Over the last five or six years, there has been a revolution in the way the general public get hold of their reading material. Previously, most people would have headed down to see their local seller or purchased bulky paperback and hardback editions online. While some do obviously prefer this state of affairs, it’s one that’s dying out relatively quickly and being replaced by eReaders and digital downloads. In fact, one of the largest booksellers in the world announced last year they’d managed to accumulate more sales via this means than the traditional solution. This is precisely why I thought it might be time to release an article looking at the pros and cons of this new literature purchasing technique, and hopefully determine if it’s really all it’s cracked up to be.
So, take a quick read through all the points I’ve made below, and hopefully you’ll find out whether you should purchase a physical copy of the new Terry Pratchett novel, or whether you too should move with the times.
The Pros Of Downloading Digital Books To Your eReader:
- Convenience – Although most of us weren’t complaining about the hassles of carrying a paperback book around with us, having an eReader filled with digital titles means you’re never far away from every single book you own. Also, the weight of these devices is steadily decreasing with every new release, so at some point in the near future, it shouldn’t be any heavier than a single paperback publication.
- Selection – You might think your local bookseller has a good selection, but is this really the case? When downloading books online, almost every single publication ever released is at your fingertips. So, regardless of whether you want to read “The Art of War” or something as obscure as “Cat out of Hell”, you’re guaranteed to find it in seconds when looking online.
- Cost – After speaking to a few people about this issue, I’ve found it’s actually one of the main reasons why most bookworms have decided to convert to digital. The price of the average eBook is somewhere between £2 and £7, meaning they’re a lot less expensive than a decent sized new paperback. Also, thanks to the self-publishing revolution, there are millions and millions of titles available for less than £1.
The Cons Of Downloading Digital Books To Your eReader:
- Internet Connection Required – Let’s presume you’ve already read through everything on your eReader. Well, if you want to download more titles, you’re going to need an internet connection. Whilst this isn’t too much of a pain, it does contrast the way in which you’re able to simply pick up a paperback.
- No Physical Goods – A lot of people worry that if their eReader breaks, they’ll lose all their purchased books. This isn’t the case in most situations, as most suppliers let you re-download the titles from your account indefinitely. However, it is true that you aren’t getting any physical goods for your money, and understandably, some people class this as a negative point.
Well folks, you should be able to see from that information that, in this situation anyway, the pros far outweigh the cons. It’s unsurprising then, that eBook sales continue to increase month by month, and paperbacks slide in the opposite direction.
Whatever you decide to get stuck into over the next few months, I sincerely hope you give eBooks a try.
Catch you on the rebound!