Govt rejects book import recommendation

[VanAce]

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Govt-rejects-book-import-recommendation-XPQ2S?OpenDocument

Good idea or bad idea on the governments behalf?

[Ali G]

The price of books in Australia is ridiculous, so I wish they hadn't rejected it. Having said that though, I now buy almost all my books from The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk) anyway.

[Lazlow]

Until online ordering starts take serious hold its the logical choice.

[Slippery]

I assume this would result in my textbooks not costing over $100, that'd be nice.

[igotnewsuper8systemWRONG!]

So where's the best place to import books online? I feel like doing some reading and I want to import a buy a few books.

[Watchers]

So where's the best place to import books online? I feel like doing some reading and I want to import a buy a few books.

The answer is in the second post.

[igotnewsuper8systemWRONG!]

Thanks, just checking

[Readman]

As others have already said, it's at best a pyrrhic victory.

The small publishers were essentially arguing that Australians generally should be forced to pay much higher prices for books in order to subsidise the local industry. Putting the underlying merits of that aside, the fact is that it's impossible to do that, and their obstinance will just encourage more people online, so they'll lose in the long-run anyway, it's just that they'll take the bookshop industry down with them.

[Filthy Old Drunk]

Thanks, just checking

Check this site for the cheapest: http://www.booko.com.au/

Usually Book Depository has the cheapest though and their service is great.

[Readman]

I usually find that Book Depository has slightly higher prices than Amazon, but because it's got free shipping it's usually cheaper overall.

But you can quite often get second-hand books on Amazon.com much cheaper than Book Depository, even when taking shipping into account. Also Amazon is more likely to have rarely rare books.

[Filthy Old Drunk]

But you can quite often get second-hand books on Amazon.com much cheaper than Book Depository

You'd hope. Them being second hand and all.

I guess it all depends on what sort of books you're after, whether you want them new or are happy with used, how rare the books is like you've said etc.. But generally speaking, I've found BD to be the best site.

[Readman]

Yeah, so have I.

By second-hand, I mean the books that Amazon offers from its affiliate sellers (ie. on the page that you go to when you click on the link that says xxx old/new available).

Eg. Here's (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1586486454/ref=s9_simz_gw_s0_p14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=04W21J2P84F89C4K51PK&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846) a link to a listing of a biography of Zhou Enlai on Amazon.

Here's (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/9781586486457/Zhou-Enlai) the same book on BD.

On the Amazon listing, the book itself is cheaper but you'll pay a lot shipping unless you're willing to wait six weeks for it. If you include that, the prices probably work out the same.

But Amazon has heaps of affiliate sellers offering old and new copies of the book that start from a couple of bucks (where it says '27 old/new from $1.65' or whatever). If you can find one that ships to Australia, that is where the real savings are made IMO.

[VanAce]

Free eBooks (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/free)