Walmart battling Amazon over book pricing

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Permalink Reply by Sandra Kitchen on October 17, 2009 at 5:10pm

This should be interesting, the only problem is sooner or later both will raise their prices back up after we get used to paying less for books.

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Permalink Reply by Callie Leah on October 17, 2009 at 6:06pm

I wish books were free. I don't usually buy books anyway. Most of my books are bought by my mom. When I DO buy books, I get them from eBay. But that's only the books that I really want to read. I got this one books called THE SCARLET LETTER from eBay, and I loved it. Have any of you read it? I did notice something when I'm at walmart though. They don't really have much of a variety of books, do they? And those prices get really high. I usually just go to books-a-milloin, or barnes and nobles.

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Permalink Reply by Viviana Arteaga on October 18, 2009 at 7:33am

Jaja I think it's funny!! And true as long as we pay less that's all I care for.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 18, 2009 at 4:36pm

Long may it last, that's what I say. Amazon has now brought out same day delivery in some areas as long as your order was in early.

The company on Thursday said it will provide same-day delivery in seven cities—New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Las Vegas, Seattle and Washington D.C.—with plans to add Chicago, Indianapolis and Phoenix in the months ahead.

Viviana Arteaga said:

Jaja I think it's funny!! And true as long as we pay less that's all I care for.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 18, 2009 at 4:38pm

A temporary price discount is still better than nothing. And Walmart's big enough that they can keep prices down forever if they choose. Amazon should be nervous that they're going after their business.

Sandra Kitchen said:

This should be interesting, the only problem is sooner or later both will raise their prices back up after we get used to paying less for books.

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Permalink Reply by Kay Elizabeth on October 18, 2009 at 4:48pm

I think that will change in their stores, Callie. You're right. It's never been part of their core business before so I expect that's why the range wasn't big and the prices weren't competitive. I always thought it was strange they didn't do more with books.

This is buying online they're talking about mainly right now. You can only get these books from their website. They may well expand it into the stores in future and I'm guessing here but for now it's online only for those prices.

I just looked and they have a section now with the Top 200 Books at great prices. The Twilight Saga Set (a boxed set containing all four books plus lithographs) for example is half price, reduced from $83 to $41.50.


Callie Leah said:

I wish books were free. I don't usually buy books anyway. Most of my books are bought by my mom. When I DO buy books, I get them from eBay. But that's only the books that I really want to read. I got this one books called THE SCARLET LETTER from eBay, and I loved it. Have any of you read it? I did notice something when I'm at walmart though. They don't really have much of a variety of books, do they? And those prices get really high. I usually just go to books-a-milloin, or barnes and nobles.

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Permalink Reply by scribbler on October 20, 2009 at 6:36am

With luck, the demand will give them an incentive to keep a lid on them. Putting a book in a ten dollar price range instead of a $25-30 one brings in a whole new group of readers that would have loved to read the book and couldn't afford it.

Sandra Kitchen said:

This should be interesting, the only problem is sooner or later both will raise their prices back up after we get used to paying less for books.

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Permalink Reply by scribbler on October 20, 2009 at 6:40am

Not just Amazon. Barnes & Noble strike me too as another company that should be worried by this development. I haven't heard if they plan to follow suit and cut their price too. I don't see how they or anyone else can keep the books at full price online and expect to compete though.
Kay Elizabeth said:

A temporary price discount is still better than nothing. And Walmart's big enough that they can keep prices down forever if they choose. Amazon should be nervous that they're going after their business.

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Permalink Reply by Callie Leah on October 20, 2009 at 11:59pm

I know people need money to make a living, but if I ever wrote a book, and I'm writing three right now, I would ask the stores to sell it for free. I wouldn't want anyone to be without books just because they couldn't afford it. Without books, my life would be pointless.

Kay Elizabeth said:

I think that will change in their stores, Callie. You're right. It's never been part of their core business before so I expect that's why the range wasn't big and the prices weren't competitive. I always thought it was strange they didn't do more with books.

This is buying online they're talking about mainly right now. You can only get these books from their website. They may well expand it into the stores in future and I'm guessing here but for now it's online only for those prices.

I just looked and they have a section now with the Top 200 Books at great prices. The Twilight Saga Set (a boxed set containing all four books plus lithographs) for example is half price, reduced from $83 to $41.50.


Callie Leah said:

I wish books were free. I don't usually buy books anyway. Most of my books are bought by my mom. When I DO buy books, I get them from eBay. But that's only the books that I really want to read. I got this one books called THE SCARLET LETTER from eBay, and I loved it. Have any of you read it? I did notice something when I'm at walmart though. They don't really have much of a variety of books, do they? And those prices get really high. I usually just go to books-a-milloin, or barnes and nobles.

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