Several reasons.  

It’s common practice In media these days to include a digital copy when selling a physical one.  The excuse that it’s like buying multiple books is Disingenuous.  I didn’t get multiple copies of Fury Road or the Harry Potter books.  I got the option to use the same information I purchased previously on a different device.  Even some of my student’s textbooks come with a digital copy.  

Its bad for LGSs and by extension me.  Part of the services I render is to function like an advertisement for them.  Show up, have fun, but your own books and dice. I like to believe “supporting the little guy” is something people in general try to do, but it’s simply not true.  I can’t sell a physical book to someone who already has the digital copy.  The average person isn’t like me and doesn’t have the use or utility for both. Especially since the younger crowd gravitates toward digital content anyway.  We (being the stores) don’t make money when a person purchase material (which is cheaper) on DND beyond.  While I want to support the community in general my service is only worth a store to pay for if it’s got potential to move product.   When the company that produces a product has no interest in supporting the product in general it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.  If you got at least a good discount on the digital copy it wouldn’t make the physical books such a tough sell now.  

In the long term companies want to go more more digital with media because it’s becoming cheaper and cheaper to produce.  It’s hard to argue against this.  

The vast majority of the books were purchased before DnD beyond was in existence.  It didn’t matter then. Now, if I’m going to use DND beyond for future purchases how am I supposed to tell a person they should buy a physical book.  I’m no hyporcite.  So if I want to have access to the app for character builds to stream line building for new players I’m forced to buy two books at a time.  

Im not trying to get credit for books I purchased before the service launched.  I’m saying that books sold after the launch should get you something.  It’s hard to support a company continuously that makes excuses for not supporting the businesses that made them what they are.  WotC wouldn’t be in the place they are without small businesses that were willing to give their games a forum to be played in.  Selling a product that directly undermines those same venues is troubling at least to me.  

Then again I’m old and possibly starting to see what I knew of the world getting left behind.  

*edit* I forgot to mention how I felt about buying the additional books.  Not bad, because I can hand them over to players for quick references or for help with large groups.  They were also all purchased at an LGS and I don’t ever mind the support that offers to both them and To WotC. 

I am just going to leave this here:

https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/general-discussion/6230-d-d-beyond-vs-physical-books-an-explanation?comment=697

It might actually not be worth anything to you, but it is a really good and informative watch.

[Redacted]  It absolutely is double dipping 

So my question is, is there a redemption code in the physical book to redeem online? I only ask because I have the players handbook which I love so that I can quickly reference the book, but I also love using the online character builder. So right now I am playing a rogue that uses the arcane trickster archetype but without buying the book online I have to keep a separate piece of paper with my spells on it. I have tried just having the rogue then sub-classing into sorcerer since that's the class I am suppose to grab my spells from, but even then it will not let me access most of the spells I want to use, once again, without the player handbook purchase.

Quote from Batcat2101 >>

So my question is, is there a redemption code in the physical book to redeem online? I only ask because I have the players handbook which I love so that I can quickly reference the book, but I also love using the online character builder. So right now I am playing a rogue that uses the arcane trickster archetype but without buying the book online I have to keep a separate piece of paper with my spells on it. I have tried just having the rogue then sub-classing into sorcerer since that's the class I am suppose to grab my spells from, but even then it will not let me access most of the spells I want to use, once again, without the player handbook purchase.

 1) Please don't necro threads

2) No, there's not a way to redeem print books. DDB is a completely different company than Wizards of the Coast; they have to pay licensing fees to Wizards and cover the costs of providing the site, tools, etc.

3) arcane tricksters do not use the sorcerer's spell list, they use a limited version of the wizard spell list.

If you want to use the site for your character sheet, my suggestion is to simply purchase the elements you need:  the arcane trickster subclass, and any spells your arcane trickster chooses that aren't part of the free rules.  Any individual purchases you make for elements from the PHB are credited toward the purchase price of the PHB here.

(Disclaimer! i'm new to this dnd thing and haven't bought anything yet) i'm curious about this redeem a key thing. lets say i buy an irl copy of the book. will that also have a redeem a key code for me to use, or do i need to buy a digital copy as well as the physical copy to have a digital and physical copy of the book?

Quote from daplayzmc07 >>

(Disclaimer! i'm new to this dnd thing and haven't bought anything yet) i'm curious about this redeem a key thing. lets say i buy an irl copy of the book. will that also have a redeem a key code for me to use, or do i need to buy a digital copy as well as the physical copy to have a digital and physical copy of the book?

So far, the only physical D&D 5e product that is guaranteed to come with a digital code is the Essentials Kit. As far as I know, that is only instance where the Redeem a Key feature is actually used.

awww, ok then. well ill just only buy digital here and not waste my time then.

Quote from daplayzmc07 >>

awww, ok then. well ill just only buy digital here and not waste my time then.

The physical Starter Kit and Essentials Kit are pretty neat though. Both got dice, character sheets, maps, and booklets. It is pretty good if you want to run a short campaign with new players and you do not want to worry about spotty internet connections or cellphones running out of batteries.

For pure value, I think the physical Essentials Kit is best since it comes with a code, and you can redeem the entire thing for free on Beyond here. If you just buy the Essentials Kit on here though, you do not get the physical stuff. If there is one thing you are going to buy for D&D, I would say the physical Essentials Kit tops the list.

The Starter Kit does not have a code for redeeming its digital version, but I think it is still pretty nice overall.

I think both physical boxes retail around $20 or $25, so it is pretty cheap in my opinion.

The physical  Essentials Kit also has  code to purchase here the Player's handbook at 50%. Although the adventure in the Start kit is better, I think the Essential kit has better value if you plan to use DnD Beyond.