How Often Do You Go Farther than the Sample?

[stormhawk]

I have a lot of samples on my Kindle.

I use them as a sort of TBR list, and placeholders for things that I might be interested in. What I'm wondering is how often do people read the sample and then buy the book? usually, if I'm going to buy the book, I just buy it (especially for lower-priced offerings). I think I've not paid as much attention to my samples as I probably should. Does anyone else have that issue?

[Bookfan92]

I'm trying to get in the habit of always reading the sample first, especially with new-to-me authors. It's hard for me to abandon a book I don't like, even if it was only $.99. I do try to read and delete the samples soon after downloading though.

[Betsy]

I have trouble remembering to try the sample before buying. A number of times I've bought the book, then after reading a chapter or two decided not to finish it. It's frustrating. I wish I could get myself trained better. It's just so easy to buy Kindle books.

[Autumn]

hmm. Thats a good question. I never thought of downloading a sample.. Maybe i should try some day.

[Clare K. R.]

If you disregard free classics, I read samples most of the time when deciding whether to buy a book. The only reason I would buy a book without reading the sample first is if it's in a series that I've already started reading and know I want to continue (Mockingjay, Harbinger of the Storm, and The Gypsy Morph are examples). I don't have the budget to buy books just because they catch my attention, even if they are really cheap, and I try to keep my TBR list somewhat under control. (Just ignore the over 100 books I have marked as to-read on Goodreads...) Anyway, I've been disappointed by enough books that I've already paid for to be cautious before buying.

I also have 130 samples currently on my Kindle. I intend to get to them all eventually so I can make my decisions!

[Cindy]

That's a really good question, stormhawk! I have quite a few samples as to-read placeholders, but so far I haven't read a sample and not purchased the book.

With one big exception. I download samples from classic books that cost money (like Penguin Classics, e.g.), because I want to read the introduction. They are usually lit crit essays that explain the book I've read for free from elsewhere. It's a tad naughty, but they do make it easy.

[Candice]

stormhawk wrote: "I have a lot of samples on my Kindle.

I use them as a sort of TBR list, and placeholders for things that I might be interested in..."

That's how I use samples, too. I ALWAYS read samples first, and probably go on to buy 50% of the books. The sample helps me make sure the storytelling lives up to the book description that drew me in the first place. I delete the sample as soon as I buy the book. Or as soon as I decide I'm definitely not buying. That also means I have a handful of "maybes" languishing on my kindle...

[Patricia]

I do what you guys do, if I read about a book that sounds really good, I'll download a Sample so I won't forget about it. I would say probably 90% of the time I download a Sample, I go ahead and buy the book.

[Caedem]

I find it harder than I thought to read samples because I've downloaded so many I don't know where to start! :)

[Candice]

Caedem wrote: "I find it harder than I thought to read samples because I've downloaded so many I don't know where to start! :)"

LOL. I did that once. When I finally powered through those samples, I ended up with a lot of "WTF? Why did I think THAT would be interesting?" and deleted a whole bunch of them. So now I try not to download more than three at a time.

[Patricia]

Ugo, I've done the same thing, I even created a Collection called "Read Next" and sometimes when I look at it, I think Why did I think I wanted to read ThAT?? I think a lot of times I read an interesting review of a book and I figure it will be something I like, then later it doesn't look so interesting.

[Rachel]

I use samples in exactly the same way - I keep them unread until I'm looking for something new to read, and I reckon I buy about half.

[Jenny]

About 70% of the samples I've downloaded have converted into purchases. I tend to like the samples more than I do the free books.

[Jillian Peery]

The "sample" portion that the kindle offers is one of the reasons why I love it so much! Keeps me from buying books out of pure curiosity. I feel if the author can hook me in the first few pages--then the book is worth purchasing.

[Thea]

I love the sampling thing. I've even sampled some bigger names just to be sure I really want it...mostly because it's so durn easy to one-click a bunch of money right out of my account.

[Holly]

Love sampling! even if i'm pretty sure i'll buy the book i still sample it first anyway. plus it makes it faster to buy later. i would say at least 75% of the ones i sample i end up buying.

[Candice]

Patricia wrote: ...I think a lot of times I read an interesting review of a book and I figure it will be something I like, then later it doesn't look so interesting."

That's exactly what happened - I follow John Scalzi's blog, and he does a series called "The Big Idea". I've discovered some GREAT books there. So one day when I had time, I went back through all the old Big Idea posts I hadn't yet read. After a while, it was like clothes-shopping for a little too long - when you've looked at/tried on so many things that don't work out, your standards shift. Until you come back to look at what you bought with fresh eyes. Fortunately downloading samples is cheaper than buying things you'll never wear. :)

[Lara Amber]

I'm big on samples. In fact I don't like that free books don't offer sample chapters. Even though I'm paying nothing, I don't the idea that Amazon will have me recorded forever as "buying" something that was a badly formatted mess.

The only time I buy without the sample is if I'm going to read the book RIGHT NOW and there is no question about finishing it. I refuse to buy books until I'm ready to read them. Downloading samples has saved me from some book group selections that I would have hated finishing and kicked myself for wasting money. When it comes to classic literature I download about a dozen samples and compare the formatting before picking which one to buy.

I purchase about 90% of the books I try and am willing to try more things out. So samples definitely work. Currently I have 61 samples on my Kindle.

[Helen]

I'm quite new to kindle and I got a sample as a bookmark but then in the Spring sale the book was 98p so bought it anyway. I do like the idea of try before you buy as hopefully it will save me money.

[Clare K. R.]

Lara Amber wrote: "I'm big on samples. In fact I don't like that free books don't offer sample chapters. Even though I'm paying nothing, I don't the idea that Amazon will have me recorded forever as "buying" someth..."

What free books have you looked at that don't have samples? I didn't think it was possible to not have samples available. I sample even free books too, because I don't want to artificially boost its rank if it's terrible! However, if a free book isn't actually available yet it's possible to pre-order for free, but there is no sample. I have done that a few times.

[Jeff]

Samples have saved me some money, but not as much as I thought. Though admittedly owning my Kindle hasn't made me into the avid reader I thought it would either. I do try to download the sample for a book before I buy it unless it's the next one in a "proven" series or something I've read before.

I love having samples though because some "genres" of book sound interesting to me and then once I get it I never finish it (historical, biographies and autobiographies to name a few).

[Mike J]

I'm surprised at how many people don't bother with samples!

I almost always download the sample first... unless it's an author that I know I'll enjoy. For example, I know I want to read anything by Harlan Coben. But, otherwise, I start with the sample.

This was actually one of the reason I wanted the 3G Kindle. I can walk out the door with just a sample and know that I can download the rest even if I'm waiting in a doctor's office with no wifi.

I generally don't download a sample until I'm ready to read it, though. I'm probably just neurotic... I don't like having a bunch of fragments around. Yep, I'm nuts.

[Chrissie]

Sampling is very important to me. How an author expresses himself will determine if I buy or do not buy the book. I check the sample and determine if I like the writing style before purchasing the book.

[Ann]

I always read samples first. I have quite a few on my kindle at all times-like a lot people, I download samples as a kind of to-read list. If I'm interested in a book, and the price it to high, I put it on my Amazon wish list, and wait for the price to go down, or till I have the xtra cash or a gift card. If the price is one I find fair, I download a sample. There are times I have spent my entire commute just reading samples and deleting them. If I've gotten to the end of the sample, and been so interested in the story that I've forgotten it was a sample, then of course I buy it...I just love technology.