“Is Amazon.com becoming the Napster of the book business?” asks The New York Times. In response, “the Web, particularly sites like Amazon and eBay, have given millions of consumers an easy way to find cheap books -- often for under $1 -- without paying royalty fees to publishers or authors.”
Research suggests that used-book sales are rising, while the new-book market hasn’t grown. This could be due to the slowed economy and proliferation of Internet/movie/other media channels offering instant entertainment, as opposed to traditional time-consuming books. Used-book sales may have an effect on stagnant new-book sales, but probably a minimal one.
Still, the main reason I support online used-book sales is simple. I’m sick of bookstores ripping me off. Each quarter, the UW Bookstore charges me hundreds of dollars for books. After finals, I sell my books and get 50 bucks back -- if I’m lucky. I’m insulted when they offer me one dollar for a book that I spent $15 on, new.
Not to mention, new editions that come out virtually every year so that students HAVE to buy the book new, not used; the only difference is that the new edition has a few extra sets of problems, or pretty pictures. Do I want to pay $30 extra dollars for pretty pictures? No. “Publishers, particularly textbook publishers, have long countered used-book sales by churning out new editions every couple of years.” I don’t need The New York Times to tell me that.
As a college student, I feel like bookstores are trying to take my money in unethical ways. I’m annoyed and pessimistic when anyone mentions the rising costs of textbooks. If Amazon and eBay offer alternatives to pricey university bookstores, then yes, I’ll search there for bargain buys. Instead of whining about online used-book sales, publishers should start buying and selling books at reasonable prices.
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