Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer
Showrooming isn't any different from a moral standpoint than comparison shopping; there's no moral obligation to pay more money. This is just a shift in consumer behaviour, there's no moral component to it. And to those that complain about slipping morals, are you complaining about declining morals, or a decline in the number of people sharing your particular preferences?
Having your bookstore open to the public is your choice if you're running a bookstore; no one is morally obligated to buy from you just because you've decided to structure your business in a way that invites browsing without buying.
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I respectfully disagree. If you browse through a bookshop you use a service it offers -- a service online booksellers don't offer. If then you go and buy a book you got interested in at the bookshop from an online vendor to save two or three bucks you have abused the service of the bookshop.
Inevitably, stone and mortar bookshops close their doors. In my opinion, not a sole consequence of a failed business model, but also a consequence of many customers considering 'cheap, cheap, cheap' the highest ethical standard.