Is Kindle now a rip off
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johnds
Topic author - Second Officer

- Posts: 331
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Chorley
Is Kindle now a rip off
Like many I have had a Kindle for some time now. At first I had an original one, then we bought a second one (mini kindle) for Joyce and later still I replaced mine with a paper white one. The last one is very good though I still regret that they changed my menu system without notice and I prefered the old menu.
It is a great concept for cruising, far more convenient
Recently though my Kindle has remained unloved and unused.
I know you can get free books (usually worth what you pay fo them) and various offers but I am simply now not prepared to pay the price that they charge. I have recently discovered around half a dozen books that I would like to read. However in every case the Kindle price exceeds (sometmes by a lot, one was £10 hardback or £12.99 Kindle) the price of a delivered hard back. I can see no logical reason for that as the production cost for a Kindle version must be considerably cheaper than delivering a hardback. I don't mind payng enough to ensure that the author gets the same royalties and I know that the Kindle versions have 20% VAT but someone is taking the Michael.
So it's off to ASDA where I can buy the hardbacks for less than the Amazon price or off to our local market where you can swap a softback for 70p
It is a great concept for cruising, far more convenient
Recently though my Kindle has remained unloved and unused.
I know you can get free books (usually worth what you pay fo them) and various offers but I am simply now not prepared to pay the price that they charge. I have recently discovered around half a dozen books that I would like to read. However in every case the Kindle price exceeds (sometmes by a lot, one was £10 hardback or £12.99 Kindle) the price of a delivered hard back. I can see no logical reason for that as the production cost for a Kindle version must be considerably cheaper than delivering a hardback. I don't mind payng enough to ensure that the author gets the same royalties and I know that the Kindle versions have 20% VAT but someone is taking the Michael.
So it's off to ASDA where I can buy the hardbacks for less than the Amazon price or off to our local market where you can swap a softback for 70p
John
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oldbluefox
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 12530
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Cumbria
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
Morally you try to do what is right but when you feel you are being ripped off of course, you look for alternatives. I can see no reason with many of these initiatives why they work out dearer except if they think we are daft enough to pay then they will charge it. I would have thought that downloading a book from a server would be infinitely cheaper than the production and transportation costs of a hardback. Even if the publishers are trying to preserve the hardback market by inflating the download price it should not exceed the hardback version.
Personally I prefer a book to hold and considering how long it takes me to read one it represents good value.......................... and of course once you've read it you can always use it to reserve your sunbed!!! You can't do that with a Kindle!!
Personally I prefer a book to hold and considering how long it takes me to read one it represents good value.......................... and of course once you've read it you can always use it to reserve your sunbed!!! You can't do that with a Kindle!!
I was taught to be cautious
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Manoverboard
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 13014
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Dorset
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.
ps ... don't forget to do a software update or you will lose those books that have been archived, if any.
ps ... don't forget to do a software update or you will lose those books that have been archived, if any.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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oldbluefox
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 12530
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Cumbria
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.
I was taught to be cautious
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CaroleF
- Senior First Officer

- Posts: 2182
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Hampshire
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
Most of the books I buy for my Kindle are around £3.99 to no more than £5.99. I wouldn't buy the latest bestseller. I really only got a Kindle as it's so good when we travel. I used to pack around 9 books for a two week cruise but the weight was a real problem if we were flying. I still prefer to read a hard backed book but for convenience when travelling the Kindle is great. I would miss it if I didn't have it and when it first came out I said to my family, Don't buy me a Kindle, I only like real books!
Carole
Carole
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colin parry
- Second Officer

- Posts: 389
- Joined: February 2013
- Location: Mold
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
I used to say that I always preferred a real book but now with failing eyesight I would be lost without my I pad onto which I download books with the advantage that I can adjust the font size and continue to enjoy reading. Whatever the cost it has been a godsend to me.
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Boris+
- Senior First Officer

- Posts: 3367
- Joined: February 2013
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
We've both got tablets, and we both belong to a couple of libraries, and find that we can easily take a selection of books borrowed free from the e-library. Whilst hard copies are lovely, it's the weight factor - and the tablets have a myriad of uses, including wifi transfer of photos from my cameras, so it's a no-brainer.
However, inasmuchas I never did go for the Kindle brand - I had a Kobo. When that wanted replacing, I got a tablet, and there's no regrets for me.
However, inasmuchas I never did go for the Kindle brand - I had a Kobo. When that wanted replacing, I got a tablet, and there's no regrets for me.
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Silver_Shiney
- Deputy Captain

- Posts: 6400
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Bradley Stoke
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
oldbluefox wrote:Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.![]()
Published on one sheet of A6, folded?
Alan
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Stephen
- Commodore

- Posts: 17760
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Down South - The civilised end of the country :)
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
My log delivery arrived yesterday with two good size bags of kindle. Not a rip off as far as I'm concerned 
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Manoverboard
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 13014
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Dorset
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
But still a jolly interesting read ... just sayingSilver_Shiney wrote:oldbluefox wrote:Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.![]()
Published on one sheet of A6, folded?
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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Mervyn and Trish
- Commodore

- Posts: 17020
- Joined: February 2013
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
I can see the advantage of a Kindle for weight in travelling. But the price has never made sense for me. We buy new current paperbacks for £5 or less, older ones in sets for maybe £2 to £3 from the Book People and second hand ones for as little as £1 from charity shops. We both read them and then pass them on to a friend or back to the charity shop.
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Stephen
- Commodore

- Posts: 17760
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Down South - The civilised end of the country :)
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
Mervyn and Trish wrote:I can see the advantage of a Kindle for weight in travelling. But the price has never made sense for me. We buy new current paperbacks for £5 or less, older ones in sets for maybe £2 to £3 from the Book People and second hand ones for as little as £1 from charity shops. We both read them and then pass them on to a friend or back to the charity shop.
I expect your currently reading the sheep sh**ing shearing weekly Merv borrowed from Onelife. Kindle or paperback
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qbman1
- Captain

- Posts: 12153
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Oxfordshire
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
That's vying with "Italian War Heroes" and "Things you can do with Whalemeat" as the World's smallest book!oldbluefox wrote:Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.![]()
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Manoverboard
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 13014
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Dorset
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
One of the books I purchased was about a pint sized Leicester City player ... they could do with him right nowqbman1 wrote:That's vying with "Italian War Heroes" and "Things you can do with Whalemeat" as the World's smallest book!oldbluefox wrote:Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.![]()
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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GillD46
- Senior First Officer

- Posts: 3364
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
I use a kindle all the time, but only seldom buy the downloads. There are excellent free books out there so I tend to mainly read those.
Last edited by GillD46 on 22 Nov 2016, 16:33, edited 1 time in total.
Gill
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oldbluefox
- Ex Team Member
- Posts: 12530
- Joined: January 2013
- Location: Cumbria
Re: Is Kindle now a rip off
I know the one you mean. He would never hold a Kindle between his knees, or a book for that matter!!! But a great player even if he was a Scot.Manoverboard wrote:One of the books I purchased was about a pint sized Leicester City player ... they could do with him right nowqbman1 wrote:That's vying with "Italian War Heroes" and "Things you can do with Whalemeat" as the World's smallest book!oldbluefox wrote:Watford FCs Greatest Moments?Manoverboard wrote:The books that I purchase for one's Kindle are normally as cheap as chips but we don't opt for the latest best sellers until they are well past their ' Best Buy ' date.![]()
I was taught to be cautious