Quote:
Originally Posted by T.D.02809
This news is disappointing if indeed B&N fails.
What does it take to be successful or at least functional bookstore today?
I visit the only local B&N weekly, sometimes more than once a week.
There were 2 Borders and another B&N last year at this time, now no more!
Electronic tech is indeed the future I have accepted with reluctance. My Kindle 3 has become indispensable now. YET I still go to a brick and mortar store. Why? Because I enjoy the browsing, discovering new titles and new authors and new magazines and newspapers!
How else would I know of new item? Sure I can browse websites it is yet to be rewarding for me.
It is not like McDonald's advertising new hamburger or Gillette advertising a new razor.
The only way to know is to be present on site.
To be allowed and to be able to find a specific item is great.
To be allowed and to be able to find an unknown item is great!
Without brick and mortars how is that to happen?
|
Browsing online is a totally different experience. I missed not going to stores at first, but my local B&N is very small so their selection seemed to be reduced every time I visited. If I had them order something for me it took two weeks. If I pre-ordered through them, they usually had the book on the day of release or at most two days later. The trouble is that Amazon can have the book on my doorstep day of release. Once in a while they miss and it's a day late. My odds and customer service has proven better with Amazon.
Of course with no competition, how long can I expect that to last? One wonders.
There is a joy to perusing shelves and shelves of books. Or finding a stranger who has a book in hand and saying, "Hey, I've read that. It's awesome." (That sort of happens online, but not quite the same way.)
I do hope B&N makes it and does extremely well. Competition breeds a better experience for all of us (author, reader, retailer, investor, community.) But I don't know if it's going to happen. They've had a steep hill to climb for a while and people are getting more and more used to shopping online.