Bye Bye, Paperbacks

I think mass market paperbacks may be a thing of the past for me, at least for the time being. Before I worked at Half Price Books I’d just about never buy a book during its year of release. There were two reasons for this. First, the price. Many people have no problem spending $15-$20 on a book, but I do. And I won’t do it. So I’d always wait for the paperback version to come out about a year later. They’d typically be around $7.99 on Amazon. About the same as most other stores, but I had two day shipping.

But now everything is different. Those paperbacks I was telling you about? Now they usually cost $2-$2.50. But if I really want to read a book I can get a new release hardcover for $7.49. Usually. So now I’m able to get the hardcover edition of a book within a week or two of its release for the same price as the paperback version on Amazon a year after. I no longer see any reason to wait for that paperback.

So my shelves may be adding plenty of books in the future, but likely not too many mass market paperbacks.

PS: I can get older release hardcovers for $4. So I’m all set. All because I’m at Half Price Books right now.

No real question today because I’ve already asked before about hardcover/paperback preferences. But feel free to comment whatever pops into your head after reading, if anything does.