Who killed the bookstore?

Xiaopangzi · 03-15-2011, 05:34 PM

Insightful and enjoyable read:

Who killed the bookstore? A Fairview attorney, and his Kindle

Nyssa · 03-15-2011, 06:30 PM

Me in a nutshell....almost. The exception: I do still think that paper books are for readers. I do not see myself abandoning them altogether.

pietrocrazy · 03-15-2011, 06:47 PM

Quite premature, since bookstores aren't actually dead yet (and I doubt they ever will be). They're suffering now, to be sure, but so are a lot of businesses nowadays. I don't think there's enough evidence now to attribute it to ereaders.

faithbw · 03-15-2011, 08:01 PM

Quote:

I browse the aisles, grab a cup at the coffee shop, and make mental notes of new and interesting titles. Then I go home and see what I can get on my Kindle. I love bookstores for the experience they offer, but I don't really want to buy my books in them.

This has probably hurt bookstores more than anything. It's not the Kindle itself that is hurting bookstores but the fact that you can get cheaper books at places like Amazon, Half.com, etc. People just aren't getting books from bookstores. They like the experience of the bookstore but not buying books from bookstores. E-Books are just helping to speed up the process.

I admit that when I first heard about the trouble Borders and to a lesser extent, Barnes & Noble were having, I was sad. Now, however, I think I'm resigned to it. I still don't buy from Amazon and I won't buy a Kindle. However, if the Borders near me goes belly up, I'll just go to Barnes & Noble and buy e-Books. If both chains get greatly reduced or even go away, I suppose it'll be poetic justice for what they did to the independents anyway. *shrugs*

carld · 03-15-2011, 08:15 PM

I see a lot of myself in this article. I too will mourn bookstores when they're gone, even though I not longer use them.

wyndslash · 03-15-2011, 08:21 PM

well, i would think that bookstores may evolve to make room for these changes. tbh, the world's resources are not unlimited, and if there is any way to help trees, i would take that route. we buy our bond paper from sellers who farm their own trees.

Andrew H. · 03-15-2011, 08:30 PM

E-readers didn't kill Borders. Amazon killed Borders. Just like Borders killed mall bookstores and mall bookstores killed independent bookstores (except for the few that survived to be killed by Borders). Borders (and to a lesser extent B&N) have been bleeding for a long time.

covingtoncat73 · 03-15-2011, 08:30 PM

That was a fun article. I'm new to eReading and have a Kobo, not a Kindle, so I'm not really like the writer. I haven't been purchasing as many books as I used to for several reasons. One of these is that I've had a grown-up job with a long commute for almost 6 years now and, before that, I had a job and grad school. But it isn't even that so much. I discovered the Internet and audiobooks, which may or may not count in this equation, and became addicted to both so I spend much, much less time reading.

That is why I got an eReader, actually. I have hopes it will get me away from multitasking so much and get me away from the computer screen. I grew up loving to read. This carried into my early adulthood. I still read 2-4 books in a week when I am on vacation at a cousin's in Cambridge, MA. I love the Harvard bookstore. When I am on vacation, I am less worried about what I should be doing in the way of errands, housecleaning, or yardwork. Also, I don't bring my computer with me.

Anway, I think bookstores are in trouble for several reasons and eReaders are the least of those, though they do play a part. People spend time on the Internet they used to spend reading. Amazon is cheaper than bookstores and the economy has been bad for a couple of years. Books are a bit of a luxury. If you're a reader and you're hurting financially, you can go to the library.

And if my neighbor doesn't return my beautiful, hardcover edition of Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book, I am not going to be happy.

amward · 03-15-2011, 08:48 PM

Interesting article which says it all. I too love bookstores and love browsing them, but it's the reading experience that I'm after. I have always used my local library to feed my habit, could never afford to buy pbooks to do it, and generally don't want to keep a book after I've read it any way. The exception is a book on some activity or hobby that I pursue, than I'll buy the book because I know I want to use it often and it probably has big colour pictures that I want too. Unless the ereader is as big as a book it won't be able to display pictures as well as a pbook and that would defeat the purpose for me, which is to have lots of books in a small device. I'm also unconvinced that it's ebooks which are hurting bookshops, it's the availability of cheap pbooks on line that's having the biggest effect, at least where I live. And I still use the library a lot too, that's not just cheap it's free.

FastPop · 03-16-2011, 04:42 AM

We will always have bookstores and libraries. It's form and format will just change.

JeremyR · 03-16-2011, 05:14 AM

Stephen King!

I'm actually somewhat serious. Once books moved to the Blockbuster model, where only a handful of book titles make up most of the book sales, bookstores became largely irrelevant.

Really, I think it was that ruling about taxes and back stock that moved books to this model. They just couldn't afford to keep a large catalog in print any more. So they didn't. So why go to a bookstore if the selection is terrible? As same as you'd find in a Target or Wal-mart or even a grocery store?

kennyc · 03-16-2011, 06:10 AM

I love Amazon.

wyndslash · 03-16-2011, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

I love Amazon.

same here. i just don't love the additional $2

someone suggested that they wished that "free" delivery by whispernet should have been optional to avoid the $2 for those using the kindle wifi or other devices. i agree

tubemonkey · 03-16-2011, 07:53 AM

Haven't set foot in a bookstore since the 90's. Don't see any need for them to even exist anymore.

Long live the Net

mldavis2 · 03-16-2011, 08:13 AM

For me, there are two types of books -- those that you want to keep for display in a bookshelf or coffee table, and loan to friends in exchange for their loaners; and those disposable, quick-reads for fun that you never care to read again. Most of my reading material is devoid of pictures, so screen size is a non-issue, and when it is, my big 24" computer monitor suffices quite well.

I do not have a Borders or Barnes & Noble within 75 miles of me, so I won't miss them.

03-15-2011, 05:34 PM	#1
Xiaopangzi Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 16912 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: kindle k3, prs-t2	Who killed the bookstore? Insightful and enjoyable read: Who killed the bookstore? A Fairview attorney, and his Kindle

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03-15-2011, 06:30 PM	#2
Nyssa Series Addict Posts: 6,180 Karma: 167189477 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Florida, USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite (2nd Gen)	Me in a nutshell....almost. The exception: I do still think that paper books are for readers. I do not see myself abandoning them altogether.

03-15-2011, 06:47 PM	#3
pietrocrazy Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 706 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle	Quite premature, since bookstores aren't actually dead yet (and I doubt they ever will be). They're suffering now, to be sure, but so are a lot of businesses nowadays. I don't think there's enough evidence now to attribute it to ereaders.

03-15-2011, 08:15 PM	#5
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I see a lot of myself in this article. I too will mourn bookstores when they're gone, even though I not longer use them.

03-15-2011, 08:21 PM	#6
wyndslash Wizard Posts: 2,951 Karma: 3000001 Join Date: Feb 2011 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Kindle Fire	well, i would think that bookstores may evolve to make room for these changes. tbh, the world's resources are not unlimited, and if there is any way to help trees, i would take that route. we buy our bond paper from sellers who farm their own trees.

03-15-2011, 08:30 PM	#7
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	E-readers didn't kill Borders. Amazon killed Borders. Just like Borders killed mall bookstores and mall bookstores killed independent bookstores (except for the few that survived to be killed by Borders). Borders (and to a lesser extent B&N) have been bleeding for a long time.

03-15-2011, 08:30 PM	#8
covingtoncat73 Wizard Posts: 2,745 Karma: 83407757 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Lenovo Duet Chromebook, Moto e	That was a fun article. I'm new to eReading and have a Kobo, not a Kindle, so I'm not really like the writer. I haven't been purchasing as many books as I used to for several reasons. One of these is that I've had a grown-up job with a long commute for almost 6 years now and, before that, I had a job and grad school. But it isn't even that so much. I discovered the Internet and audiobooks, which may or may not count in this equation, and became addicted to both so I spend much, much less time reading. That is why I got an eReader, actually. I have hopes it will get me away from multitasking so much and get me away from the computer screen. I grew up loving to read. This carried into my early adulthood. I still read 2-4 books in a week when I am on vacation at a cousin's in Cambridge, MA. I love the Harvard bookstore. When I am on vacation, I am less worried about what I should be doing in the way of errands, housecleaning, or yardwork. Also, I don't bring my computer with me. Anway, I think bookstores are in trouble for several reasons and eReaders are the least of those, though they do play a part. People spend time on the Internet they used to spend reading. Amazon is cheaper than bookstores and the economy has been bad for a couple of years. Books are a bit of a luxury. If you're a reader and you're hurting financially, you can go to the library. And if my neighbor doesn't return my beautiful, hardcover edition of Neil Gaiman's Graveyard Book, I am not going to be happy.

03-15-2011, 08:48 PM	#9
amward Wizard Posts: 1,299 Karma: 2081110 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SW Australia Device: Eco Eclipse, Sony PRS 350 (pink), Ipod Touch, Kindle Touch	Interesting article which says it all. I too love bookstores and love browsing them, but it's the reading experience that I'm after. I have always used my local library to feed my habit, could never afford to buy pbooks to do it, and generally don't want to keep a book after I've read it any way. The exception is a book on some activity or hobby that I pursue, than I'll buy the book because I know I want to use it often and it probably has big colour pictures that I want too. Unless the ereader is as big as a book it won't be able to display pictures as well as a pbook and that would defeat the purpose for me, which is to have lots of books in a small device. I'm also unconvinced that it's ebooks which are hurting bookshops, it's the availability of cheap pbooks on line that's having the biggest effect, at least where I live. And I still use the library a lot too, that's not just cheap it's free.

03-16-2011, 04:42 AM	#10
FastPop Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	We will always have bookstores and libraries. It's form and format will just change.

03-16-2011, 05:14 AM	#11
JeremyR Guru Posts: 973 Karma: 2458402 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: St. Louis Device: Kindle Keyboard, Nook HD+	Stephen King! I'm actually somewhat serious. Once books moved to the Blockbuster model, where only a handful of book titles make up most of the book sales, bookstores became largely irrelevant. Really, I think it was that ruling about taxes and back stock that moved books to this model. They just couldn't afford to keep a large catalog in print any more. So they didn't. So why go to a bookstore if the selection is terrible? As same as you'd find in a Target or Wal-mart or even a grocery store?

03-16-2011, 06:10 AM	#12
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I love Amazon.

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03-16-2011, 07:53 AM	#14
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,476 Karma: 158151390 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Haven't set foot in a bookstore since the 90's. Don't see any need for them to even exist anymore. Long live the Net

03-16-2011, 08:13 AM	#15
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	For me, there are two types of books -- those that you want to keep for display in a bookshelf or coffee table, and loan to friends in exchange for their loaners; and those disposable, quick-reads for fun that you never care to read again. Most of my reading material is devoid of pictures, so screen size is a non-issue, and when it is, my big 24" computer monitor suffices quite well. I do not have a Borders or Barnes & Noble within 75 miles of me, so I won't miss them.