Exclusive Books - becoming more exclusive?

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Exclusive Books - becoming more exclusive?

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1legro
Redigerat: nov 4, 2012, 11:32 am

Some information to share with my fellow South African book lovers - or maybe I'm the last to find out? I order a large percentage of my books online - mostly because my tastes run to the esoteric and the books are often easier to come by online. I do love browsing through the shelves at EB however, and it's a rare day that I do not come away with a book ( or more, I'm sure all here will identify). I was therefore surprised to notice the significant price difference between Kalahari and EB. Random examples: Kannemeyer: 'n Geskryfde Lewe EB R 330 - Kalahari R 247; Deon Meyer: 7 Days EB R 216 Kalahari R 147,
Chris Beckett: Dark Eden EB R 134 Kalahari R 108.
I find the online shopping experience somewhat cold and impersonal, but at least as far as books are concerned the price difference seems too big to ignore.

2Africansky1
nov 4, 2012, 3:10 pm

thanks for this information. worth while to check the prices before making the decision to buy on line or in the shop. I still think Exc Book sales are excellent which is when I buy from them quite heavily though I know a lot of the books are surplus runs or remainders or specially produced for sales.

3adpaton
jan 2, 2013, 8:58 am

Buying online is the cheapest because the suppliers do not have to rent premises, employ staff, and keep large stocks. I only impulse buy from EB and some other book shops then kick myself because had I waited I could have got it a lot cheaper on-line. It's a pity because bookshops are closing all over and I know Exclusive is really battling. I suspect they will go the way of the haberdashers and the milliners soon. Nothing beats browsing in a good book shop.

4Africansky1
jan 22, 2013, 1:17 pm

Hi All Esclusive book sale now on ... I was at Killarney today but settled on only a couple of children's books and John Mach the Art of small things published by the British Museum,..at less than R90 it is a superb find, but others titles disappointing perhaps other branches better.

5dmsteyn
feb 2, 2013, 7:33 am

Here's my haul from the Summer Sale:

Last Orders by Graham Swift - not universally popular, but I've never read Swift, and I want to see what the fuss is about. Also, cheap :)
The Book of Evidence by John Banville - I've enjoyed every Banville I've read (yes, even The Sea), and I like disturbing books. Well, maybe not like, but I find them interesting.
Seven Ages of Paris by Alistair Horne - hmm, not the greatest reviews, but I want to read more about Paris...
Waiting for the Barbarians by J.M. Coetzee - great South African writer, now unfortunately decamped to Australia
The Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy - one of my favourite contemporary American authors
The Weird: A Compendium of Strange and Dark Stories edited by Jeff VanderMeer - I love stories of the macabre, the strange, the fantastic... the weird, I guess
Dante in Love by A.N. Wilson - a very cheap hardcover about a very interesting poet whom I intend to get to... soon
The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson - another cheap hardback and, despite the controversy about the book, it still looks interesting
Grendel by John Gardner - also controversial, but looks very good. I should maybe read Beowulf first, though
Collected Poems by Wallace Stevens - probably my favourite find, a hardcover of Stevens in excellent condition

Although I bought several books, I thought the selection was a bit disappointing. I'm from Pretoria, so the books were bought from Exclusives at the Menlyn and Brooklyn shopping malls.

6Africansky1
mar 22, 2013, 12:52 pm

Exclusive books are having their warehouse sale at the moment , 21 Mar to 1st Aprl in Randburg Jhb. 8 amto 4pm . R50 a kg. Not been yet and just heard about it today.
Plus I have been told the Zone branch in Rosebank , Jhb is closing down and their stock is less 50 per cent .

7Africansky1
mar 24, 2013, 12:52 pm

checked out the Exclusive warehouse sale yesterday out in Randburg and it is worth a visit .. Hammer Ave, Strydom IndUstrial Park. Strydom Park , Randburg off Mallibongwe drive. the books collected together for sale are the remnants and left overs of past sales but some amazing titles and excellent value . Easy to quickly gather 20 or more kgs of books. Only on until 1st April. some wonderfully superbly produced well art books, history, architecture, travel, cookery. Childrens books . Local titles also available though these seem to have been speedily seized . it is a rare book treat. Zone , Rosebank Exclusive pretty much sold out so I did not buy anything there.