Comments on: Why Doesn’t Anyone Read?

By: Eve

Eve — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 14:24:17 +0000

Tina - I love the way you start your comments *g*

I went to work last night with this post on my mind and I quizzed a few customers. Here are the three main answers given: 1)Not as much time to read anymore; 2) The books aren’t as good - when pressed I discovered it wasn’t the storyline - they were actually talking about the books. Pages fall out, spines break easily. I wondered why we were throwing more new (one reader) books into our free boxes out front - it’s not that the readers are harder on the books, its that the books are falling apart; 3) the cost. People are still going out and buying the new books of their favorite authors, but they’re much more leery of new writers because of the cost. They go to used bookstores like ours or libraries to check out authors they’ve never read before. Prior to what we refer to as the “Katrina effect”, readers were more likely to plunk down full cost for authors they knew nothing about, but are being more cautious now with their money.

By: Tina Gerow

Tina Gerow — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 13:14:17 +0000

Eve: I think you’re right that more and more people are going to the library. My editor told me that for the past month 1/3 of my sales were to libraries - probably due to the advertising I did in romance sells. But that really tells you what’s happening if library buying is going up.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 03:57:02 +0000

Thanks Syl.:)

By: Sylvia Day

Sylvia Day — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 01:09:19 +0000

((hugs))

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:03:27 +0000

LOL Larissa!!! That is SO true. Snort.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:02:40 +0000

Vivi Anna, That’s interesting that you say that because I believe the same thing has occurred in the UK. Record book sales.

By: Larissa

Larissa — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 19:01:29 +0000

I’m as guilty of not reading boxes and things like that as you are.
As far as signs and stuff, I think people read them, they just don’t think the writing applies to THEM.

Last night I took my son’s friend to the ferry to go home, and a sign on the passenger ramp said very clearly, “Do not pass this point unless escorted by a crew member.”

Uh-huh. At least FOUR people read that, hesitated, then shrugged and walked on past. Apparently, the sign didn’t apply to them. *rolls eyes*

By: Vivi Anna

Vivi Anna — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:51:30 +0000

Yous should come up to Canada then…book sales are at an all time high. At the Chapters store I work at, we broke every single sales record we ever had this past year. Almost every single one of our 300+ stores is up in sales and profits. Go figure????

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:30:01 +0000

Eve, I’m sure the economy plays into it, especially with the increase in price of paperbacks and ebooks.

By: Eve

Eve — Thu, 12 Jan 2006 17:04:38 +0000

Sales are down in the used book business too because people aren’t buying as many new ones to replace stock. My customers say its the economy - pay a bill, buy gas or pay $7.99 for a book. They’re going to the library instead. Also, some are going for ebooks instead of print and our sales of audio books are up.