Which of these is more likely to prompt you to buy a book?

5 Comments

  • Jeremy Mark Lane - 12 years ago

    Thanks a ton to all who took time to give their thoughts. Online Reviews got the most votes, with Recommendations a close second.
    Interesting info - thanks again!

  • Jo - 12 years ago

    I chose online reviews ---- but please keep in mind that since I'm a librarian, I read reviews all the time in journals like Booklist, Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal .... plus things like New York Times, Washington Post, Huffington Post .... plus book blogs. So, I get a lot of ideas from those sources. :)

  • M O'Brien - 12 years ago

    I'm not one for reading a lot of reviews. I'm more likely to brows a bookshop and read blurbs and opening chapters before buying a book. A good cover might attract me first, but the content would sway me more. I rarely follow the hype, so highly praised books might not necessarily interest me. I prefer to follow my own taste.

  • Vivian - 12 years ago

    Reality is that all of these have an impact to a certain extent. I love to receive recommendations from my bookish friends, especially those with similar reading styles. I agree with C. Hope Clark that online reviews only have an impact if it is from a respected reviewer, such as a review blog that it is routinely followed and/or reviews posted on bookish sites. I generally don't put as much faith in reviews posted on retail sites. Every now and then my eye may be drawn to a cover but that doesn't seem to have as much impact on my reading habits as the other three. Direct contact with an author is nice especially if it's an author that I've enjoyed reading in the past.

  • C. Hope Clark - 12 years ago

    Online reviews only matter if I know the reviewer or respect the site. Even seeing a book in a store, if I haven't heard anything about it, I'm not one to pick it up and buy. I want validation that I have a book worthy of my time.

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