I think you’ve got it backwards. They became specialty stores in the first place because they couldn’t compete in the bestseller retail market.
This is true. The standard discount for books is 40%. Large chains can negotiate 50% discounts on bestsellers. Walmart or Amazon can negotiate 55%.
Independent bookstores have a choice. They can stock at standard price and be uncompetitive or they can lose money on every bestseller they sell by matching Walmart prices. Either way is unlikely to get them enough extra business to overcome this loss the way a Walmart can use a bestseller as a loss leader. Their audience is not a bestseller audience. People who go to small independent booksellers that pride themselves on selection hate bestsellers. (Even if they occasionally buy them.) It doesn’t work any more than would a gourmet restaurant putting in some McDonald’s burgers because they have wider appeal.
Of course the speicality bookstores exist primarily beacuse the fill a niche, providing wider selection than a Borders or B&N can. However, with the advent of Amazon and now eBooks with instant delivery, it isn’t a problem finding any book you want.
BTW, I would say I have probaby bought just as many clunkers by browsing as I have gems.
I think, though, that the small specialty bookstores are the booksellers that Amazon is relying on to supply the niche books.
For those niche bookstores, participating with Amazon may have been a boon to their buiness – it opened up a new customer market for them. Borders going under could help ease some of the pressure on their brick-and-mortar sales, too.
Probably no consolation for the niche booksellers who haven’t hooked up with Amazon, though…
Traditionally I’ve been so cheap that I’d rather buy 10 or 20 used paperbacks (often from the 1970s) than one new hardback novel. I almost never buy a hardback even at the discount price and instead wait for the paperback if I do buy new. So I’m exactly the kind of person driving bookstores (except for used ones) into the ground. And I haven’t bought any used books since I moved, partially because I haven’t actually found any used book stores (though I know they’re around) and partially because the library system here is quite good and I have too many books to begin with.
I’m not thinking of specialty bookstores, like feminist or mystery bookstores. I’m thinking of independently owned general bookstores that go deep in odd areas. Remember, for a store to be successful, they actually have to sell the products on the shelves.
And they have to have products on the shelves in the first place. If I go into a bookstore and wander around for an hour, and I walk out without buying anything, that means that either everything is way, way overpriced, or else there’s nothing that interests me. I don’t want the latest Twilight saga, or whatever Anne Rice has last vomited forth. I can usually find SOMETHING that I want. But I’m not going to buy hardbacks or trade paperbacks unless I really, really like the author. I simply don’t have the room, and I don’t want to spend the extra bucks on a larger edition, and I find books larger than standard paperbacks to be unwieldy.
It seems that the chain B&M bookstores have forgotten that their ideal customers are avid readers. Sure, the games and puzzles are fun, and there’s probably a lot of readers who really enjoy them. I know I do. But the past few times I’ve gone into a chain B&M bookstore, all I see are racks of bestsellers, which I can buy at Target at a discount without needing a loyalty card. What I rarely see are books that Target isn’t likely to carry. I went into the bookstores because I wanted a book, that day. I didn’t want to order a book, I can do that at home.
Lady, you’re singin’ my tune. I became so tired of hearing “we can order it for you” that I stopped going to bookstores altogether. Now I just cut to the chase and order from Amazon, which has lower prices anyway. And if they have the book in Kindle format I still get to satisfy my craving for immediate gratification without leaving the house.
The one thing I don’t understand is the “overpriced” complaint. Except for new bestsellers and remainder items, books, unlike other consumer items have a specific price. It’s even gasp printed on the back cover. And while you might find used copies cheaper online, you won’t generally find cheaper at another real live bookstore. And even online, new copies are comparative in price when you factor in shipping.
My personal gripe is the fondness for trade paperbacks to hike up costs. If I want to read a book for low cost, I’m gonna seek out the regular paperback. There’s really just no point in transitioning from a hardback to a trade paperback. The people who really want to read it despite cost are gonna buy the hardback. The people who are waiting for a cost effective measure are gonna wait for the regular paperback. Who is going to bother with trade paperbacks other than people with vision issues? This is especially annoying with classic works from decades ago.
I guess there must be a market, or else it wouldn’t happen, but I can’t fathom it.
When Borders first opened near me several years ago, I couldn’t go into the place without staggering out, arms laden and wallet lighter by at least $150. I can’t remember the last time I bought a book there.
If I know exactly what I want, I find the best price on booko. If I want to browse, I go to Dymocks in Town or Abbeys. I don’t know what Borders has done but they haven’t been a browseable store for ages. The stock is just woeful.
It’s been explained a couple of times already, but (at least in this part of the world), the RRP is 25-35% higher than what places like Big W and K-mart are actually charging for the book. It’s like the literary equivalent of the advertised price of a car- theoretically it’s The Price, but really, it’s always cheaper if you do even a modicum of legwork.
Incidentally, Borders (and Angus & Robertson) in Australia have announced that if you want to use one of their gift cards, you have to spend twice the value of the card to redeem it- thus, (as per the example in the linked article) if you have a $25 Gift Card, you’ve got to buy $50 worth of stuff to redeem the card.
I’m not sure how that works from a legal perspective (ie if they’re actually allowed to do that) but effectively devaluing your gift cards by 50% is… not an encouraging thing to be be doing.
I knew I should’ve used my $50 gift card in January. Doggone thing.
I wasn’t shocked our local (non-Borders) bookstore disappeared. I was told almost every time I asked for something that they “didn’t have any demand for that”. After they told me that about the new Pratchett, I stopped going there at all. No demand? Umm, helloooo What am I? Chopped liver?
Yes and even worse, as I posted upthread, I couldn’t even order from home, and have it shipped for free to the bookstore, so that when I was spending *other *money there, it was convenient for me to pick up.
We have a local bookstore that is doing great. Maybe it’s because they actually seem to like selling bestsellers. They also bring in a lot of authors to read and sign books including big names. Their only recent problem was somebody embezzled $150k from them over 10 years.
Every independent store is seeking out its own market, even if it doesn’t specify any particular specialty on the sign. There haven’t been a lot of general independent bookstores since the 1990s, really, when Barnes & Noble and Borders captured the general bookstore market.
I prefer trade paperbacks to hardbacks, and I have no vision issues. For me, a hardback is something that looks good on a shelf, but a trade paperback or a regular paperback feels a lot better in my hands.
I don’t really think this is the case at all. I’ve discovered tons of books I wouldn’t have read from these message boards alone. I think the chance for random discovery is still there, but just different. I can understand the anxiety over it, so I’m not calling your viewpoint into question, just trying to point out a more optimistic possibility.
I actually fear the loss of libraries more, but that’s a whole other topic.
Since I do a bunch of reading while commuting via bus & light rail, I generally prefer the mass market (“regular”) paperbacks. They fit into my purse much more neatly.
Reading hardcovers in bed is uncomfortable too.
I believe their intention is, that if you want to redeem a $25 gift card, you will also need to buy $25 additional goods with actual cash. But you still get the $25 value of your gift card.
However, that article is poorly written, and so difficult to grok.
In the states, at least, I’m fairly sure several states have passed laws that would restrict such gift card shennanigans.