The Boujee Booktuber Tag 💰 {Original}

[@BookZealots]

Ebooks and audios both tick me off. I found out that the library has to continuously pay for having these options available to us/the patrons. In the long run, it's cheaper for the library and us as tax payers for the library to buy the physical copy of the book. Great questions! Enjoyed your responses. =)

[@abookolive]

Becky from Beck's Books had a video up at one point about how libraries end up paying for the eResources they provide and how restrictive & greedy publishers are with them. I'd link you to the video, but it seems she's deleted/privated everything on her channel :( But the whole time I was just so angry. It's not even like they're attempting to disguise their greed. It's so transparent. I think us book people need to talk about this out in the open so the publishing industry can start to take some hints! Things need to change on the money end.

[@Himynameismai]

A window seat is also my dream! I also hate the we have to wait more for paperback versions, the only reason is to “make” people spend more money on hard covers.

[@erinsmith8074]

Great tag idea ! I am definitely one of those people that eagerly anticipates a library book sale in my town/city. You just never know when you going to find something that you’ve had on your TBR for several months. Also here in 🇨🇦, it is EXTREMELY expensive to buy a new book (hard or paperback) brand new. They are usually upwards of 25 to 35 dollars, which unfortunately my budget just cannot allow. Especially because I have just graduated college and am paying off student loans.

[@KeepCalmwithBooksandCoffee]

I love that chat about ebooks. This is why I’ve never moved to ebooks for sure. I cannot stand that they are almost the same price as a physical copy.

[@miriampearson7409]

I so appreciate your mature approach to reading and book recommendations. Thanks for your no-nonsense approach, it is such a relief! I get so many good reading ideas from you and creative ways of approaching my reading. Gratefully!

[@nejohnsonbooks]

Since we are talking about making more money in sales here is my anecdote up that alley. So my first job was at a very famous luxury store. Every year we had two semi annual sales where our merchandise was sold for the same price as it was sold at the bargain store at the other end of the mall. We made 80% of our yearly profits during those sales, the rest of the year didn't break even, we only stayed open and put such high prices that no one would actually pay for to keep an image of high-end so that everyone would come buy in droves during our sales. It was eye opening for young me, if anything the bargain store had higher production quality, beign high end luxury was entirely just marketing and nothing more

[@remarkablylisa]

Ahahaha love your answers and the bag of money emoji in the title! Just subscribed :)

[@getbookish]

This is really fascinating and something I'm not sure we think a lot about in day-to-day booktube operations. We also don't talk about the valuation of books/author support in the context of using libraries (for their lending function, apart from the book sales) for both print and ebooks. Ebook sales to libraries and lending limits per file set by publishers and distributers have gotten controversial lately, and in similar way that (as you suggest with direct to consumer sales) that affects the profits they could be making! Really enjoyed this video -- perhaps Becks and/or I will have a go at this! -Les

[@abookolive]

I hate how publishers try to milk libraries for all they're worth with eResource lending. I knew it was shady, but I never realized how shady until I heard some librarians talk about it. I now wish I would have mentioned that in my rant (although I may have broken a blood vessel in my forehead...maybe it's best I forgot to bring that up) but I would love if one or both of you took on that subject in your answer(s) to that question!!

[@getbookish]

@@abookolive I'll have a chat with a few librarians I know and see what I can come up with! - L

[@CuriousReader]

So jealous of awesome library sales you have in the US! Although I have a number of good local secondhand shops that I get the majority of my books from, so I shan't complain. Yes to the entire discussion on e-book prizes, it's honestly ridiculously overpriced. Really enjoyed hearing your answers and looking forward to seeing more people doing the tag!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thank you for the tag! Can't wait to do this. I didn't realize you live in Pittsburgh--I visited a friend there once about a decade ago and visited the Carnegie Library and the Cathedral of Learning. Both were amazing!

[@lyndsayreads]

Oh, I love this and I am definitely going to have to do it! I can definitely feel your passion for some of these questions/answers (especially the one about ebook prices) and I love that! Money on Booktube definitely is something we don't always think about in this context so I like the idea of going a little deeper into spending habits and preferences when it comes to spending!

[@hannahnagle1578]

Love your discussion on ebooks! I own a Kobo e-reader and use it primarily for ebooks from my library. Occasionally when I have travel coming up I'll purchase a few to take along, but as a whole I have this mindset - why spend $9.99 on an electronic copy when I could spend $12.99 on a physical copy which is easier to share with my friends and is an addition to my collection? I feel like the pricing of ebooks is so outrageous and I know I could would use them far more if the price was more accessible. I'm thankful that I can use my library through my Kobo, but really wish they'd get their shit together on pricing!

[@ThatsSoPoe]

Oh! Thanks for the tag!! These are some interesting questions, especially as it relates to values (I'm reading Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari right now and am on the section about money, so it's very apropos). I'll think hard about my answers and try to get a video up in not too terribly long!

[@dompishere3014]

Your answer to #5 is a big YES from me. I paid $20 for a hardback version of The Count of Monte Cristo and I was okay with that since the edition was beautiful and the book is over 1,000 pages. But I’ve seen MUCH SMALLER books for the same price. And then with ebooks, I wanted to read Brokeback Mountain on my Kindle since I didn’t feel the need to buy a physical copy of a book less than 100 pages. Except the physical copy was less than half the price of the ebook. Ebook would’ve cost me almost $9 and I got the physical copy for $2!

[@BookBuds]

Just found you when looking for a fun tag to do. Great job with this one! We are going to film it next week 😁👍 Happy reading! 📚

[@alyssammarie]

Ooooooh loved the discussion on the price of ebooks. I never read them but I definitely agree with you. Love this tag and can’t wait to do it!!

[@booksandbrushes4868]

I was just tagged for this and it was my first time being tagged personally, so that's really exciting for me! Just filmed it now. Thanks for coming up with this, I am now binging many of your videos 😂

[@katiejlumsden]

So interesting! I feel like books, especially ebooks, are cheaper in the UK. Our ebooks range from £2.99 to £8.99 where I work. On the sale thing - most publishers make more money when the ebook is on sale, but often Amazon and other retailers won't put ebooks into promotions unless they're a certain price to begin with. It's also worth noting, at least in the UK, not sure about the US, that authors get a much higher percentage of royalties on ebooks than on physical books, so publisher's margins are much smaller on ebooks.

[@jenmorr4051]

Really interesting Olive, thank you. I just watched Russell's Boujee tag too and he seemed to get a kick out of it! Talking book prices, I agree about paperback coming out at same time! So annoying. And what about audio books. Audible... 25 to 32 Canadian per book. Yeesh.

[@Anna-wh1zn]

Don't get me going on ebooks. I do the digital purchasing for my library and the prices are through the roof. $60 for a book that we can only circulate for two years. If we still want it after that, we have to re-purchase it. Or some publishers let you keep the book forever but charge about $85-$90 for it. I remember a time in the not so distant past when a brand new James Patterson was priced at $135. You can imagine how fast these prices gobble up library budgets. With prices like this we can't afford to include many unknown or B list authors and we can't supply a great backlist because we can't justify re-ordering older titles when we need the budget for new titles. Authors are getting short changed (although they don't seem to have much to say about it), because libraries create readership in big ways. People try new genres and authors that they won't risk their hard earned dollars on. Many of the books sold in book stores are being sold because the author took root in a library. These crazy pricing policies diminish our ability to expose people to upcoming and lesser known authors.

[@blossomingmindsread470]

Great video Olive! I love my local used bookstores! Half the time you can get at the least 3 books for the same price as one Barnes and nobles book. Plus used books are great, better for the environment and half the time are in perfect condition making there be no point in buying new. Unless, like you stated, to support an author. I know ebooks are better environmental/green-wise but my eyes can only take so much with reading on a kindle. I can’t help but wonder the damage done to the eyes. From smartphones and TVs to reading on electronics. There has to be a point where it starts to do some harm. On the other hand I do enjoy a good audiobook here and there. I love your videos they are so real and genuine, I personally love books especially nonfiction so it’s nice to see someone else besides myself get so excited talking about nonfiction books and just books in general!

[@ornleifs]

I agree with your thought on ebooks - but I'm starting to buy most of my books on Kindle and that's just because my flat is full to the brim with books and I don't want to start stacking them on my floor.

[@elizabeth-betsyjohnson7195]

Great tag, Olive! I am with you ebook pricing. Unless the e-book is priced substantially lower than the physical copy, I will always buy the physical copy because it ticks me off how much they charge.🤣 I remember in the early 00s some prominent folks in the industry predicted the demise of the physical book. Not with these prices, Buster 😂

[@abookolive]

Hahaha, exactly!! If they charged reasonable prices, I could see ebooks give physical books a run for their money (literally), but it's just not conceivable with what they're asking for electronic copies. But maybe that's the point...if ebooks are so cheap that they force the physical books to come down in price in order to compete...maybe that's why publishers keep ebook prices artificially high? To keep the physical book market afloat and not have to admit they were overcharging for all of these products to begin with? Oh god, now I'm on a whole conspiracy theory path...

[@RememberedReads]

Heh, these are exactly the kind of nosy questions that I loving hearing answers to, so I'm looking forward to doing some virtual snooping as people do this tag! 😆 Definitely agree on the ebook prices. The standard pricing there is ridiculous!

[@LanaCelebic]

Hi, Olive! This is a great tag. Yes, I totally agree with you when it comes to eBook prices. I don't own a Kindle, but I was thinking of buying one. Then I saw the prices of eBooks and simply gave up. I prefer physical books anyway, but I also have Scribd subsciption. It may not be the best solution, but it allows me to read eBooks and listen to audiobooks that I don't have to pay extra money for. It would be great to own a Kindle, but if or until publishers decide to cut prices, I'm not buying one.

[@thebookishknitter]

I loved this tag! Thank you so much for tagging me 😊 I will be jumping on this tag this weekend. I agree 100% on the price of ebooks, it really upsets me and its the main reason I will mostly purchase my ebooks on sale.

[@Tanya-M]

My dream personal library would be to turn our old barn into a library. Ceiling to floor bookcases, hardwood floors, a pushy rug, and a big comfy chair. Maybe a desk in one corner to write surrounded by books. When I use up all the shelves on the wall, I would start forming aisles of back to back bookcases. And since my current collection would not fill up the barn, I would love to see empty shelves, and fill them up!

[@teresafallen2098]

So glad you liked Richmond and Chop Suey Books. I live in Richmond, and it is my favorite bookstore! (Hope you checked out World of Mirth right up the street!)

[@wintersonnet]

What's more disturbing about the high e-book prices is that you don't even own them. You pay so much money to "borrow" their books.

[@severalgecko]

Which is ridiculous because that means an ebook you have spent money on is inferior to a pirated copy.

[@Nyledam89]

Love the tag idea although I wholeheartedly disagree on the pricing of ebooks. :D I think those prices are still justified. Publishers are still out the cost of editing, proof reading and marketing that book and the writers who have possibly worked years on it aren't going to make any money if books are selling for 99 cents within such a short time span. I think it's also about how much value you ascribe to somebody's work. In Germany we have something called 'Buchpreisbindung', which means books are sold for the exact same price everywhere (even on Amazon) and anything else is illegal. Sales are only allowed for books where printing is discontinued or when the books are damaged somehow. It especially protects smaller publishers who couldn't keep up with dumping prices like big publishers could. It also prevents exploitation from Amazon using low prices to destroy local bookshops.

[@leticiatoraci9855]

I agree about the Ebook and Hard Cover over high prices, I always end up looking for a promotion and/or buying an used book after waiting six months or more after release. In the case I want to read a new release asap it is often worthwhile to get the audiobook on Audible rather that paying a hyped new release price. When it comes to ebooks, I got around 12 books last month and 11 books were cheaper than four euro. The most expensive was the one I got for audible.

[@rebeccakravitz7711]

Love your ebook rant! I borrow all my ebooks from the library. I can’t see paying for them when there are so many I can get for free.

[@glendaverrett439]

Love this topic! Great video! Thanks Olive!

[@bookishfairygodmother]

Oh this is a fun tag!!! I will definitely do this!

[@pollystyrene]

When I first got my Kindle, I exclusively read on there because most books were £5 max, most of them a lot cheaper than that, but since they've started costing as much as a new copy of a book, I buy more secondhand or just use the library.

[@jadecobain]

When I fell back in love with reading books I started making a book wish list on Amazon I was really surprised on how many books were hardback only or you had to preorder paperbacks. I prefer paperbacks because they tend to be smaller then hardbacks. It would be nice if when a book came out that paperback and hardback are available at the same time

[@InfiniteText]

Oh how fun! Great idea for a tag Olive, Iike how passionate you get about some of these questions. Thanks for the tag! I have a lot of thinking to do

[@abookolive]

Lol I'm glad it came off as passionate. It definitely felt rage-y 😂

[@karenbird6727]

I've had a Kindle for 11 years. There are lots of books that are very inexpensive. Many of the classics are 99 cents or free. Sometimes first books in a series are either free or $2.99. I have bought so many complete works of: Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, Trollope, Austen, for $1.99 each. There is no way I could have bought the complete works of prolific Trollope at a bookstore for $1.99 (if they even had all the books on the shelves). I agree that new books have become more expensive, but they are still cheaper than brand new hardcover or paperback books. I always check current physical book prices before buying the ebook.

[@toneill6788]

My husband and I are also searching for the World’s Best Reading series! We find most of our copies at used book sales and Half-Priced Books. It a lot of fun to hunt them down.

[@aliterarylady609]

This video is AMAZING 😍. Your insights see spot on. Thank you so much.

[@moonireads]

I don't get the ebook prices I hear from these tags in the USA... In Spain the MOST expensive e-book I've ever seen is 12€ but usually it's around 5€ and that's the ONLY reason I'm getting a kindle.

[@abookolive]

I wish prices were the same here in the States. :(

[@LittlePrairieLibrary]

Oh girl, I love your rant on ebooks because I feel the same way!! It's literal price gouging and I hate it!

[@redheadreading]

This is such an interesting idea for a tag! I connect so much with wanting the paperback to come out at the same time as the hardback. Yes please!! I would genuinely buy more new releases if they were available in paperback as it's so much more convenient for reading on the go. Thanks so much for tagging me, I'm excited to ponder upon my answers 😁

[@abookolive]

Can't wait to see your version!

[@ToriMorrow]

This is such a cool tag! I completely agree about ebook prices. Just, WHY?

[@abookolive]

RIGHT?!?

[@danecobain]

This is a cool tag! It sounds like we have pretty similar book buying habits :) When you think about it, yeah, $200 is a lot, but for two people? And when you think that it's a noteworthy one-off? And when you think that video games these days are what, $60-70? I bet the books you bought lasted you for months, too :D

[@Cottage-Reader]

Hi Olive! Great subject, my mouth dropped when you said you would choose paper back over hard cover, and not bc it is cheaper. Most ppl I watch like hard covers. So I must ask you, why do you personally prefer the paper back? Is it the flexibility of the cover? I love hard cover and hate that they cost so much. I wished I like the paper backs just to get it cheaper.

[@hotmommyto2]

I agree with you that ebooks are way too expensive. I absolutley refuse to pay more than $4.99 for an ebook and most that I buy are actually $0.99 to $2.99. I would rather put my money toward a physical book that at least has some value if I want to get rid of it later. I am also frustrated that we as consumers are not usually given the option to buy a paperback on release day. I would much rather have a paperback! And hell yeah to library book sales and being thrifty!Loved this tag!

[@kelsqi-books4835]

yes to literary tattoos!! I really want to get a sleeve of images from all my favorites!! ;)

[@matildetome]

I relate so much to never wanting to pay full price 😆 it seems such a waste when you know that in a few weeks it will be on sale, and that until then you can just read other books instead

[@abookolive]

That's always been my thinking as well! Although I'm trying to get into the reviewing business now so I'm forced to read more frontlist books. Sigh.

[@sandy9064]

I know you're in the Pgh area, but I don't know how far you're willing to drive. Monongahela Area Library has big bi-annual sales the first Saturdays in June and October. It coincides with the local Fleatique. The whole Main Street is lined with tables and tents of people hocking their wares (and more books). The library USUALLY sells bags of books for $5.00 but nothing has been set in stone for this year's sale yet. We would love to see you !

[@Vickynger]

i dont collect any valuable books so most 1st editions i own are worthless anyways, but i do care very much about my harry potter 1st editions bc ive owned them since i was a child and i feel a lot of attachment towards them.

[@halfmanhalfbook]

1. What is your average monthly budget for books? I dare not think about it, but I must buy 2 to 6 a week secondhand and the occasional new one. 2. What's the most you've ever spent in a bookstore? £165. The most I have spent on a single book is £50. 3. Are you willing to pay full price for a brand new release, or will you wait until you have a coupon or there's a sale? Every now and again I will for certain authors. 4. Would you rather buy one new book or several less expensive used copies? Several. More books is always better 5. What do you think is a reasonable price for a new hardback book? A paperback? An eBook? For Uk £18 - 20 for hardback, £9 - 10 for paperback and £6 - 7 for an ebook 6. Is a signed book worth more to you? How about a first edition? I have lots (and I mean lots) of signed books. Not so worried about first editions 7. What is your most valuable book (sentimental or actual value)? Two signed Terry Pratchett books 8. Will you pay more for a cover or edition you like better? No 9. What physical characteristics does a good quality book have? Nice cover, good bindings and quality paper. (Have a look at Little Toller 10. If you won the lottery, what bookish things would you do with the money? I really don't know. Decent bookshelves and buy the entire Eland Classic Range. BONUS: Give us an image (actual or mental) of your dream home library! Can't post a picture here!

[@brittabohlerthesecondshelf]

Oh, loved this! And thank you for tagging me!

[@abookolive]

Can't wait to hear your answers! :)

[@victoriap1561]

Steam is great, they actually understand the consumer , I live in Argentina and people here and in the rest of the third world make way waaaay less money than Americans or Europeans. You can't expect someone who makes 500 dollars a month or less to pay 50 dollars for a single video game, but given a reasonable price people will pay, steam actually sets reasonable prices for third world countries, steam netfix and Spotify are the only services that i have encountered that do that. Most don't care and charge the same or more and then complain about piracy.

[@itsjustmekiks]

I am so doing this because I am broke at the moment and have so many books I desire to buy

[@myreadinglife8816]

Fun questions! I also dream of a window seat, one with lots of pillows!

[@ghostreader9766]

Thanks for that me tag 👍🏽 I like this one!

[@CharlesHeathcote]

This is an interesting idea for a tag. I'm in agreement with regards to e-book prices, I've seen some absolutely extortionate amounts out there.

[@abookolive]

I shudder to think about some of the ebook prices out there...

[@judegrindvoll8467]

I love hearing Americans/Brits complain about book prices - average book prices where I live for a new hardback is around $35-40 dollars, and discounts are very rare! Not to mention that import taxes are starting at zero from January so Book Depository isn’t much of an option either :/

[@sarahs2951]

I want the library in Beauty and the Beast 90’s version. Is that too much to ask? 😂. Btw, I love your channel and your humor!

[@abookolive]

Thank you! And yeah, I expect a lot of people will feel that exact same way! I would be wayyy overwhelmed by that library! I'm already overwhelmed with all the books I have now....eeek.

[@beatingaroundthebooks]

Same! I've always dreamed of that library since I watched it as a child 😁

[@MandeGarrett]

Great book tag! I’m thinking of doing this tag.

[@Cassandra2739]

Watching this from New Zealand and dying at how expensive our books are! New books here are almost always $30-40. Even second hand books are often over $10-15.

[@allaboutashtown]

This was so interesting!! 👏🏻

[@krystlemeyer7029]

OMG so happy I'm not the only one that is annoyed by $13.99+ ebooks. The only ebooks I'll buy now are on sale (because they go on sale all the time lol)

[@LeanneRose]

Ooh this is so fun and interesting! Thank you so much for tagging me. I have lots of thoughts on these questions 😂

[@abookolive]

I thought you might!! Can't wait to hear it :)

[@1987wolfgirl]

I'm so doing this..it sounds so cool

[@MaryAmongStories]

completely agree on what you said about e-books!

[@InkandPaperBlog]

❤️❤️ so much to think about ... a window seat would be lovely...

[@BetweenLinesAndLife]

This is such a cool tag!! If it's alright for you, I would love to discuss some of these questions in a future podcast episode!

[@abookolive]

Of course - go for it!! :D

[@seriela]

These are such fascinating and relevant prompts. And now I'm riddled with Booktube addiction guilt. 😔💰😔

[@labeba]

Love it 😍

[@heth300]

Awesome book tag! It's becoming the norm for me to see new Kindle books go for $13.99 - $14.99 per book. It's disgusting.

[@mollyaitken4399]

I get so annoyed by the price of ebooks too. I'm not sure about the US but in the UK ebooks are highly taxed. Much much more than physical books. Publishers here lose money when they put ebooks on sale here. I just tend to avoid ebooks now and get them from the library instead. Authors at least are sure to get some payment then. Great tag 😁

[@geminidragonreads]

I 100% agree on the price of ebooks. I just recently got a kindle and I've been loving Bookbub! I try to stick to getting the free ones, but I have got a few for .99 cents to 2.99.

[@abookolive]

Bookbub is great! Most of my ebook collection was built from their e-mails. $0.99 to $2.99 is a decent price and I'm sure they see a ton of sales at that level. God I want to get my hands on that data so badly...

[@geminidragonreads]

@@abookolive Let us know if you do, that would be interesting to learn about.

[@johannadrisdale413]

Luv it!

[@suemoro]

Great tag! I've done the tag on my channel. 👍🤗

[@joreads8782]

Can I suggest considering moving to Australia as they tend to publish paperback instead of hardcover, but then you have to pay to move and pay the Australian book prices.... hmmmm.....

[@abookolive]

Haha, I've definitely had that thought! The double-edged sword of being an Australian book lover...

[@as_creates]

Call me cheap af but I won’t spend more than $1.99 on an ebook. I’ll wait it out.

[@jennyharmony1371]

You look amazing 😍😍 😍😍

[@LauraFreyReadinginBed]

Can I ask a *really* stupid question: what does "boujee" mean? I know what bourgeoisie means but people (youth! Lol) seem to use boujee a little differently. Sorry, I am an old. I am on the same page as you for a lot of these, but I'll save my responses for my own video!

[@girlitsme7391]

Boujiee meaning can mean a person who wants a champagne lifestyle but they have a beer budget it can be applied to let's say a person who wants a louis vuitton purse but they can afford a Michael Kors purse

[@SabrinaHawk]

Library book sales are my kink

[@abigailhortencia5901]

Sweet👌

[@BooksNChili]

Whelp, I just posted my vid for this tag lol, I loved these questions XD

[@kinczyta]

I'm so boujee. Oh, well 🤷‍♀️

[@SotiriaPlaga]

Love the tag but i will have to disagree with you on the ebook prices matter. I get why this is frustrating and perhaps unreasonable for a reader but it is perhaps one of the few lifeboats publishers, authors and indie bookshops have. I am bookshop owner myself and even with the high pricing of ebooks , I have seen a decline in my sales through the years because of ebooks. If the price is dropped even more people will turn away from the physical book decreasing the sales of new books even more (and you know, no new physical books on the market, no second hand physican books too!) and thus cost thousands of jobs worldwide, Amazon as the main supplier of ebooks will have a bigger saying on the whole publishing process which is bad for a dozen reasons that I will not get into because this comment is already too long! I know that there is the counter-argument that not everyone will stop buying physical books etc but it will still be a big enough blow to an already crumbling industry that it may as well be a death sentence.