10 replies to this topic

[Hingmie]

What do you think ? I have a substantial amount, given by friends but I don't think they are value for money, these days. As far as I can gather the discount bookshops or supermarkets don't accept them. I may be a tad mean but don't really want to spend them in places that you pay full price when I know that books I will enjoy can be got elsewhere, cheaper. I know I got them as a gift but want my friends who gave them to get best value for their dosh. And obviously, I want to get as many as I can for the available amount. Am I off kilter here ?

[Hamsterbert]

But bargain book places and supermarkets don't always tend to sell very good books, do they? I bet if you made a list of a few really "present-worthy" books, the ones that you will care about more than just a disposable read, you'll have to use real bookshops. So you won't get bargains, but you might get books worth keeping and feel that you used your friends' presents sort of "properly", if that makes any sense.

[Hingmie]

But bargain book places and supermarkets don't always tend to sell very good books, do they? I bet if you made a list of a few really "present-worthy" books, the ones that you will care about more than just a disposable read, you'll have to use real bookshops. So you won't get bargains, but you might get books worth keeping and feel that you used your friends' presents sort of "properly", if that makes any sense.

Yes I appreciate what you say and ultimately that is what I will do wi my tokens but thinking back to not so long ago, sending book tokens to far flung friends n family was more worthwhile n welcomed than it seems to be now. I never stipulated which type of book they should buy then nor would I want to now but it is fact that popular books are readily and cheaply available from outlets other than those that accept tokens. So to my mind, booktokens are not the enjoyed gift that they once were.

[tam]

One of our better presents:
A few years back, one of the sons gave us $100.00 gift certificates ($50.00) each. Coles/Indigo/Chapters were where we had to shop....seems the three are now one......the wife bought a "Martha Stewart" cook book and I was given her left over certificates.....I received a Roget's thesaurus.....a French/English dictionary and "Signing for Dummies". I would never have spent $70.00 on the books but am thrilled to own them.......the signing book has been, for the most part, ignored.....come January am gonnae ask the senior centre if they will start a class.
tam
btw....i also own a signed copy of a book by Denise Mina....or did I mention that before ?

[maggs]

I like getting book tokens, and a lot of the large book shops do 50% deals also

[tam]

it's no my turn tae watch her.
tam

[lynnski]

Hello!!

*waves*

Hingmie, Borders is doing a lot of 3 for 2 offers and 'better than half price' just now, why not pop into one and see what there is? I appreciate that you feel you can get books elsewhere for cheaper, but let me remind you that if you buy your books, dvds and cds from the likes of Tesco and Asda then you help put other businesses like Fopp outta business! Book tokens have absolutely no expiry date either so you don't need to spend them all at once.

[notanimby]

Book tokens startit goin oota fashion hen they stopped price controls on books, this allowt the supermarkets tae start sellin them cheapur. They didnae take book tokens as it wiz to much of an overhead fur them.
Ah would dae whit Lyynski sujjests an dkeep them until therz a reference book urra big hardback ye want and use them tae get that rethur than wastin them on pulp fikshun

[Hamsterbert]

Three cheers for Lynnski! Support bookshops, or else it will be a case of "I can HaZ Illiteracy and Eejitism, plizz".

Rly.

Srsly.

[Pat]

Lots of my family love to get book tokens for presents and a great idea for the children as it encourages them to read more. Jim also loves trotting into Borders or Waterstones to use his book tokens but tokens are a very bad idea for me - over the years I've managed to lose tokens for this and tokens for that.