Photo of Shakespeare & Company by Alexandre Duret-Lutz via a Creative Commons License
As you may be able to tell from the references to rice farming in my bio, I grew up in a really small town: 5,000 people, a handful of restaurants, two grocery stores, a one-screen movie theater, and two stoplights that only operated during school hours (after I moved away they put in one that operates 24 hours – you don’t know the excitement). And it’s not like this was a suburb. The nearest town, seven miles away, had a whopping 700 people. My hometown is the biggest town in a county that’s 3/4 the size of Rhode Island.
And because it was such a small town we didn’t have a bookstore. The closest one was a tiny mall store in a town 30 miles away that was invariably staffed by surly teenagers and very rarely had what young Nathan was looking for. I got by on the books my parents had bought for my older siblings, the armfuls I’d grab when the book fair came to town, and whatever they had at the local library.
Combine this with a generally pro-future attitude and I think you’ll see why my mind continues to be blown that, thanks to the wonders of the Internet, we now have access to pretty much every book you could ever want to read. You don’t even have to talk to a bored teenager to get them.
But don’t get me wrong – I love bookstores!! Love love love. I’m eternally grateful to Bloomsbury Books in Ashland, OR for introducing me to David Eddings, I loved my pilgrimage to Elliott Bay in Seattle, and I always stop by Borderlands in San Francisco whenever I’m looking for science fiction (especially if Ripley the hairless alien cat is in). Bookstores are hugely important, and I don’t want them to go away.
Much as Mike Shatzkin recently expressed in a recent post, I’m a bit torn between my love of e-books and my love of bookstores. Selfishly, I want the best of both worlds. I want the convenience of e-books without inadvertently killing off the places that host author readings, who nurture local talent, serve as community centers, and introduce readers to authors they might not have heard about otherwise.
Opinions vary on the extent to which we can have both worlds. Shatzkin sees the conflict between e-books and bookstores as essentially zero sum, in a comment on Shatzkin’s post Kassia Krozser of Booksquare says it’s not zero sum and they can coexist provided bookstores embrace both print and digital, and independent booksellers Christin Evans and Praveen Madan recently chided the press for treating the demise of bookstores as an inevitability rather than taking a hard look at the fact that, among other things, after 15 years independent booksellers combined have a digital market share of 0.1%.
There are definitely independent stores who have embraced the Internet (Powell’s comes to mind), and if publishers are able to control uniform pricing via the agency model, bookstores may be back to competing on consumer experience rather than pricing. Is this a digital environment in which physical stores could thrive if they embraced the Internet? Or do e-books just further erode the necessity of brick and mortar stores?
I don’t pretend to know for sure. Like any consumer, I want it all. I just hope I can get it. Right now I have my feet (and put my dollars) in both worlds. I wonder if that’s enough.
Kristin Laughtin says
I think they can coexist, but I think physical bookstores are going to have to start selling e-books (in the store) as well. At least, I think this will be true in my lifetime. Farther down the road, physical bookstores will likely become rarer or at least their character will change. They may become more focused on providing hang-out or author event space, coffee shops, or as some have suggested, download centers. I can almost see them becoming some sort of elitist bohemian hang-out spot if they go too far down this path, though. (Coincidentally, I'm in library school, and a lot of people think libraries are going this way as well. The main difference I see is that libraries will still be information centers, and reference/research services will still have a place. But that's a whole other discussion.)
I don't think physical bookstores will disappear entirely in the near future because people like to browse. Yes, Amazon and Google allow for this too, but it's a different sensation from holding the book in your hands blah blah blah we've all heard this argument. But I think it's a valid point.
Linda Adams says
I go into bookstores to window shop–see what catches my eye. I can't do that on Amazon or the Sony eReader site. They just don't work that way–I have to generally know what I'm looking for when I'm going in.
Where I've been using eBooks is an author I discovered browsing in the bookstore. Cover caught my eye, book was great. It was the sixth in the series, and I figured I'd see what the bookstore had on my next visit. Then I got 17 inches of snow, and work has been closed for 2 1/2 days. The bookstore probably has a glacier for a parking lot and the library is closed, possibly to the end of the week. Since I already knew the other books were probably going to be good, I ordered them via eReader (which curiously, was missing one of the books I wanted to order, but had all the others. Who sells 1-3 and 5-7?). It turned out to be very handy.
I discover new books by cruising the bookstore.
Mary Miller says
I think bookstores and printed media in general will eventually disappear.
I love flipping paper pages and perusing the aisles of books at a bookstore.
However, I do wonder about the "green" factor of having copies and copies of books printed on paper. Isn't it more earth-friendly to have an e-reader or laptop? I get irritated with having to find a place for all my books.
That said, my husband has a Kindle and I don't like that it has no back-lighting. The price is high and that, in my opinion, is a huge factor in the staying power of paper media for the time being. How many people could afford the cost?
We had a discussion about movie theaters the other day. Would you pay $20.00 to have a new release, in theater movie, streamed into your home? I used to love getting out but all the i-phones, texting, giggling, and making-out teamed with the price of single movie ticket, let alone two, and don't forget the popcorn. Once I even had a person give a foot massage to his girlfriend who was seated next to me. No I didn't know them and yes there were lotions and creams.It makes the thought of paying $20.00 to peacefully watch a movie seem like the best idea ever.
I bring this up because the book question reminds me of the way movie watching has changed. We have ONE drive-in left in Tulsa. It started with Beta movie tapes, VHS, and then DVDs. Mom and pop movie rental places were pushed out by Blockbuster. Then Blockbuster monopolized the market until NETFLIX. Then Blockbuster tried to play catch-up. Booksellers will have to keep one step ahead of the trends.
The e-reader at this point is like the old Beta movie machine I used to rent from the video store. It cost too much for most people to buy one of their own and it was bulky. I think the e-readers, much like videos, will continue to change and become more user-friendly, portable, durable, and cheap enough for every household in the USA to own one.
Wow, are you sorry for asking your question?
heather says
I think there's room for both. I recently got an e-reader and am enjoying it quite a bit. The convenience of downloading quickly and home space saving is very attractive. However, I still like the feeling of a book in my hand and the sensation of being in a bookstore, browsing for something new and unexpected. I expect to use my e-reader a lot. But I also expect to still buy books that matter, books I'd like to see on my bookshelf.
I've been taking my kids to a local children's bookstore every week for storytime. This bookstore has become one of my kids' favorite places to go. I like that. I love how they get excited to hold a book in their hands and explore its contents. They also adore getting to meet all the authors and illustrators who come to visit. My kids know I have an e-reader and seem interested in it. But it's just not as attractive to them as a tangible book.
By the way, I used to shop Bloomsbury often when I worked in Ashland. Great shop!
Robin says
I have not yet jumped on the e-book train, but I still frequent both bookstores and the library. I buy from Amazon as well. I try to spread what little wealth I have.
And I think there there is more of a physical (tactile)connection with books than CD's so I would quibble with the analogies that compare the two. Nathan, you are too young for the album days, but that was a harder transition than CD's to downloads. Back in the days of albums, you listened to the whole thing at a time as it was harder to single out a song and just play it. Once CD's came out and it was easy to only listen to what you wanted to, the way we listened to music changed significantly.
Nick says
@Other Lisa
Nope, school library in all its shiteyness is still going strong. Local public library has gone poof. Next closest one is some half hour away. Not terrible, but not convenient.
Kat Sheridan says
So Chris Bates is planning on retiring to work in Shakespeare & Co.? Me, too!
Here's my vison of the bookstore of the future. I step into my local brick-and-morter store and browse the aisles, where single copy samples of all the latest releases are available, as well as bins of cover flats or postcards for older titles, indie presses, etc. If I still can't find what I want, I can log onto their network from any number of terminals and locate any book, anywhere. When I've made my choices, I fill out a form that's sent directly to the cashiers. That form says I'll have the latest from Bransford in print, an older title from Author Smith in the iPad format, and a title from Author Jones in the Kindle format, to be marked as a gift for my Trogolidite friend. (an email will be sent to them telling them to log on and pick it up).
When my number is called, I step up and hand over my ereader. While that's downloading, the paper copy of Bransford's book is being printed from the Espresso printer. I also order an actual espresso (skinny with a shot of caramel), and oh, that music that's playing is very nice, please add that to my handheld device as well.
I gather up my coffee, my book, and my handheld and step into the media room, where I take advantage of the free wi-fi to do research for my own latest WIP, while waiting for the real time video conference from Author X, being broadcast simultaneously to bookstores all over the country.
When that ends, the bookstore gives me a signed bookmarker from the author, and I can either download the e-version of the book immediately, or wait a few days for a special edition, signed by the author, to be delivered to my house.
Because the bookstore knows me and my taste, they can kep me apprised, through their website and e-newsletter, of upcoming releases and author events I might find interesting.
But that's just in my fanatasy world. Right?
AndrewDugas says
Bookstores need to diversify and I don't mean coffee. Events are one direction. Readings, signings, launches, maybe even creating their own imprint for local authors. Similarly, they can make space available for writing and reading groups, maybe even non-store events. Film screenings, again with a local angle, may be another offering.
Specialization is another option. I think a bookstore in a metropolitan area that specializes in Mysteries or Science Fiction or other genre with a dedicated readership has a good chance at surviving, if not succeeding.
Back to diversification…
When I lived in Brazil in the early 90s, it seemed most towns had at least one "centro cultural" that was, in effect, a small cultural mall. It might have one or two small screening rooms, a cafe/bistro, a small bookstore, and a dedicated performance space suitable for dance or small theatre. Some were connected with a language school. They were great places to hang out, especially the ones in converted mansions from the colonial era. Come for the movie, browse books while waiting for showtime, then hit the cafe after the movie for a lively discussion and a glass or three of wine.
For my fellow San Franciscans, imagine the Roxie mashed up with Adobe Books mashed up with Cafe Trieste, but all on a smaller scale.
Myrna Foster says
I hope there are room for both. I don't read e-books yet, and I'm not convinced I ever will (as long as the books I want to read are available in the old fashioned format).
I moved back to the small town I grew up in, and we still don't have a stoplight. 🙂 I'm okay with that.
And I still keep in touch with the friend from college who handed me the Belgariad and told me to read it.
Ben says
I just got my Barnes & Noble nook in the mail, and I think the B&N strategy has the best chance of preserving bookstores while also embracing eBooks. The exclusive, free content offered in-store is a great incentive to visit, as is the ability to browse through a complete eBook.
The nook is doing the best job at the moment, in my opinion, of replicating the best aspects of physical books in digital form (lending being another part of that). That's why I cast my money vote with B&N and am hoping for their success moving forward.
Dominique says
I used to go both ways on the book buying front, but now I definitely lean towards the stores. I like the browsing and going and the standing there, beverage in hand, trying to decide if page one is as good as I think it is. I certainly hope we can keep the bookstores around.
Sarah says
Have you seen this battle?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v24BqTv8v5U&feature=related
ann foxlee says
I tend to think that as long as bookstores embrace digital advances by offering e-books in their online stores (or even in their actual stores) they have nothing to fear.
Like you said, part of the appeal of bookstores is the experience of going to one.
They just have to make sure they stay relevant to a wide group of people, and that means selling books in whatever forms they are made.
ann foxlee says
But maybe I'm also biased toward bookstore viability because I live in Portland, where Powell's is based.
"Why would anyone do anything but go there for books?" I think to myself, even though I ought to remember most cities have slim pickings on bookstores
Amy says
I don't think bookstores are going completely away anytime soon, but they are going to need to adapt to stay in the game. For kids, especially young ones, who enjoy books, shopping online is not going to cut it. They enjoy the whole outing – they want to get their hands on the books before deciding what they want to buy. If I tried to tell my 7-year old I could order her book online and it will arrive in 2-3 days, she'd look at me as if I were crazy. 2 -3 days? That's a deal breaker for her. If the book I was going to order turned out not to be at the store we go to, she would prefer to choose a different book.
It's very different for adults, of course, but there's a lot bookstores can do to get people coming in. We have a lot of events at our bookstores here. And I really think Barnes & Noble is on the right track with their nook – encouraging people to bring them to the stores so that they can access more content there. In a marketplace where many consumers have trouble deciding between ereaders, I think that's a very nice value-added feature that can swing some purchases their way.
The bookstores in my area always seem to be pretty crowded. Those events – the more times people attend them, the stronger the connections they make with the store. Sure, there will always be people who are guided by price alone, but bookstores can offer a lot that online retailers cannot. Perhaps if they can try to capitalize on those strengths, they can hang around a bit longer.
AjFrey says
Here's my dream. I go to my local bookstore and purchase the newest bestseller. Inside the cover is access to the e-book. Maybe a license code so to speak. I'd even pay more for the option. No more choosing between the two. I use whichever feels better depending on where I am. I want to cuddle with the book – I own it. I want convenience – I own it. Publishers might get on board, because it is normally the bookstores that open their arms to the authors on tour. Not Amazon.com.
You know how they were afraid of the internet when mp3's were popping up. End of cd's, end of music business. Panic – stock pile water in the basement. Well, now you can download the music on iTunes, and then burn your own cd – because why – you own it. Same thing – just backwards.
No need to choose.
ryan field says
I'm hoping that the smaller bookstores, in places like DC, Philadelphia, and up on Cape Cod can figure out a way to coexist with e-books. I'd hate to see these great shops close. Provincetown wouldn't be the same without "Now Voyager" books in the east end on Commercial Street.
Dawn Simon says
I want it all, too. We still have some wonderful independent bookstores up here in Washington. I'd be so sad if they went away. I try to do most of my book shopping at our local one. Fun that you went to Elliott Bay!
Congrats on the huge amount of followers. If you start your own small town made up of followers, we should have stoplights and a bookstore! 😉
wendy says
I love real books: their beautifully bound, illustrated covers; flipping through pages; seeing them lined up on library and book shelves.
While book stores might be hit hard in the immediate timeframe, I'm sure they'll bounce back. Also, there are niche areas they will always fill with remainder book stores and those that specialise in the rare and collectables – not to mention gift books and coffee table books.
Ebooks are cool, too, and I've bought a few and hope to have my own ebook site up soon. But I believe there'll always be room for the hard books and the digital variety. And as the world population grows, there'll be more buyers to spread their dollars on both.
Btw, I'm glad you made yesterday's last comment, Nathan.
Amy says
RE: Libraries. Sadly, many libraries today are turning into daycare centers. Big cities are having them overrun with tweens that the parents don't want to hire a babysitter for but don't want them alone after school either. The distraction is huge for those that actually go there for reading.
That said, I hope they endure, as I hope small independent bookstores could have endured. Could have, because around here there are no more.
Sad.
Jane Steen says
I agree with the commenters who think that coexistence is possible. There will be fewer bookstores, perhaps, but those which remain will be the coolest places in town.
My local library is undergoing a major expansion because it was bursting at the seams. Its responsiveness to its customers, selection of new books, knowledgeable and courteous staff, wide range of media available, and numerous programs and clubs for all ages makes it a central hub for our community. I think the bookstores that survive will be the same. I would love to see the addition of used/rare book sections to bring in the real bibliophiles, more intimate spaces instead of the huge warehouse design, and a multi-purpose entertainment space that could be rented to local groups. But what makes or mars a store is the people who run it, and that's something you just can't manufacture.
Nick says
"RE: Libraries. Sadly, many libraries today are turning into daycare centers. Big cities are having them overrun with tweens that the parents don't want to hire a babysitter for but don't want them alone after school either."
Nothing wrong with that. Like I said, when I was a little bugger I practically lived at the library. Look how I turned out — writing crime fiction and with my own veritable library in my bedroom. Get the kids reading instead of just dropping them there for the day and it may well do some good.
Shelby says
I for one will be buying books a long time.
There are more like me.
Many.
I bet you are one too.
LCS249 says
Aren't the real questions:
What will e-books mean for authors?
How will they affect what authors earn"
Author income has never been that great, and as shown in these blogs, it's getting smaller:
https://jenniferonwriting.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-authors-make-money.html
https://www.genreality.net/more-on-the-reality-of-a-times-bestseller
kathrynjankowski says
Bookstores are a thing of the past in Yuba County, CA. Very sad.
annerallen says
Thanks to all the people who have hopeful things to say about coexistence. Maybe if Tower Records had sold pastries they would have survived?
Claudia says
@Katya Actually, as a result of the MP3 situation, the super-hip, personalized-service-delivering, staffed-with-smart-people CD store in my town (a very wealthy, elitist college town) did just tank. All that's left are the CD sections at B&N and Borders.
The Writing Muse says
I love going to bookstores. Perusing the books and discovering the various ways authors have told their stories inspires and excites me. The bookstore is essentially my Mother-Ship.
Bookstores aren't going anywhere.
The Editors says
1st I would like to say that this is an area where music and books are completely different. I never went to a CD store to find a new artist. I might had had a couple CDs that I wanted to look at before picking which one I got, but I could do that in a CD store, on-line or anywhere else that sells CDs. On-line was better at times for that as you could often listen to part of the songs before you bought it.
That being said, I think that there will be some book stores in the future. But, like many, I think they will have to specialize or change some to do that. I think that the grocery store may be a better example of what will happen to bookstores. When things like Super Wal-Mart’s became big, everyone thought that that was the end of small grocery only stores. But, although many stores closed after a while some learned how to survive by specializing or adding services. I live in a city where in a couple mile radius I can go to multiple supercenters stores, big box stores, discount grocery stores, traditional grocery stores and a few specialty shops. I know people that shop at a store mainly because they walk your cart out for you and will even pack your car. Our farmer's market is busy all summer long, even though they often cost more than a store because the people there are friendly and knowledgeable. And you can find and sample things you can’t get other places. Just like how at a good bookstore you can find help with picking a book, thumb thru it before you read it and it won't just be the newest bestseller or at the top of Amazon’s top selling lists.
Jenny says
I think bookstores have a lot to offer–atmosphere, probably being the biggest. Mixing coffee shops and books is almost an institution. They are meeting places for work, because they offer a certain level of respectability, and pleasure, because they are generally a calming kinda place. Same reason libraries are still in place…only for people who would like to own the books instead of paying late fees (like me–it's just cheaper to buy the darn book!). And if you have a wi-fi, a place to buy your e-books as well.
PS: My word verifiction word is
elowvqpv–I've never been so cross-eyed in my life.
Anonymous says
So, I haven't been to a bookstore in three years. I buy something from Amazon or itunes every week.
Dan says
Kat,
Every single awesome thing you fantasize about doing in the future at the bookstore, you can do right now at home.
You don't need to take your e-reader to a bookstore and have the clerk load your purchase into it. These devices connect by wireless to the cell-phone network and you can browse the BN or Amazon site on the device.
If you want to buy a new book and load it onto the e-reader, you don't even have to get out of bed.
Eva says
It makes me sad to think bookstores could vanish. There is no feeling like scanning the shelves and stumbling upon an enticing book, begging to be read.
Dan says
Personally, I don't think e-books will ever replace books, because the e-book offers very few advantages to the reader.
The price difference is shrinking, you can't loan out, swap or sell an e-book, and the e-reader experience, is at best comparable and generally inferior to reading a paper book.
E-ink devices have a screen that is easy to read and the battery life is so long that power consumption is rarely an issue. But they are expensive devices that serve a single purpose.
Tablet computers are just stripped-down laptops. If you don't want to read a book on your PC, you won't want to read a book on an iPad. Apple is only relevant as a stick to beat Amazon with. This is not a device for readers.
Paper books are cheap, portable, durable and disposable. Most people have no reason to replace them with fragile, expensive electronics.
And even if e-readers really improved people's lives, it's very difficult to achieve universal adoption, even of very good technology.
There were a whole lot of people updating rabbit-ear television receivers for the digital switch last year, high-speed internet is in fewer than half of US households, and there are a lot of people who don't even have cell phones. It is highly unlikely that readers will be willing to replace books with computer screens, and highly unlikely that dedicated e-ink devices will gain high rates of adoption.
psikeyhackr says
You don't even bring up the issue of Zombie Authors.
I started reading sci-fi before there was a Star Trek. But a few years ago I bought 5 paperbacks in a brick and mortar store on the basis of reviews on the net. I couldn't stand any of them.
I decided it made more sense to wade thru sci-fi in Project Gutenberg than try to judge SF on the basis of today's tastes. These people like Harry Potter!
But how do ebooks for sale compete with FREE e-books? I like bookstores too. But I bought lots of books I didn't like. Why don't we have a more standardized method of reviewing after all of these decades? If all they give is number of stars how do you evaluate the SCIENCE in a science fiction book.
Oh yeah, readers don't want science these days.
Nic says
Hi,
I think they could co-exist. The one thing i'm worried about is DRM so will still buy books plus i prefer reading paper.
In the ideal world, publishers would sell, a paper copy with the digital version. So that if you spill coffee/read it too many times on the paper version or the ebook gets corrupted then you still have another version which you don't have to buy again.
The trouble with music is/was that people tend to listen to it through a computer of some kind so iTunes was/is just easier – you don't go to a record shop to "hang out" which you can in a bookstore.
I don't see the ebook being as successful as mp3 downloads.
Mel says
I write for other people all the time and am constantly looking at a screen. Eyestrain becomes a problem. To relax, I like a book … the look of it, the feel of it … sometimes even the smell of it. If I'm on a desert island (or just travelling somewhere), I'd want my e-books – easier to transport … otherwise, I need bookstores. They are a wonderland I can take a walk in and explore to my heart's content. Can they co-exist with e-books? For sure and folk like me need them.
Linguista says
Nathan, I know what you mean! I love bookstores. I love being in a Borders, sitting on the floor, with a stack of books around me.
I'm guessin g bookstores will take a hit, but some of the big chains should stick around, especially Barnes and Noble, sicne they got the Nook. We might have to travel a little farther to get there though 🙁
Anonymous says
I hate Amazon cuz they keep trying to place cookies on your e-mail. Give me a bookstore any day…What will happen to book signings without author appearances in book shops? How in heck do you autograph a Kindle or a Nook?? Writers are isolated enough as it is–we need places like B&N and Borders.
howdidyougetthere says
If movie theaters can survive in an age of high tech TVs, DVDs and even online rentals, then so can book stores.
We are social creatures – even writers. I go to bookstores to physically be around the books, and see others doing the same, even if they are sitting behind computers or a cup o' Joe.
As Steve Mirsky said on a Scientific American podcast, and I'm paraphrasing – sorry Steve, I'm too lazy to look it up – as long as sports fans will sit in below freezing weather to watch a game they can't even see, (or could see better at home from their TVs) then there's hope.
Someone will come up with the right formula. They will build it, and we will come.
Kristi
Rick Daley says
I love bookstores. I have yet to embrace the e-book, but I do understand that resistance is futile.
I wonder if things like author readings could actually help the bookstores compete, providing an attraction that you can't get electronically. Sure, you could listen to a podcast, but that doesn't mean you can shake the author's hand, chat with them, or get them to sign your book.
BTW…have you ever gotten an autographed copy of an e-book?
Mary Miller says
Let's not forget the bottom line with all storefront businesses – dollar, dollar bills y'all.
Is there enough of a profit margin after paying employees, utilities, rent, etc.? They have to sell a lot of lattes and books to cover their overhead. Will that be possible after taking a hit from electronic readers.
I am curious – do bookstores have to pay authors for visits and book signings? I know schools do.
Malia Sutton says
Small bookstores have been slowly going out of business for a long time now. And this had more to do with paying high rent and trying to compete with large chains than it has to do with e-books.
But now, with e-book sales growing in numbers, and people buying online, I don't see how small bookstores will be able to survive. But this has happened to other businesses too. It's not just bookstores. Video stores, small clothing stores, and other businesses that used to thrive just aren't viable anymore.
So I don't think it's about books as much as it is about consumer buying habits across the board.
Anonymous says
"BTW…have you ever gotten an autographed copy of an e-book?"
I send complimentary copies of my e-books to fans all the time with my electronic signature. And to people who read e-books, this is just as good as pen and ink.
Scott says
If there are still places to buy vinyl and CDs in an age where technology has dramatically changed the listening experience, than I think bookstores will continue to exist in an age where technology has not done the same for the reading experience.
My local Borders just opened a sizable YA section in the CENTER of the floor. They see what's going on and are annexing to the culture with a physical presence.
If e-books help grow the reading culture, there will be a need for people to gather somewhere. Judging by it being harder than ever to get a table to look through books and have a mocha latte, I see something growing, not eroding.
Ma and Pa stores may have to find a way to position themselves as singular experiences outside of book buying, but I still see e-books supporting a culture that will want to step outside their solitary experience for a few hours. Creating a place to discuss books, interact with authors, and continue to diversify with auxiliary products could be the publishing wave of the future––and the future of publisher marketing.
Anonymous says
I think there will always be a few quirky little places on the fringes, where a small segment of artistic types will want to gather. And the people who own these little places will have a trust fund, or a wealthy partner who needs a good tax deduction, or some other source of income that pays the rent.
But I don't see it happening in the mainstream. And in order to own a viable business that makes a profit, large or small, you need the mainstream consumer to survive, because the artistic types, who are not the biggest spenders, aren't going to put food on the table.
Carolyn says
You know what I want from a bookstore? I want to walk in with my iPhone (or whatever devise the future provides that is awesome and cool) and browse covers and maybe a few pages (physical bookshelves with digital displays?) Or even just the hard paper. But if I want, I can buy a digital copy — from the store.
AND if I have a dig. book that I loved and I want to walk into a book store and use their Espresso machine to print off a hard copy for me.
Getting a backlist title should be easy not, order it and wait 12 weeks or pay $50 for a used copy. If Google Books ever gets settled, I want bookstores hooked up so I can get a physical copy as I'm browsing or searching the store.
Ishta Mercurio says
Nathan, your comment about "competing on customer experience" brings to mind my local bookstore – which is not a small independent bookstore, but is the only bookstore in my city. They are renovating a quarter of their store and turning it into a children's area, complete with not only children's books, but toys, games, play tables, dress-up clothes, and the like. From what I can tell, books will take up a fairly small portion of this new "children's section", which saddens me, but which I take as a sign that in order to coexist with the electronic marketplace, bookstores are having to evolve.
Anonymous says
Chapters/Indigo in Canada has done a great job of keeping up both. I love their stores and can also buy e-books/traditional books online. It's not an independent store by any means, but for a major company, it seems to be very well run. I've heard it's doing well even in this economy. It allows me to avoid Amazon (and has way better customer service and shipping). I honestly feel lucky to have Chapters in Canada–I order online and go there far too often. 🙂
It just seems like a great business model to me.
Kathryn Magendie says
I'm still picturing you as that young boy/young man in that small town waiting for the book fair *smiling*
I'm old enough to remember bookmobiles – do they even still have those?