(no subject)

[schneefink]

I don't like ordering from amazon because I've read/heard enough about how the rise of big internet corporations like Amazon makes it harder for local businesses, and I like local businesses because I like the atmosphere and that I can ask competent people for advice and go in and browse and just bask in all the books and bookshelves sometimes. Books <3

After several Marvel superhero movies that I enjoyed a lot, most recently Winter soldier, and reading fic and following links to Wikipedia and other sources and seeing recs for comics and art pics and discovering more corners of that superhero world I finally decided to start reading some comics. It seems to be an expensive and time-consuming hobby, but maybe I can start small? And I decided that when I've finished my bachelor's thesis I'll buy myself a one-year subscription to Marvel Unlimited, i.e. access to thousands of comics online, as a reward.
Good promotion tactics, Marvel.

So when I wanted to buy comics this week I contacted comic book stores, but they told me that the issues are out of stock. What they didn't tell me, but what I found out via browsing amazon, is that there's a different edition out that combines both issues that I wanted. I expect a bookshop to tell me that sort of thing :(

Tl;dr I ordered Young Avengers and I'm really looking forward to it.
This weekend we're visiting family for my grandfather's birthday and I'll stay a few extra days, and then it'll be waiting for me when I get back and I'll do nothing else but read for a whole day.

Comments

[zombieallomorph]

You know, it may be harder for local businesses, but much better for indie publishers and authors. I'd rather support those.

[schneefink]

If I'm ordering from them, sure, any way. But I'm ordering from Marvel, which doesn't really need the support, and amazon doesn't either.

[extempore]

My beef with Amazon is less about the business competition per se, but more about censorship, working conditions, exploitation (Kindle Words for example) and above all the goal of having total insight in and control over the authors, publishers or customers (= equaling human beings to wares). The fact that heaps of money behind a corporation makes it rather easy to kill any competition not working on the same scale is just the cherry on top. For most of the things, there are reasonable alternatives out there. Amazon is just using *the* reward of our generation, which is convenience.

What I do go to Amazon for are customer reviews. Most of the time I found that I could trust the overall tenor of customer feedback on products (mainly tech stuff, in my case).

[which]

abebooks.com is an organization of independent bookstores (which you've probably used before if you've bought anything used from Amazon or BN.com, since they list a lot of abebooks content at a stiff markup).

I find them really reliable - I got my MIL more than twenty large-print books from a series she likes from thirteen stores in three countries for Christmas - and really cheap - for less than $200.

The best part is, that small town bookstore I'm never going to see gets the money.

[schneefink]

Yeah, all of the above. I'm unwilling because too lazy to look at more than two or three other options before going back to Amazon if I don't get something there, it is convenient. And their customer reviews are very useful.

[schneefink]

Thanks for the tip!

[extempore]

Bücher kaufe ich nach wie vor lieber beim Morawa oder so, da bestell' ich nicht Vorrätiges auch mal (hab's in der Regel nicht so eilig). Für Tech-Zeug gehe ich inzwischen eigentlich fast nur mehr über geizhals.at - es gibt genug Elektroversandhandel in Ö, die wirklich super arbeiten. Im Durchschnitt muss man ein paar Euro drauflegen, weil sich eigentlich keiner wirklich den Gratisversand leisten kann, den Amaozon anbietet, aber das stört mich nicht so. (Und ich hab' durchaus auch schon billiger als bei Amazon gekauft.)

[dhampyresa.livejournal.com]

Can I ask which volume of Young Avengers you've ordered?

I could rec you some comics if you wanted! (There are ways to get comics that are not comic bookshops, fyi.)

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Sidekicks and Family Matters.

Thanks! I'll see how I like this one and then ask for recs, so I'll know better what to look for :)

[dhampyresa.livejournal.com]

Good, good. I like these. I, huh, have extensive feelings on Young Avengers, hahaha.

I will be there, waiting, in a totally non-creepy way. (And I should really rec you those podcasts, hahaha, oops.)

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

Awesome! I'm looking forward to talking about them with you :D