Do any of you actually buy BL books direct anymore?

[Dogface]

Ever since they closed the Borders in town (which has a lackluster selection anyway) I've been using Amazon. The shipping is cheap (usually free) and quick and sometimes you get pretty good deals on used Black Library books (I remember getting The Outcast Dead for five bucks, it was in perfect condition as well).

[asphodel]

I've never bought from a GW store (closest one is like 150-200km away) but if I'm going to buy a new book I'll get it from a Chapters or Indigo (I guess they're our equivalents to Barnes & Noble?). They typically don't stock books that are more than a couple years old though, so I have to resort to Amazon and The Book Depository for older BL books - and I always pay much less this way than I do from getting them in person. And given my terrible luck in ordering from GW, I don't think I'll be ordering from BL anytime soon.

[Sheena Easton]

I buy from either GW stores of Waterstones / Foyles / [bookshop] depending on who has it in stock.

I'd only ever use Amazon (who have abysmal customer service and who wastefully pack 5" CDs in cases that are bigger than you'd buy to send a 12" LP overseas in...) as a last resort for something I really really needed - which I can't see happening...

And if I cannot afford to pay High St prices for something as trivial as a book, I'm not going to buy it for a few quid cheaper as if money is that tight I'm spending it on necessities like rent, food, bills, transport. Lets face it if £11 is a lot of money, that £11 is going on the weekly shop or on the oyster...

[Wyrmwood]

I just bought Know No Fear from my nearest Games Workshop. I tend to buy new or, more importantly, early releases from the Games Workshop or Black Library. If something has been out for a few months, or years, then I'm likely to look it up on Amazon.

[ManOfRust]

Agree with Wyrmwood.

GW stores regretably lack the space to stock more than the most recent book releases.

[Danjester]

Nope, I get them from Amazon for about half the price, albeit a month later, but with free postage.

[sweave]

Justice Department may sue Apple, publishers on e-books
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...82715J20120308

[FashaTheDog]

There are only two places I purchase books from, and I buy a lot of books. My first go to feed my book addiction is my local gaming store/book store, Flights of Fantasy. They really only specialize in sci-fi and fantasy, but the owner is amazing at tracking down books. Sure I pay a little more for all my books than if I went on a bargain hunt internet safari, but in return I help to keep her store open and there is no other place or person I know of who can find some of the rare books I look for, especially since I tend to specify specific editions, publishers, or type of binding. On top of that the knowledge base for sci-fi and fantasy books there is second to none. Then there is the fact it is one of the two local gaming stores I am a regular at so giving her more of my business also benefits my wargaming, only solidifying my rock solid loyalty. Overall, I have plenty of incentive to pay that little extra, especially when you look to my other source of book purchases.

That other place is not so much a singular location or even the same one (although rarely it is); it is garage sales. From late Spring to early Fall, I spend many Saturday mornings with the classified section of my local paper cruising around the Capital Region of New York, often with my parents and some friends since they too are big into it and have a minivan as opposed to my convertible (while I can pack in the stuff in my car, there's only so much room when you lack a trunk and have a token gesture for a backseat), but occasionally I go it alone. As I really prefer hard cover and quality bindings so I tend to only buy a few dozen books a week, but on occasion I hit a good weekend. I have found some rather spectacular finds there, both in books and other stuff, and since I usually buy a large number of books and haggle (and really isn't going to garage sales all about the haggling in the end, I mean I once bought a 55 gallon aquarium, the marked price was $50, so I offered $35 to which I was countered with an offer and we went back and forth since both of us were hagglers and had a grand old time of it before settling on $50 for the tank and three boxes of Girl Scout Cookies since her daughter was selling them at the time), I can get good deals so I can buy more even books at the sale down the road. Also it seems I get lost on rambling tangents and now want some Thin Mints...

[MyNameDidntFit]

I'm from Australia. If I could afford to buy books direct from BL online, I'd be living in a bloody mansion.

[Bluefist]

I'm from Australia. If I could afford to buy books direct from BL online, I'd be living in a bloody mansion.

True they are a bit steep at $18 AUD for the paperbacks. I import mine from the UK through book depository usually at under $6 AUD with the 25% preorder discount (and a further 10% if there is a promo offer going) and free shipping.

[Duke_Leto]

I operate a mixed economy when buying my BL books:

1. For those books I absolutely must have now (Gaunt's Ghosts, forthcoming Pariah, Emperor's Gift) I will happily buy from GW store in hardback if available.
2. For those books I want but are not essential (ie I can read them in a few weeks time) then it is paperback from BL.com or any book shop I spot it in.
3. For those books where I want it for my collection but know I won;t get around to reading it for some time because of those in 1 & 2 above then Amazon or other cheap online retailers is the way to go all the time.