Audiobooks News

Audio Book Rentals

January 19th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed

Audio book sales have been rising steadily for some time and continue to do so. People are realising the multitasking potential of audio books. Put an audio book in your cd or mp3 player and you can be learning about business, enjoying a novel or learning a language - whilst you get on with jobs around the house or travel to and from work. Public libraries have been making audio books available for some time, often free of charge. However your local library’s selection of titles is bound to be limited, they may not have the audio books you want and if they have there may be a waiting list. For these reasons, whilst audio books are freely available in libraries, there is a strong public demand for audio book rental services.

Where can I Rent Audio Books Online?

The worlwide increase in online shopping has resulted in a multitude of online shops. More are added each day and it can become confusing to try and navigate through the sea of businesses who offer products to consumers. Who has the best price? Which companies are trustworthy? Who has the best quality product? These questions and more can bog down the consumer in the quagmire of promotional advertisements and promises. Several web sites are available to help the online shopper sort through the maze. Amazon, bizrate, cNet, price grabber, nex tag and shopping.com offer price comparisons and reviews by other customers. They can also provide links to informational articles related to the product of interest.

Some popular audio book rental companies are: booksfree.com and jigger.com. The use of your preferred search engine will also return many more options. Most audio book rental companies are similar, so choosing a company may come down to the proximity of the business to your home, the number of selections available or the availability of the staff for help if needed.

Advantages of Audio Book Rental

The benefits of audio book rentals are the ease of use, affordability, wide selections, and you can shop at whatever time of day you like. Most companies put your selections in the mail and you simply return them when the specified time allowance is up. Some companies allow you to keep a limited number of selections as long as you want but you must return these items before choosing new titles to be sent out.

Disadvantages of Audio Book Rental

The drawbacks to audio book rentals are possible late fees, possible technical difficulties with the web site and paying the monthly fee even if you have made no selections for a period of time. You must use the service regularly to get your money’s worth. Reading the terms of service and making sure you understand how the process works is vital to a good audio book rental experience. Check the company’s web site for frequently asked questions or utilize the help desk to clarify any lingering questions.

Dangers of Shopping Online

There are risks to shopping online and the same risks apply to renting audio books online. Identity theft, unknown companies, technical problems, computer and server crashes and the lack of personal interaction all pose potential difficulties for the online audio book renter. You can minimize these risks by doing some research on safe internet shopping practices and researching a company before doing business with them.
Audio book rental can be a rewarding experience for the busy book lover and the majority of businesses are reputable but, as with all online shopping, the usual caution is advised.