stopped being feasible and book prices shot up almost overnight to catch up with inflation. Also for UK based readers Brexit and the subsequent collapse of the pound has had a big knock on effect on any books printed in continental Europe or the US and imported in. That mostly doesn't apply to general fiction but is relevant for more specialist books that aren't always printed locally.

However even with the price rises there is still very little money actually being made on books. So many people are involved in bringing a book out and all need a slice of the pie: authors, editors, cover designers, proof readers, marketing personnel, trade sales reps, book sellers, etc. And on top of that paper and ink are expensive themselves. After all the hours authors put into writing a book they're often making something stupid like 15p a copy and many bookshops and publishers are struggling to keep the doors open. It's all made worse by the fact that most publishers and authors feel they have to have their books on Amazon if they want anyone to hear about them but Amazon demands such massive discounts publishers sometimes even lose money on copies sold through Amazon and have to try to recoup that money through copies sold elsewhere. Meaning Amazon puts double pressure on bricks and mortar bookshops.

I totally get not everyone can afford to buy new books right now. And supporting libraries and second hand bookshops are both worthy aims in their own right! But if you can afford to occasionally buy a new book please consider doing so through a bricks and mortar shop and considering it an investment in the author's career and in all the people who've worked hard (often for low wages) to put that book in your hands.

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Excellent-Ad2346 t1_j1c6yg7 wrote

I go thrifting for clothes a lot and one time stumbled upon the book section which before that I never thought of for some reason. But walked out with a bunch of really good books exclusively paperback but max being $3 in surprisingly good condition. Might be difficult if you have a particular book in mind but great option when you have no clue what to read next. So instead of strolling through barnes and noble and walking out with 1 $20 book, I now aimlessly stroll my local thrift shops and only buy new books when I’ve been really meaning to read them.

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Juicy_Hamburger t1_j1b2sjo wrote

Absolutely. I'm a politics nerd, and I was browsing a bookstore about a month ago for novels related to that field...some of the prices were upwards of $30 for one book!!!!

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Razorbackalpha t1_j1c2dpe wrote

Yeah political books are ridiculous, but I think that's more of a politician issue vs a book issue. I have a bookstore near me that I use exclusively for politics and they're slightly less expensive but not by much

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CrushedByTime t1_j1cmgcp wrote

That could have a lot to do with market demand. Not many people out there looking for dry political tomes.

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oh_sneezeus t1_j1dai0x wrote

this makes me feel better that my book only costs 9.99$

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oceanbreze t1_j1d0r7i wrote

I rarely buy new. I just do not have the room or money. Thriftbooks.com used book stores, library book sales etc.

However, last year, we had a Scholastic book fair at the school I work at and I was surprised how expensive they were. My SPED classroom received a stipend where the teacher allowed them to take home books and buy for the classroom. A few years ago, they would be able to buy 3 or 4 each. Last year, maybe 2.

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syncomatic_columbia OP t1_j1dup08 wrote

I remember when I was in elementary school a decade or so ago, you could buy like 3 or 4 books for $20, and sometimes an eraser and smelly pencils and those pens with the fluffy ball on top

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[deleted] t1_j1c2m0u wrote

Even used books have gone up in price it's crazy

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Jennymable95 t1_j1c9d3a wrote

Yes! But also everything at Barnes and Noble is ridiculously overpriced.

It’s actually crazy that it’s way cheaper to buy books on Amazon at times.

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gnatgirl t1_j1eiprs wrote

The publisher sets the price of the book, B&N chooses whether or not to discount it. It is no more expensive than any other physical new book store. The price of everything has gone up, including paper, which is why books are more expensive. Places like Amazon and Costco can sell a book for cheaper as a "loss leader." They aren't just in the business of books, so they don't have to worry about making money exclusively off of them.

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EnragedWallnut2 t1_j1cdva3 wrote

It definitely is cheaper on Amazon I’ve found most books are half the price when compared to book stores, which is unfortunate because i would rather support a book store but I can’t justify paying double the price

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CavyJ t1_j1d4z51 wrote

Thank god for net book agreements. More independent bookstores and less price hikes.

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EpicTubofGoo t1_j1distf wrote

I don't have a non-B&N bookstore within 25 miles of where I live. 🤷‍♂️

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EnragedWallnut2 t1_j1d7w3l wrote

Unfortunately I live in rural Pennsylvania so the nearest independent book store is over 2 hours away lol

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eleyezeeaye4287 t1_j1cziyf wrote

I buy most of my books at thrift stores and book fairs where they are still under $5 for a book.

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AggravatingBox2421 t1_j1dbmh7 wrote

A book in Australia costs $20-32 for a paperback. They’ve definitely gone up

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EmeraldEyes06 t1_j1dnc6d wrote

I went to get my bf a new book by his favorite author and wanted to get the hardcover version, $43 AUD. I almost dropped my phone (I’m American), it’s insane.

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blackp3dro t1_j1bbaks wrote

Spent over $60.00 for 2 books last week at B&N, yes, things are up there.

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ElricAvMelnibone t1_j1bkzbz wrote

I have a lot of books from the 60s or 70s with a page at the back listing other books from the publisher you were meant to rip out and mail with orders, and the prices were like 69p-99p lol

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enomisyeh t1_j1c8ec2 wrote

A lot of books in new zealand are now definitely in the $30-40 range. And some that are popular adult fiction are often in the 40-50 range (new zealand dollar of course). I remember not all that long ago young adult fiction or the fiction that wasnt necessarily YA but also not fully considered adult level writing styles could be around $25 which is pretty good for a book. This is another reason why my first place to look is the library. Loan over buy

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Jack-Campin t1_j1cn21l wrote

NZ books have always been expensive (I grew up there). The big change has been in international freight - I bought a few books direct from India and Poland when I was a student in the 1960s, not a cheap option any more.

NZ copes by having an unusually good second-hand book sector. Books get used efficiently.

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HammerOvGrendel t1_j1di5da wrote

Absolutely. We moved from Aus to NZ in 1988 as my mum took up a position at the national library. She was always complaining about how expensive books were comparatively. I've been back in Australia for 20-odd years, but I did occasionally travel back, ironically to sell books to the universities. One of the last times I was there I was struck by the fact that there was only one bookshop I could find in the Auckland CBD, and while Unity books is by any objective standard well stocked and curated, it was outrageously expensive.

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enomisyeh t1_j2csib7 wrote

I love second hand book stores, but it can be hard when they dont have all their stuff on the shelves and you have to go ask, especially when youre me and you go with lists of books youre looking for, or the books you want are super weird lol. Like its not always the most fun asking for 10 books all the do with forensic pathology, death, and murder, and not look like youre planning something.

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[deleted] t1_j1c9e68 wrote

Got a $50 gift card to B&N too and I’m gonna go tomorrow and be really picky at the prices. Thriftbooks is a good alternative. Got 10 books from there for only $50 all relatively good quality

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syncomatic_columbia OP t1_j1du1vm wrote

The sad thing is if I didn’t get a gift card I wouldn’t consider going at all

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Old_Bandicoot_1014 t1_j1ctekw wrote

I'm Australian. We pay HEAPS for books here 😭😭😭

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SlowMovingTarget t1_j1b88jo wrote

Physical books are more expensive, and more cheaply made, yes.

There are fewer presses than there once were. The high-quality presses are now competing with cheapo presses in China and in some cases India. (You can walk into a shop with ripped off eBook in India and walk out with a printed and bound book 15 minutes later.)

And all of those pressures are balanced against digital books.

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Fresh-Horror-1088 t1_j1cmett wrote

Especially the penguin books, the page quality is shit. Earlier the same book had good, white, smooth pages now yellow newspaper type.

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CrushedByTime t1_j1coihy wrote

It’s less India’s fault and more that pulp paperbacks no longer exist, because Wattpad and Scribd wiped them out. New novel platforms in Asia like Naver and Pratilipi also offer new ways to access written content by bypassing traditional publishers.

So publishers have basically turned to publishing less controversial and interesting books for guaranteed crowd-pleasers. And those can be priced higher.

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abby_normally t1_j1bg7yg wrote

Kindle books are not cheap, and I haven't bought one yet that was shareable.

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Cutebunny187 t1_j1chxk0 wrote

At this point I think it would be easier to list things that are not more expensive. Spent over $100 on books for my two youngest kids last month. It was not that many books.

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throwaway-clonewars t1_j1cpzav wrote

I rarely buy new for this specific reason, even like 5 years ago I always went "Oh I think I want this (the tsss inhale). Actually, maybe not" when I saw some of the prices.

I'll usually wait a few years and let 2nd hand stores drop them in price (newer ones are still full or 2/3 instead of the 1/2 or less older ones are) because rarely are there new books I go "I NEED this".

I mean, I've had some YA for YEARS I've been meaning to work through and those were very much "I NEED these" type books.

It's a bummer because I do believe authors should get paid, but at these prices (with barely anything going to them) I'm just not willing to risk getting a book I don't like, considering hardcovers I've gotten used at one point went $25-30 new. And they don't get anything from me shopping 2nd hand so thats a double sucky.

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TheBookShopOfBF t1_j1d5vqf wrote

Yes, for sure. Paper costs went bonkers last year and shipping basically doubled for a while there, and publishers passed on the costs. We've had the experience where we'll purchase books with one cover price and they ship with a different one.

We're hoping prices stabilize now that those two particular costs have come back down to earth. But we're definitely worried publishers just leave prices where they are because they're getting it.

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Pickle_12 t1_j1dajfl wrote

Book prices increase by about $1 every year

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lyrasbookshelf t1_j1dbl1g wrote

Everything has gotten more expensive.

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Ineffable7980x t1_j1dd52w wrote

When a standard paperback is $16, yes we can say books are expensive. I've been a book lover all my life, and it's sad to say that I buy almost everything second hand, or I use the library. I rarely buy books new anymore

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Quirky_Choice_3239 t1_j1dz7y8 wrote

It’s B&N. I bought a book there this month, a new hardcover, and it was $40. Looked on Amazon - $22.95. I returned it to B&N and ordered from Amazon. But because I used a debit card B&N gave me cash refund, which I couldn’t then immediately use on Amazon. Never again B&N

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Laluna_123 t1_j1dzlxy wrote

B&N is definitely overpriced, but Amazon sells books for so cheap so there is no competition. I read somewhere that they barely even make money on book sales, that just want to get rid of competition in every category

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BookishBitching t1_j1ek740 wrote

The paper shortages have caused a ton of problems in the supply chain, which definitely pushes up prices.

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WilmarLuna t1_j1fkuqk wrote

As an indie author who has to set prices, yes the price of printing books has gotten more expensive. We are also hampered by page count. The longer the book the more expensive it is to print.

I've set the prices on my physical books as low as they could go without breaking even. It sucks, really sucks. Also makes it difficult to offer coupons and discounts when you're already 1 or 2 dollars above break even.

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[deleted] t1_j1b3zbm wrote

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wordyshipmate82 t1_j1b4g0r wrote

Indeed, but bear in mind, most of that goes toward publishers etc, and if we compare it to other forms of entertainment (a 2 hour movie, for instance) a book which might take many hours to read is worth it (and supports the existence pf authors)

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[deleted] t1_j1b8x8h wrote

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books-ModTeam t1_j1bb5ak wrote

Per Rule 3.6: No distribution or solicitation of pirated books.

We aren't telling you not to discuss piracy (it is an important topic), but we do not allow anyone to share links and info on where to find pirated copies. This rule comes from no personal opinion of the mods' regarding piracy, but because /r/books is an open, community-driven forum and it is important for us to abide the wishes of the publishing industry.

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Jack-Campin t1_j1bcxbe wrote

Anybody done a historic comparison of book prices using the Big Mac Index?

Thought about getting The Passenger and Stella Maris this week - 13 Big Macs for the pair was just too much.

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priceQQ t1_j1bi14p wrote

If you have books from the same publisher over the years (Vintage, eg) you can check the price increase

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Difficult-Ad3042 t1_j1btl3g wrote

i remember when trade paperbacks were 5.99 and went up to 7.99. they began introducing soft trade paperbacks, mass market trade paperbacks, extra large sized paperbacks, these prices vary from 8.99-15.99 not mentioning hard back costs. it doesn‘t seem like its gone up since the 5-7 price increase but the formats have changed and they’ve introduced differing prices for those.

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abcslc t1_j1cgws9 wrote

Okay! Quick hack: I almost always buy my books at target because of this!! You can see if they have it in store - and whatever they have it priced for, you can always price check on the Target app by scanning the barcode and then you can see the online price which is WAYY cheaper. It’s the MSRP(manufacturer suggested retail price). I’ve gotten books FOR WAY cheap and I always walk out with a deal. Like some of them are literally 10 bucks less than what the sales price is.

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syncomatic_columbia OP t1_j1dttbi wrote

Unfortunately I noticed target has a similar issue! at least my target… so happy it works for you!

I got my secret Santa a politics memoir book and it was $27.99 for maybe 200 pages. It was a 30% off at target sale, which was great, but still shocked an average sized book can cost that much

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Mammoth_Split_4817 t1_j1cnt0b wrote

Thriftbooks is my go-to for books. Great selection & service.

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jachegadecapitalismo t1_j1d0fi6 wrote

I wish I could blame it on inflation but here in Portugal, the avg book price is around $20 for a paperback (although paperbacks here are usually a bit nicer in paper quality) AND they have the awful habit of splitting one book into two - so we end up paying $40 for what we can get for $20 (or less) in English.

It has been like that since I've been a little girl so it's not even a new thing.

Learning English growing up was a necessity really. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have read as much as I have over these years.

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OkControl9503 t1_j1d0oa7 wrote

I pay usually between 10-20/book, depends on paperback or hard cover. After moving countries, my selection is small, I read via the library mostly.

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Ok-Horror-282 t1_j1djce9 wrote

Used is the way to go for me. The site better world books usually has great deals on both used and new books, often without shipping fees. Lots of promotions are given as well (codes to apply at checkout) that can help with prices too. I still enjoy going to B&N with my family and picking out a book every now and again, as I enjoy their atmosphere, but their book selection (mostly best sellers) has never been my style.

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belledark t1_j1e4we5 wrote

I simply no longer buy novels new. I occasionally treat myself to a non-fiction to keep (usually on ecology), but never novels. I can't afford new books every week! I get most of my reads from the library, and my local charity shop has a huge selection for as little as 50p and a couple quid at the most. I also share a Prime library with my mum through their shared content scheme, so anything one of us buys (hooray for 99p offers), the other has too. 📚

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PolishDill t1_j1e627m wrote

The library remains free.

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flowerpanes t1_j1e71az wrote

I was dumbfounded the other day when my daily Amazon book suggestion email offered me “Wuthering Heights” for $48. I buy ebooks for my Kindle and know I can get that for free or maybe pay 99 cents. Do they count on us making stupid choices?

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B00kL0v3r2022 t1_j1e93tu wrote

I work in a bookshop and we have noticed a big increase in prices. We frequently have old stock that scans at the new, increased price automatically. Some paperbacks have increased from £8.99 to £10.99. A couple have jumped from £9.99 to £14.99.

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ChariBelle2_0 t1_j1ecgxu wrote

I believe that due to digital printing has become more expensive... I am not saying this as a person that buys books but as one who writes and self publishes... Getting a few hard copies is so expensive... Even printing like 10,000 copies is super expensive. So it's not like 5 vs 10,000 would be more or harder or anything...

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morrisseysbumfluff t1_j1ecwmf wrote

Can’t really add to the debate on price inflation, but I just want to say that A Walk In The Woods is a GREAT book! So funny….possibly Bryson’s best!

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ASharpLife t1_j1eh8v8 wrote

Oh man let me tell you something, where I live the average price for a (translated to the native language) book is 28.50 usd. And English books cost 19.70, sooo most of my reading is done in English.

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NoTop32 t1_j1ei5z0 wrote

eBooks all the way!! PDFdrive and google books are great!

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hannah_nj t1_j1ej0u6 wrote

If it makes you feel better you can always look at the Canadian price on the cover and remind yourself you don’t have to pay it 🥲 Most non-YA hardcovers (which is what you have to buy for a new release of course) go for $35+ up here right now

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BananaRepublic_BR t1_j1eonjz wrote

Absolutely. I have Star Wars novels from Borders that my parents bought me that were priced at 6.99 and 7.99 USD. Nowadays, they're around 9.99 USD at Barnes and Noble.

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AndyJaeven t1_j1es6w4 wrote

I bought Stephen King’s ‘IT’ (2017 softcover) for ~$10 last year. The Dark Tower box set (8 books) for ~$75 which comes to about $9.50 per book. Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit pocket edition set (4 books) for ~$25 which comes to about $6.25 per book. These were all softcover btw. I also only buy 1-2 book sets a year but I did get all of these sets brand new from Amazon.

It might depend on which edition you’re buying and how popular and/or mass-produced the book is. The Hobbit for example is one of the most sold (non-religious) books of all time so I can easily find a cheap edition at any book store whereas the first book in a popular new series that just released may have inflated prices if it’s harder to find a copy.

I was a kid in the early 2000’s and remember softcovers costing around $6-$8 and hardcovers around $12-$18 back then. I think it’s just that EVERYTHING ELSE is more expensive nowadays which makes new books SEEM more expensive since we have less money to spend on them.

Sorry for the excessive rambling btw. This post unearthed some old memories of going to scholastic book fairs with my parents every year.

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HeySista t1_j1etru4 wrote

Definitely more expensive. I used to get paperbacks for 7 euros.

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PatriciaMorticia t1_j1ey8qp wrote

I feel like they have. I was having a look in my local Waterstones for a book my friend wanted for christmas, "Knee Deep In Life" by Laura Belbin, which was £11.99, I thought that was quite steep for what was a 300 odd page paperback. Found it for sale in a local independant book shop in Glasgow for £8.99 brand new.

If it's books I want to read I always check my local library first.

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KCJHutchins t1_j1f6126 wrote

Greetings from a self-published author here. Yes, you are right, books are more expensive. It is due in part to the materials needed to print them or cost. For example, with my book the cost to print it and distribute it costs me about 21 dollars per hardcover book sold. That's not including the money invested for a book cover designer, editor, formatter, obtaining ISBN, reviewers, obtaining the copyright, upkeep of writing software, and various marketing expenses. It adds up pretty quick XD However, I don't need to pay the print and distribution cost for the ebook version. Part of the reason why you find these much cheaper. If you're looking to get multiple books within a $25 kind of budget, I might suggest looking at ebooks.

Anyways my apology if it sounds like an excuse. XD Just wanted to let you know what my experience was with this.

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Chicachikka t1_j1fa4yk wrote

Yes but even moreso magazines!

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Naive_Combination_39 t1_j1g5f4x wrote

There was a used bookstore I went to in ND, bought multiple shelves of books for so cheap

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leftai2000 t1_j1gnnce wrote

I've been watching the price of books go up since the early 60s. $.25 paperbacks, $5.95 hardcovers, only reference books cost more than $10.00. Now days, I buy most of my books to read on my tablet, always less than $20 and take up much less space. I was using the library almost exclusively for quite a well, but I do most of my reading on my breaks on my bus route, so taking a library book in and out of a pack all day is not conducive for the health of the book.

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aPizzaBagel t1_j1dyqom wrote

Yes. Amazon and Barnes & Noble monopolies, there is no price competition. Boycott both and buy from small local stores or it’ll only get worse.

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Kisuke146 t1_j1eb8lb wrote

Yes, they did. Their price increased with the increase of the price of paper.

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KelsonHayes t1_j1d2je1 wrote

As a self-published author, my 200,000 word 500 page novel is $19.99 in paperback and $29.99 for hardcover and I make a profit of $5 per sale in both formats. My best selling book, The Art Of Not Thinking, is $10 and I make $7 per sale. It's roughly 90 pages in length. The ebooks are $4.99 and 2.99 respectively and I make $3 and $1. The fantasy series will obviously be far more difficult to sell where I focus on writing standalone epics, but if you're interested in a series spanning from a fantasy dark age to post apocalyptic sci-fi and the whole span of time between, it's definitely worth it. The ebook is there for those who can't bear to spend $20 on a book and the paperback exists for people like me who want a book that's like a door into another universe where most series are like a window. The hardcover solely exists for people who prefer that format and don't mind spending the extra money cos I make the same amount in profits despite the price difference. I figured I'd sell it as cheap as I can without breaking even essentially and $16.99/26.99 might as well just round up to 20 and 30 if they're gonna cost that much to make $2 anyways. The philosophy book is my best seller, however, due to the fact that self-help is a more popular genre, the cover is appealing, and $10 is pretty reasonable for a book. My key selling point up to now has been "if you can't let go of $10, how do you expect to let go of stress, anxiety, and depression over far greater issues than a ten dollar bill?"

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Samael13 t1_j1azj1i wrote

There's this thing called "inflation." It's kind of a big deal. It's the reason that you can't still buy a new car for $1000.

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