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Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

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Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#131

Post by TuringTest »

shnksi wrote: post #73
socialismisok wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I like it, but most of my local shops don't have their inventory or prices online, sadly.

Hmm that does make it difficult. Perhaps a solution that allows local bookstores to put their catalogues online easily, this data then feeds straight into the search product. It would be difficult and manual to make happen but it could be extremely useful.

Spanish website Todostuslibros.com did exactly that.[1] It was sponsored by a private association of booksellers, with some public funding (this is a common approach in Europe).

[1] https://www-elconfidencial-com.translate.goog/cultura/2020-0...

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#132

Post by TuringTest »

auggierose wrote: post #109
shnksi wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm that does make it difficult. Perhaps a solution that allows local bookstores to put their catalogues online easily, this data then feeds straight into the search product. It would be difficult and manual to make happen but it could be extremely useful.

Not sure why local bookstores would like to participate in a race to the bottom, though.

Probably because Amazon is already competing with them, and they at least get some independent sales.

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#133

Post by IvanaDora »

This is actually really good. I just recently bought a book for my kid at a bookstorr, only to find it waaay cheaper a few days later in a different one. Don’t get me erong, love buying books but I fould have gotten two for the orice I paid for one.

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#134

Post by shnksi »

victorp13 wrote: post #130

Could you put the name of the shop on each search result? That way people can better pick their shop of choice (and avoid the ones they do not want to buy from).

Great idea. I'll implement that for sure. Another thing I'm working on is a "No Amazon" filter that just skips Amazon and any Amazon subsidiaries from the results

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#136

Post by shnksi »

IvanaDora wrote: post #133

This is actually really good. I just recently bought a book for my kid at a bookstorr, only to find it waaay cheaper a few days later in a different one. Don’t get me erong, love buying books but I fould have gotten two for the orice I paid for one.

Thats great to hear! If you have any ideas or criticisms please let me know I'd be happy to implement them for you.

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#137

Post by sokoloff »

socialismisok wrote: post #64

Is "cheapest" the right objective? Because if that's the case, book piracy seems like the clear winner. But maybe we should consider "cheapest with some boundaries". For instance, we probably agree that bookstores are nice for a myriad of reasons, even if we don't frequent them. They employ people in the area, they offer curation and recommendations, they invite speakers and host events, and they help local authors g…

If I want to discover a book I don’t know about, curation provides value. If I want to attend an event, some place holding an event provides value.

If, on the other hand, I know what book I want, the curation is done and I’m not looking for an event, so cheapest seems a reasonable thing to optimize for.

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#138

Post by polyamid23 »

shnksi wrote: post #114
thesaintlives wrote: post #110

Great post. As an aside the cheapest place I ever found to buy a book was the country India. Books at literally a fraction of the price you would pay in Europe or the USA...

Thanks! Once I'm done accommodating more regions into the tool, it should also allow filters for international shipping which will ofcourse have much higher delivery times but as you say will often be significantly cheaper overall.

You might have to account for toll fees since the price does not represent the final amount of money one has to pay.

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#139

Post by shnksi »

polyamid23 wrote: post #138
shnksi wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks! Once I'm done accommodating more regions into the tool, it should also allow filters for international shipping which will ofcourse have much higher delivery times but as you say will often be significantly cheaper overall.

You might have to account for toll fees since the price does not represent the final amount of money one has to pay.

Currently it's only accurate in the USA, I'm working on implementing more regions so that it is completely accurate around the world

Re: Show HN: I built a site that finds the cheapest place to buy a book

#140

Post by johnorourke »

shnksi wrote: post #134
victorp13 wrote: post #130

Could you put the name of the shop on each search result? That way people can better pick their shop of choice (and avoid the ones they do not want to buy from).

Great idea. I'll implement that for sure. Another thing I'm working on is a "No Amazon" filter that just skips Amazon and any Amazon subsidiaries from the results

I came here to suggest exactly that filter!
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