Quote:
Originally Posted by Hellmark
Because those have been killed off in most areas? Many people are now choosing between the corporate book store, and the corporate webpage, and mourn the bookstore because nothing remains.
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I'd love to say, "oh, now that Borders is closing and B&N is shaky, the little bookstores will come back." But I'm not sure that's true; I'm trying to think what a small bookstore can offer to compete with Amazon and coming up almost blank.
Used paperbacks at half cover price, perhaps, which are cheaper than Amazon's standard penny-plus-shipping cost. But I don't think that's enough to sustain a store. Locally-preferred niche out-of-print books that are overpriced at Amazon. Nonbooks tailored to the local community--espresso shop, internet cafe, tchotchkes and small gifts--but those are all moving away from "bookstore."
Other than specializing in certain used books--rare, hard-to-find books or signed author copies, with a side order of dollar books (which take up rack or table space like crazy, so rent would have to be cheap), I can't think of a sustainable business model for pbooks. Especially new ones. I expect that in some places, a small bookstore could do well--it doesn't take too many customers who prefer not to shop online. But it would take the lucky coincidence of finding those customers in the local area.