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Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
251–260 of 303 posts
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#252Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#253Its sad I've looked up old books on Amazon and come to discover via the reviews that there are counterfeit e-books on their platform. I would of thought that if I wanted an e-book of all places to look Amazon would be a pretty safe bet. I never did find the book I wanted on there. This is why I've sort of sought other alternatives. I enjoy my Kindle for reading when my iPad is just too much (laying in bed at night fo…
I don't have ebooks on the platform quite yet but I should have them running before the end of next week, alongside the "No Amazon" filter that will ignore Amazon and any subsidiaries from searches.
I mean, even a text book was a nightmare for me to look up on Amazon, because they let you self publish anything too... So I appreciate anybody trying to build something like this up.
Curious, since I didn't look are you hoping to (or are you already) earn some side income to fund this going forward via affiliate links?
I say this knowing full well, maybe some of the results wont get you any income, but the ones that do might be worth keeping in results. Side projects eventually burn a hole in your wallet.
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#254As a German I don't have to worry too much about the prices of books. We have Buchpreisbindung https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchpreisbindung
For those who don't speak German, this is the English-language article: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_book_price
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#255(Sorry for sounding like a stuck record but) This site appears to use affiliate links/cookies/Google Analytics, so is surely collecting personal data in the GDPR sense? If so, why is there no opt-in/opt-out screen? The whole "ask for forgiveness not permission" thing is getting pretty old, why is it still apparently OK to build a shiny thing, make it live, and then think about compliance with the law?
Developed by people outside the enforcement of the EU? The law may technically apply, but how enforceable is it against a foreign national with no EU assets?
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#256Earlier quoted context omitted.
Poor people should be able to buy books without having to subsidise your bookshop aesthetic.
Exactly. Enabling poor people to buy books is a far greater social good than having somewhere comfortable for hipsters to sit with their laptops and middle class mums to push their three wheeled buggies round.
Actually, you don't need to own a book to read it. We in Germany have a great concept for this, its called: Library, You can go to your local community library and decide to either read the book there or to take it home and read it where ever you like. The rent for the first 2 weeks or sometimes the first 4 weeks is free of charge.
These libraries these days even not only have books to rent out. They have online-books, games (like those physical games to interact physically with other people you like), and other medias.
Even the membership in those community libraries is mostly free of charge, with a few exceptions.
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#257Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly. Enabling poor people to buy books is a far greater social good than having somewhere comfortable for hipsters to sit with their laptops and middle class mums to push their three wheeled buggies round.
Actually, you don't need to own a book to read it. We in Germany have a great concept for this, its called: Library, You can go to your local community library and decide to either read the book there or to take it home and read it where ever you like. The rent for the first 2 weeks or sometimes the first 4 weeks is free of charge. These libraries these days even not only have books to rent out. They have online-book…
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Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#258Earlier quoted context omitted.
But surely this website is comparing the same book. There should be no difference in quality of paper or condition of the book?
Not for expensive books (like textbooks) where it is economical to print pirate copies, and where there are cheap international-market prints.
International market prints have a different ISBN so those shouldn't get mixed up. Pirate copies could be an issue, I have only heard about this issue on Amazon. I'm not sure about other stores? Skipping Amazon is likely sufficient.
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#259There's already a site for that, and it's price is always cheaper than the best deals your site can find. It's called Library Genesis.
Information wants to be free.
Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book
#260Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exactly, the cheapest and fastest way to get a book in Germany is most likely your neighborhood book store on the way back from work. (And if they don't have the book in store, they can order it for the next day.)
I find it hard to believe that local bookkstore catalog is nearly large enough.
You can always check out https://medimops.de for used books.