Discussion: Amazon or Bookshops?

I was asked to participate in a group blog post over at BloggersBookshelf  about buying books online or in bookshops, so I thought I would expand on my answers here. (If you want to see the post that sparked this click here.)

Online or in store?

I usually buy my books online, usually the book depository because of the free shipping (and the free bookmarks) but also Amazon and the BookPeople (I choose whichever is cheaper at the time) but I only really shop online because it is cheaper and usually they have a wider range than at my local Waterstones or WH Smith. However, I do make sure that I purchase at least once from a bookshop, if I was to be making more than one order of books a month. Where I live there isn't any independent bookshops as they have all closed down, and to be honest there wasn't that many of them in the first place. I love independent bookshops as they are all unique and no two shops are the same and I wish there were more campaigns like Books Are My Bag to help the indie shops stay alive and booming. 

E-books or physical?

I use to have a Kindle but sold it because I just never used it so instead I now have the Kindle app on my IPad but I very rarely use it unless there are books I am unsure about, if I read them on the kindle and like them then I will always buy a physical copy. I also used my kindle app to read Game of Thrones and will continue to do so even though I have all the physical copies because they are too heavy and I was taking them to school so it was more convenient. I would consider myself a collector of books and I like to be able to see my selection in real life to choose what I want to read. I understand why people now prefer to get ebooks because in the world that we do, people will find anything to make things more convenient and for a cheaper price and ebooks offer that option. Although saying that I am not under the impression that books will ever stop being produced, at least not in my lifetime, because for every ebook buyer there is a physical copy buyer as well. 

To be honest, as long as people are reading and enjoying the novels that authors pour their hearts and souls into then I am not really concerned about how they get it or through which median as long as they are buying them and contributing to the industry and giving the author the money for their work I am not bothered. Reading should be encouraged and never looked down upon regardless as to HOW or WHERE you get your books.