Core77
e
Designers & Books Introduces The First Ever Online Book Fair
By Core Jr - Oct 10, 2013
For some, scrounging through piles of books and blindly bumping into strangers who have their noses buried in literature is the perfect way to spend a day. For others, there's nothing they would rather not do. If you're among the latter, the newly redesigned Designers & Books has launched (as of Monday) the world's first online book fair just for you. With nearly 400 books focusing on design from 13 internationally known publishers, you can snag a great read for up to 50% off of the retail price, not to mention the 30% to 50% discounts that are being offered by some participating publishers.
The books cover the full spectrum of design—furniture, lighting, architecture, fashion, product/industrial design, landscaping and jewelry design (among many others)—making it a space where it's all but impossible to not find something of interest. "You can click 'architecture' on our site and you instantly see 148 books on architecture," Steve Kroeter, founder of Designers & Books, says. "But you can also click 'architecture/north america/20th Century/between $50 and $75' and pretty close to instantly you see the eight books that correspond to that set of criteria. We think that's pretty nice—especially, for example, if you are looking for books as gifts."
As for what makes his online book fair different from, say, Amazon's formidable recommendation engine? Kroeter shares his insight on the relevance of an online book fair:
Most research shows that while people buy books on Amazon, they don't necessarily "discover" them there. For those interested in the world of design books, we wanted to provide a better online browse and discover environment—an experience that would come as close as possible to the serendipity and spontaneity of browsing in a bookstore. At the same time, we felt that we could improve on the way that sort and filter capabilities are used in connection with books and make it even easier and more interesting to drill down and find exactly what you want. Our goal, working with the publishers who are participating in the Fair, is to provide the most comprehensive, best designed place on the Web to find out about each of the books featured in the Fair.
Hop online (and skip the hassle of putting on anything presentable) to peruse the titles that Designers & Books' online book fair has to offer.
1 Comment
-
I just checked it out. I think they are spot on with the problem statement: there is something special about discovering and browsing books in a bookstore or library (that's how I interpret their problem). And currently there is nothing targeted for that experience of discovery besides Amazon, which they say isn't great for discovery.
The problem with this is that browsing books in person allows someone to pick up a book, feel its weight, see its size in relation to your body, read the copy on the front and back (and flip around inside as well, if its not shrink-wrapped). If an online discovery experience is to get anywhere near this sensory experience of looking at books in person, they need to provide images of front and back, as well as previews on the inside. For those things Amazon actually does provide those features.
I think they identified a good problem and the organization of design related books is fantastic. What a refreshing design, seriously. However I find it almost impossible to make a $60-100 purchase based on a single JPEG of the front of a book; not even a photograph actually. From a visual standpoint it's brilliant, but if you compare the experience of shopping in a bookstore with buying based on flat images, it's a far cry. But to their credit that's also a problem with the medium of purely visual and interaction based web.!Report as spam
Continued Reading
-
By Emily Engle - Sep 20
Design Consultant Emily Cohen on Understanding Your Marketable Skills and Inventing Your Own Job
The design business consultant and author of "Brutally Honest" shares how she created and navigated her own unique career path
Within the first few minutes of talking with self-proclaimed 'brutally honest' design consultant Emily Cohen, it becomes clear that she means business. Emily's knack for giving productive, actionable feedback, paired with her natural writing abilities, previous design experience and writing skills has made her an invaluable resource for creative businesses looking to figure out next steps. Through the launch of her new book, aptly titled Brutally Honest, Emily aims to make getting a look inside
-
By Core Jr - Sep 20
Wanted Design Student Winners: A Closer Look at the Team!
Meet the designers behind the winning entry "IMPRINT"
In June we told you about the WantedDesign's Design School Workshop results from this past year's NYCxDesign, and now we're introducing you to the members of the winning team! LINDA XINTell us a bit about yourself. As a second-generation Chinese-American, born in a small town in Idaho, I was constantly
-
By Core Jr - Sep 19
SVA Products of Design Announces Topics for 2018 "Open House Design Challenge"
Enter to win airfare to visit Products of Design in NYC
For its third annual, the MFA in Products of Design program at SVA has announced their Open House Design Challenge—a quick-'n-dirty design competition open to people interested in learning about the program and attending their Open House and info session in New York City on November 14th. Comments Products
-
By Allison Fonder - Sep 19
Sina Sohrab & Joseph Guerra of Visibility on Working with Clients While Preserving Your Design Identity
"The best thing you can do is make excellent work; hold yourself to the highest standards and make sure people see that work"
This interview is part of a series featuring the presenters participating in this year's Core77 Conference, "Now What? Launching & Growing Your Creative Business", a one-day event aimed to equip attendees with tangible skills and toolkits to help produce and promote their products or services. Joseph Guerra and Sina
K
{Welcome
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
K
Reset Password
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
