Comments on: Where is the Walmart of Used Books? http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books my personal blog Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:02:35 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: jahan http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/comment-page-1#comment-83 jahan Sat, 28 May 2005 07:10:05 +0000 http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/#comment-83 <p>If book prices continue to drop, and used book sales continue to rise, both causing profit margins on book sales to drop, how could that effect the quantity and quality of authors out there? Would the change be similar to what's happened to the music industry since people started downloading music. Or would the effect be completely different since it is a different industry and medium?</p> If book prices continue to drop, and used book sales continue to rise, both causing profit margins on book sales to drop, how could that effect the quantity and quality of authors out there? Would the change be similar to what’s happened to the music industry since people started downloading music. Or would the effect be completely different since it is a different industry and medium?

]]> By: eric prebys http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/comment-page-1#comment-82 eric prebys Fri, 27 May 2005 20:55:45 +0000 http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/#comment-82 <p>I just bought 7 used books from amazon for 33$ (i wanted three more, but they were over $20 each). with shipping, the total came to $75. And I have to wait a couple of weeks to get my books.</p> <p>Living in Boston, I'm sure there is a used book store somewhere within 10 minutes that has at least 8/10 of these books. the total cost would certainly be under $75. and i could pick up my books today.</p> <p>Walmart is the worst humankind has to offer. Its conveniences are at the expense of things I love.</p> <p>What we need is for amazon to localize their used books functionality. I should be able to type in my zip code, go to my wish list, and get a list of local book stores that carry my books.</p> <p>What amazon gets by doing this is keeping me on their portal instead of on whatever sweet ass open source solution eventually arises to address this problem.</p> I just bought 7 used books from amazon for 33$ (i wanted three more, but they were over $20 each). with shipping, the total came to $75. And I have to wait a couple of weeks to get my books.

Living in Boston, I’m sure there is a used book store somewhere within 10 minutes that has at least 8/10 of these books. the total cost would certainly be under $75. and i could pick up my books today.

Walmart is the worst humankind has to offer. Its conveniences are at the expense of things I love.

What we need is for amazon to localize their used books functionality. I should be able to type in my zip code, go to my wish list, and get a list of local book stores that carry my books.

What amazon gets by doing this is keeping me on their portal instead of on whatever sweet ass open source solution eventually arises to address this problem.

]]> By: James Bachman http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/comment-page-1#comment-81 James Bachman Thu, 26 May 2005 14:37:45 +0000 http://www.nivi.com/blog/article/where-is-the-walmart-of-used-books/#comment-81 <p>Half.com mitigates some of the pricing issues in the used book department.</p> <p>During my years at college, I remember the bookstore would totally take advantage of students selling back their books. Buy it new for $125, sell it back at $12.</p> <p>Someone needs to arb this market...</p> Half.com mitigates some of the pricing issues in the used book department.

During my years at college, I remember the bookstore would totally take advantage of students selling back their books. Buy it new for $125, sell it back at $12.

Someone needs to arb this market…

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