Can I be enticed to impulsively buy books?

Is this a trick question?

Of course.

Why? Because I’m a reader.

I love reading. I love escaping to a world inside my head, aided and guided by the imagination of a skilled author. I love learning about people and places, and reading fiction is an easy way to learn (which is one of the reasons I dislike fiction that isn’t factually accurate).

The best way to entice me to impulse buy a book or books is to have a sales. Authors rave about those BookBub ads for a reason: because people like me buy the books. It’s hard to pass up a 99 cent book that’s on my wish list!

Another way to get me to buy a book is for the author to write a great book, and for a trusted friend to recommend that book to me. This could be in person, or through a book review.

The final great way to entice me to impulse buy a book is to have a paper copy on sale at a writing conference. I especially like the Omega Writer’s Conference in Australia, where the bookstall has been known to offer to post our purchases for us, so we don’t have to worry about annoying details like weight limits on flights.

But all these enticements only work if I like the look and sound of the book.

This means having an eye-catching cover, an intriguing title, and compelling back cover copy. A killer first line is also a help, especially if I’m flicking through a paper copy. And, of course, the price has to be right. I’m not prepared to pay more than about USD 5.99 for an ebook (and I’m a sucker for 99 cent ebooks), but I will pay NZD 25 to NZD 30 for a paperback … especially if it’s a book I’ve worked on.

What about you? Can you be enticed to impulsively buy books?