[TimAck]

I'm moving back to NZ after 6 years in the UK. And I've never really noticed this before but are books seem really expensive in New Zealand. Was looking at getting a copy of 'Jamie at Home' as a gift. On Amazon.co.uk (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jamie-Home-Cook-Your-Good/dp/0718152433/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253014168&sr=8-1) it's on at £15 whereas on fishpond.co.nz (http://www.fishpond.co.nz/Books/Cooking,_Food_Drink/Cooking/General/product_info/11239763/?cf=3&rid=23982236&i=2&keywords=jamie) it's on at $70.98.

At the current exchange rate $70.98 = £30! Twice as much as Amazon. Even with shipping to NZ Amazon only comes to £23!

Has anyone else noticed this? Are books cheaper in shops than online?

I like reading. I'm worried.

[Jo Jo]

Books are really expensive in New Zealand.

I have used The Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/) for buying books a few times - it is a UK company, but worldwide shipping is free, so it often works out cheaper than Amazon once the cost of shipping is taken into consideration. (Jamie at Home is £18.88 on The Book Depository at the moment.)

[JandM]

Because I read a LOT of books, and I read fast, these days I don't ever buy anything till I've read it and am then certain I will have long-term use out of it. I know some people like to own every book they read so this may not help, but... I sussed out the libraries in Auckland and Waitakere, and they are very good.

[sophiedb]

I'm a library freak. There isn't enough room in the house to buy all the books I love! And the library stores them so nicely for when I want them :)

[A&G]

My OH is a book worm & he uses the library for his & we both also go to used book stores :)

[BkyMonster]

I second on the Book Depository. Will be getting some more via them this month. :)
Libraries are pretty decent IMO though.
If you hunt around there are ok secondhand shops as well.

One of OH's kiwi co-workers said that books are so expensive because Whitcoulls effectively has a monopoly, somehow they have a contract with/own BordersNZ and other retailers so that books are basically a fixed price. Not sure I see how that works, or if it's true, but it's a possible explanation.

[James 1077]

Most people I know buy books online from overseas due to the rediculous pricing here.

The reason for the prices here is an Australian law to protect Aussie publishers. As NZ doesn't have the critical mass to import books itself it is reliant on Australian distributors who have to buy at inflated prices from Australian publishers.

Personally I think that there is a market for a company to import into NZ and sell through the internet to Australia GST free and with far lower costs of the books!

[Janey]

2nd hand book shops all the way and book fairs as well as libraries new books are a treat and there is also trade me!

[TimAck]

Cheers Guys - sounds like the book depository is the way to go. Also have very fond memories of Smiths Secondhand Bookshop in Christchurch, I hope that is still there!

[Potato]

Cheers Guys - sounds like the book depository is the way to go. Also have very fond memories of Smiths Secondhand Bookshop in Christchurch, I hope that is still there!

It was there in 2007...if that's any help!

[Kea]

I use book depository too- they are usually pretty quick. Around a week I think.

[chocolate cake]

Our OP's original post is typical of the cost of books in NZ. Sure there's no VAT on the sael of books in the UK, but that's a tiny part of the difference. Volume & more particularly lack of competition are the main reasons.

I use the libararies here too, and have also used both Amazon and Book Depository and without fail they work out cheaper than buying locally.

[xanctus]

Anything in NZ is relatively more expensive...can't say anything else!
just few that are cheaper.

[TimAck]

Lordy me... just had a look on the Whitcoulls (http://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/book/jamie-at-home-cook-your-way-to-the-good-life/1591022/) site - Jamie at home is $93.95, roughly £37!

[Silverwing86]

Another place that sometimes has well priced books is Goodbooks (https://www.goodbooksnz.co.nz/). All profits go to Oxfam (http://www.oxfam.org.nz/index.asp) and best of all ? Delivery worldwide is free !

Personally I have been getting into Audiobook (http://www.audible.com) lately. By no means any cheaper (quite the contrary sometimes !), but I find them quite relaxing and it certainly helps one travel a lot lighter ;) !

Cheers,
Silver

[KerryS]

Lordy me... just had a look on the Whitcoulls (http://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/book/jamie-at-home-cook-your-way-to-the-good-life/1591022/) site - Jamie at home is $93.95, roughly £37!

I bought it in Whitcoulls when they had it on sale for $45 - so significantly cheaper than their published price.
Most bookshops here have reasonably good sales if you keep your eyes out for them. I have amassed a huge cookery book collection since moving here as these always seem to be on offer.
But I still use book depository and amazon for orders when I can't find what I want - especially new release novels, reference and technical books, and the like.

[seattle]

When we lived in NZ I brought a Kindle from Amazon.com. Unfortunately you can only buy Amazon's Kindle in the US right now. They are wireless in the US so you can download books on the spot- but we could also download books in NZ when we hooked the device up to the computer. Most books are usd $9.99 or less.

[mcacmartin]

I am a library fiend. At any given time, I have between 10 and 15 books from the library sitting on my shelf. I have a list of books that I have already read, and a list of ones I want to read (based on recommendations from friends and family and blog friends) which I am constantly adding to.

I was HORRIFIED to see the price of books (new ones) here. I have started buying them second hand if it's something I really want to have or ordering from The Book Depository. I also had a look at GoodBooks..I might order from them too. Here in Blenheim, there's a shop called StillBooks and they have TONS of 2nd hand books...some really old ones too. I could have gotten myself a 1938 copy of some Rudyard Kipling book the other day for $10. Don't know why I walked away.

[James 1077]

When we lived in NZ I brought a Kindle from Amazon.com. Unfortunately you can only buy Amazon's Kindle in the US right now. They are wireless in the US so you can download books on the spot- but we could also download books in NZ when we hooked the device up to the computer. Most books are usd $9.99 or less.

The problem with the Kindle (and things like iTunes) is that you don't own the books so you can't sell them once you have finished reading or give it a friend to read.

Plus $9.99 is more than the price that you would pay for most second hand books from Amazon marketplace with postage and you would have something tangible in your hands afterwards!

[norma]

Borders is another bookshop in NZ that has good sales, especially in the run up to Christmas when Jamie-type books can be around half price.

Also, if your library doesn't stock a book you're after, check the web site to see if you can 'Suggest a Book' for purchase. I've done this three times now with North Shore Libraries and they've bought all three. It takes a month or two to make it to the shelves though.

[girlwithanewf]

While we are on the book subject, which books about New Zealand would you recommend to newcomers? Just reading the Josie Dew cycling books right now, and seriously hope the weather is better than she experienced.
Glad to hear the libraries are good, as we have a serious library habit.

[norma]

While we are on the book subject, which books about New Zealand would you recommend to newcomers?

I'll leave it to others to help you with the books, but I can recommend North and South magazine. I had a subscription to it for a year and now I pick up back copies from the library. It usually has a range of articles covering political issues, education, health, culture, etc. IMHO it presents a realistic view of NZ.

http://www.acpmedia.co.nz/ACPMagazines/NorthSouth/tabid/127/Default.aspx

[Jo Jo]

While we are on the book subject, which books about New Zealand would you recommend to newcomers?

Michael King's "The Penguin History of New Zealand" is a fantastic book - very readable, and very interesting. My only criticism of it is that it doesn't have a glossary in the back, which I would have found very helpful for the Maori words.

[mgbridges]

Totally agree that books are hideously expensive here which I find very hard having worked for a publishing company before we left the UK and previously having free, easy access to brand new books! I now use the Book Depository and have lots of books on my birthday and Christmas wishlists.

Not sure I agree about libraries as the few times I've gone looking for something they haven't had it as its been too new a release. I'm also one of these people that likes to own the books that I read. Still the library has come in very handy for my young DS as I think the cost of children's books is disgraceful here.

Also agree about the Penguin History of NZ book. My OH has read it and recommended it and we've given copies to both sets of parents who have all read it and really enjoyed it.

Anneliese

[Familyofmonkeys]

We are a family of book worms.....we regularly buy books and have found it pays to compare amazon.com, amazon.uk, bookdepository etc with some of the deals going on NZ sites like thenile.com or fishpond and also in borders (sign up for the weekly disount vouchers). The nile pretty much give 5% off all orders once you have a code that works and fishpond will send you discounts if you put items in your shopping cart but not order them.....these occasionally work out cheaper that amazon once you factor in the postage.

[girlwithanewf]

Thanks for suggestions about books - I just bought the History of New Zealand on a very brief visit to London in the New Zealand shop - would have bought more but I got there 2 minutes before he was closing. Would recommend this shop (close to Trafalgar Square) on the limited evidence I was able to gather in 2 minutes!