Book Depository will be closing on 26 April 2023(bookdepository.com)
bookdepository.com
Book Depository will be closing on 26 April 2023
https://www.bookdepository.com/closure
40 comments
Does anyone honestly believe the cutback story? My biggest fear is that starting to purchase elsewhere I could get counterfeit copies, it is well known that you can get counterfeit books even ordering from Amazon. I've bought a lot of books from Book Depository, not only for their prices but also because I got genuine book copies delivered to my door. I also appreciate Book Depository's straightforward checkout not forcing you to create an account to buy books. For sure I didn't see this one coming...
Believe it's due to cutbacks? Yes.
Believe the motivation behind cutbacks? Never, FAANG is motivated by greed, so it is incentivized to lie regarding the reasoning.
Believe the motivation behind cutbacks? Never, FAANG is motivated by greed, so it is incentivized to lie regarding the reasoning.
There is a very good search engine for second hand books:
https://www.bookfinder.com/
If you're not from US and you don't need physical books buy a used one, deliver it to a book scanning service like
https://1dollarscan.com/
(used them for several books recently)
And for 30-40 USD (or even less) you'll get a scanned version.
https://www.bookfinder.com/
If you're not from US and you don't need physical books buy a used one, deliver it to a book scanning service like
https://1dollarscan.com/
(used them for several books recently)
And for 30-40 USD (or even less) you'll get a scanned version.
I checked a few books from the homepage. All more expensive by a few pounds than the competition.
Physical book stores where you get at least some value out of speaking to someone can afford to charge a little bit more, but an online store that is more expensive than Amazon is doomed to fail.
Physical book stores where you get at least some value out of speaking to someone can afford to charge a little bit more, but an online store that is more expensive than Amazon is doomed to fail.
That's a shame, Book Depository has been godsend with their reasonably-priced international delivery...
They will be missed :(
I see a pattern here ... (recent kill of dpreview comes to mind). Maybe entrepreneurs should value freedom and independence more. If the owners of dpreview and Book Depository wouldn't have sold their business to amazon, then maybe both would be still around for a long time. Don't blame Amazon, blame the former owners.
Btw.: A topic in DHH's book "Rework" is the actual goal and value of a company. It is a good read.
Btw.: A topic in DHH's book "Rework" is the actual goal and value of a company. It is a good read.
> If the owners of dpreview and Book Depository wouldn't have sold their business to amazon, then maybe both would be still around for a long time. Don't blame Amazon, blame the former owners.
That's a bizarre and kinda awful sentiment. If we're going to focus on absolving Amazon, we might as well just reach for the standard cop-out of blaming consumers.
That's a bizarre and kinda awful sentiment. If we're going to focus on absolving Amazon, we might as well just reach for the standard cop-out of blaming consumers.
I didn't even know about this site. This stinks.
Who?
Anyways, I heard a website called Amazon.com sells great books...
Anyways, I heard a website called Amazon.com sells great books...
I heard that they're often not as cheap as BookDepository, that they don't have free international shipping (which can really push the price up), and that people sometimes receive counterfeit books.
They didn't answer one of the most important questions.
Why?
Why?
Amazon cutbacks according to this: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/apr/04/amazon-to-clos...
It might be a good move for Amazon to roll up retail and just do cloud stuff. That's supposedly where all the money's at.
It'd probably improve their balance sheet and public image.
It'd probably improve their balance sheet and public image.
Not at all.
Amazon's edge is the cross sell.
The Amazon brand is known worldwide because of the retail. The retail business is an extremely valuable behemoth.
Amazon's edge is the cross sell.
The Amazon brand is known worldwide because of the retail. The retail business is an extremely valuable behemoth.
Related discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35439673
This is absolutely devastating news in my circle of friends.
It was the only remotely affordable place to order physical books from. Amazon proper charges $60+ for delivery regardless of the item's price.
It is going to be signifantly harded for me to expand my library in the future.
It was the only remotely affordable place to order physical books from. Amazon proper charges $60+ for delivery regardless of the item's price.
It is going to be signifantly harded for me to expand my library in the future.
I note that Wordery still does free international shipping, although I found that BD often came out cheaper and Wordery's range is lesser. Whenever I buy a book (which happens on the order of about once a week, so a fairly regular check of suppliers) I check a half dozen places, including BD, Wordery, Amazon, abebooks, alibris, booksplease, thriftbooks and booksetc.co.uk and of course ebay; at various times, each of those has been the cheapest option, including shipping (where BD and Wordery, with their free shipping, had a big advantage because of that).
BD founded by someone who used to work for amazon; Wordery founded by someone who used to work for BD. Maybe this is Wordery's big chance.
BD founded by someone who used to work for amazon; Wordery founded by someone who used to work for BD. Maybe this is Wordery's big chance.
You know they're owned by Amazon, right?
This move will drive more traffic to Amazon, unfortunately.
I feel for you and your friends. It truly was disruptive when BD launched, and made such an impact on the book scene. Sad day.
This move will drive more traffic to Amazon, unfortunately.
I feel for you and your friends. It truly was disruptive when BD launched, and made such an impact on the book scene. Sad day.
> This move will drive more traffic to Amazon, unfortunately.
No it won't, at least not from my entire country.
BD: You pay $20-$40 for a book. It gets delivered to your door (mostly, after a period so long you forget which book you even ordered). You pay a tiny fixed local import tax (around $1).
Amazon.com: You pay $20-$40 for a book + $49.95 fixed delivery fee + ~$15 for "taxes and import duties".
I have never purchased a physical item from Amazon.com because of those fees. I have ordered dozens of books from BD, aware that it's owned by Amazon, because it was at a price I'm willing to pay for a book. I will continue not buying from Amazon.com because it's way above my price range (or really anyone's) for a physical book.
No it won't, at least not from my entire country.
BD: You pay $20-$40 for a book. It gets delivered to your door (mostly, after a period so long you forget which book you even ordered). You pay a tiny fixed local import tax (around $1).
Amazon.com: You pay $20-$40 for a book + $49.95 fixed delivery fee + ~$15 for "taxes and import duties".
I have never purchased a physical item from Amazon.com because of those fees. I have ordered dozens of books from BD, aware that it's owned by Amazon, because it was at a price I'm willing to pay for a book. I will continue not buying from Amazon.com because it's way above my price range (or really anyone's) for a physical book.
Oh no. One less place that I can shop my books from. It's one of the rare sellers that doesn't charge for international postage. And I will miss the way the rare books can be found easily from Book depository.
Wonder if there are any good alternatives for non-fiction titles and medical technology textbooks.
Wonder if there are any good alternatives for non-fiction titles and medical technology textbooks.
They do charge you but it's included in the price they show you
What a (terrible) slashing streak for Amazon: first DPReview, now this...
What are some good alternatives?
I have long thought to add a book search to my semi-popular Gnod literature projects (https://www.gnooks.com and https://www.literature-map.com).
But I always thought everybody is only buying at Amazon anyhow. Interesting to see the closing of a book shop on the front page of HN.
If there is a list of interesting alternatives, I will add them to this new book search page:
https://www.gnod.com/search/books
I have long thought to add a book search to my semi-popular Gnod literature projects (https://www.gnooks.com and https://www.literature-map.com).
But I always thought everybody is only buying at Amazon anyhow. Interesting to see the closing of a book shop on the front page of HN.
If there is a list of interesting alternatives, I will add them to this new book search page:
https://www.gnod.com/search/books
There are second hand book markets online as well. I'm just not sure of their status. https://www.abebooks.com/, https://www.alibris.com/
A good meta search across book stores is https://booko.info/
It's not global, but serves a few countries
One more reason to hate Amazon. Thanks
I hope they don't do the same with Abebooks.
Just matter of time
Amazon continuing to operate Abebooks lets them keep substantial control over the online used book market in the US. I'm not familiar with Book Depository, but if they close Abebooks I think it would open up space for a new competitor in the book space.
> Amazon continuing to operate Abebooks lets them keep substantial control over
exactly same thing when they acquired Book Depository
exactly same thing when they acquired Book Depository