It's quite interesting. The service aspect (providing advice, a community, and a forum for author readings) has been a staple of the independent sector forever, but I noticed a few of the callers mention that they're also linking their store to ebook purchases, either through Google or their own website. That's a smart move - there's no reason they can't continue to provide the same service for ebooks that they do for physical books.
Independent shops with a dedication to service that are in the right area still have a chance. Though it's sad to see comments about people using their phones
in store to see if they can get something cheaper on Amazon - if you're going to exploit the service these shops offer, at least step outside to do it
.