Why Have All Book Prices Gone Up?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the recent increase in book prices, exploring potential reasons for this trend, including inflation, market dynamics, and individual experiences with pricing discrepancies. Participants share personal anecdotes and speculate on the factors influencing these changes.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the price increase could be attributed to inflation.
  • Others humorously propose that the price hike is due to Jeff Bezos wanting to fund personal projects.
  • One participant notes that inflation alone does not account for a price jump from $70 to $220.
  • Several participants share experiences of finding textbooks at significantly lower prices, indicating variability in pricing.
  • There are discussions about the quality of international editions of books, with some participants expressing concerns about their durability.
  • Some speculate that the initial lower price might have been a mistake or part of a temporary sale.
  • One participant mentions the impact of oil prices on book costs, while another questions its relevance given the inconsistent price changes across different items.
  • There is a suggestion that the rarity or supply of certain books might also contribute to the price increases.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the reasons for the price increases, with multiple competing views and ongoing speculation about the factors at play.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the assumptions behind price changes, including the potential for pricing errors and the influence of market conditions.

Moridin
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http://www.filehive.com/files/080618/1a0az6n.jpg

:cry:
 
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I assume this pic was NOT taken right after you saw the original prices? It looks as if you left the items in the cart for awhile, thus the price change.
 
~christina~ said:
I assume this pic was NOT taken right after you saw the original prices? It looks as if you left the items in the cart for awhile, thus the price change.

I'm afraid not. I checked the price two ago and it was at $70.

http://www.filehive.com/files/080618/Namnl6s.jpg
 
Did you at least add gift wrapping and a note? Thats highway robbery!
 
Why do you think the price increased?
 
Inflation for sure ! ;-)
 
Bezos wants to buy a new house or something, so he's jacking the price up for a while...No, he's actually a pretty cool guy from what I've seen in interviews.
 
Inflation doesn't increase a price from 70$ to 220$
 
I'm so glad I found the textbook for my next class at the library today! Saved me $110.
 
  • #10
Moridin said:
I'm afraid not. I checked the price two ago and it was at $70.

Did you happen to find it during an amazing sale of some sort? Otherwise, I wonder why it jumped so much in price so quickly. Did books on evolution suddenly become collector's items? :bugeye:
 
  • #11
Math Is Hard said:
I'm so glad I found the textbook for my next class at the library today! Saved me $110.

I found mine last semester. Everything went fine during the semester but just few days before the exam someone else requested it
I just got screwed with my timings near the semester end. I wanted to drop the book 20 days before the exam and then borrow it again within an hour for next 20 days but I just slacked off

I am learning the borrowing tactics - knowing when to return, request, and renew books.
 
  • #12
rootX said:
I found mine last semester. Everything went fine during the semester but just few days before the exam someone else requested it
I just got screwed with my timings near the semester end. I wanted to drop the book 20 days before the exam and then borrow it again within an hour for next 20 days but I just slacked off

I am learning the borrowing tactics - knowing when to return, request, and renew books.

This is my first time borrowing a textbook from the school library. It's only a 6-week class and I'm supposedly able to renew the book on the library website in two weeks when it comes due. Hope it works.
 
  • #13
Evolution at work Moridin.

God says the price of the bible is $29.99. The price has be transcribed for thousands of years and has never changed. That should tell you a little sometin-sometin.

Now, of course you could also go the middle eastern route and haggle down the price on your torah/koran.

Q:God, how much for this book?
A: $29.99
Q: Ok, how about $20?
A: How about I send you to hell?
Q: OK, FINE, $25.
 
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  • #15
my Taiwanese friend got me 150$ new book for 30$ from Taiwan but the shipping costs were like $30.
 
  • #16
rootX said:
my Taiwanese friend got me 150$ new book for 30$ from Taiwan but the shipping costs were like $30.

Is the book the international toilet-paper version though?
 
  • #17
Cyrus said:
Is the book the international toilet-paper version though?

did you want that specific version? I may be able to find that for you, cyrus
 
  • #18
rewebster said:
did you want that specific version? I may be able to find that for you, cyrus

There are international copies of books that come with this extra cheap paper back. The paper is almost as bad as toilet paper. If you hold it to the light you can see right through it and read the letters on the other side. Did he get this version, or was it the good hard-cover USA version?
 
  • #19
Cyrus said:
There are international copies of books that come with this extra cheap paper back. The paper is almost as bad as toilet paper. If you hold it to the light you can see right through it and read the letters on the other side. Did he get this version, or was it the good hard-cover USA version?

Yea, I know. I read somewhere in news that students buy books from India for very cheap prices but the paper quality is awfully poor.

But, mine one was really good. Exactly same as hard-cover Canadian version.
 
  • #20
rootX said:
Yea, I know. I read somewhere in news that students buy books from India for very cheap prices but the paper quality is awfully poor.

But, mine one was really good. Exactly same as hard-cover Canadian version.

Even for $30 bucks, the bangladesh version is a rip off because its so utterly useless. I can't imagine them lasting more than a year before falling appart and tearing.
 
  • #21
Good point. My physics books will likely stay with me through grad school. My stat mech book is already falling apart it's so useless and it's hard-covered.
 
  • #22
Increase of the oil price ? :redface:
 
  • #23
I don't think that an increase in oil price justifies this especially that some of the items didn't increase with the same percentage. Maybe its rarity or supply but I am still not totally convinced.
 
  • #24
I'm still guessing he either found it during some super-duper sale on the books, or the first price was an error and they had just discovered it and raised it to the proper price. For a two volume set, $70 sounds very cheap, so it may have been entered wrong somewhere.
 
  • #25
Moonbear said:
I'm still guessing he either found it during some super-duper sale on the books, or the first price was an error and they had just discovered it and raised it to the proper price. For a two volume set, $70 sounds very cheap, so it may have been entered wrong somewhere.

That is my guess too.
 
  • #26
Yeah, but look, every book had increased in price, not just one or two.
 

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