Paperback price leap

Boulevardier

Last year, there was a noticeable jump in the Irish bookshop price of large size paperbacks, and most of these now cost between 17 and 21 Euro.

This was not surprising, given the drop in the Euro etc.

More serious, however, is a sudden and very substantial leap in the price of the smaller size (A-format?) paperbacks.

Until only a few weeks ago, a typical whodunit or chick-lit paperback in the smaller size would have gone, in most shops, for between 7.99 and 10.99.

Yesterday, I shopped for a book of that type, and was shocked to find that the vast majority of them are now going for between 12.50 and 14 Euro.

This cannot be a result of currency fluctations, or it would have happened before now.

There seems to be a greedy price-grab going on on the part of the industry. Hopefully people will buy fewer of them and go to teir public libraries more. That should send the right signal.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Book prices are always reduced around Christmas and early January, then bounce back to normal. Plenty of 3 for 2 etc around here yet.

Cabaal

Prices can also very massively depending on stores, big chain stores are often far from the best value.

Bottom line, shop around if you want the best value... This applys to everything

dudara

Moved to Rip Off Ireland

eviltwin

Second hand bookshops and libraries are where I get most of my physical books now. An e-reader is also a good investment. A basic one isn't going to break the bank and if you tend to buy a lot of new releases you will save a good bit.

L1011

Book prices usually track Sterling fairly closely - which is starting to slip a little. £1 was costing 1.43 or so at worst and is 1.31 today. However, it was 1.19 only two years ago.

VincePP

The sterling price is almost always printed on the back.

Multiply this by about 1.35 and you get the euro price.

Sterling rate is set every 3 months by Easons who distribute many books to retailers.

For me its a very transparent pricing model.

davo10

VincePP wrote: »

The sterling price is almost always printed on the back.

Multiply this by about 1.35 and you get the euro price.

Sterling rate is set every 3 months by Easons who distribute many books to retailers.

For me its a very transparent pricing model.

Is there vat on books? If so then vat here is higher than in UK.

Suppliers of goods to shops here may also charge the shops an additional premium for transportation. Also bare in mind that Ireland is a much smaller market than the UK so shops may not be ordering in bulk and therefore may be paying more than their UK counterparts and lastly, the price printed on the book may be the publishers RRP, not necessarily what is charged by the shop.

VincePP

davo10 wrote: »

Is there vat on books? If so then vat here is higher than in UK.

Suppliers of goods to shops here may also charge the shops an additional premium for transportation. Also bare in mind that Ireland is a much smaller market than the UK so shops may not be ordering in bulk and therefore may be paying more than their UK counterparts and lastly, the price printed on the book may be the publishers RRP, not necessarily what is charged by the shop.

No vat on books and for as long as i remember (that a long time ) books in IR£ and then € have always tracked sterling very accurately

Sterling price of paperback books is generally £8.99 - £11.99 these days

Boulevardier

Perhaps the price leap happened in the UK first?

I will run some tests as between the marked sterling price and the shelf price in Dublin.

Boulevardier

Perhaps the price leap happened in the UK first?

I will run some tests as between the marked sterling price and the shelf price in Dublin.

animaal

When I want a book, I always compare Book Depository and Kenny's (based in Galway). As often as not, Kenny's is cheapest. And either will be far cheaper than stores like Easons.