|
What’s killing brick and mortar bookstores is Amazon. Not the Kindle or eBooks, it’s having a source for millions of books in any format, whether in print or out of print, 24 hour a day, every day of the year, without leaving your home, and having the exact thing you need, in your hands, within a couple minutes (eBooks) to a couple days (pBooks).
More to the point: “Is it good for Amazon to have competition for the sale of books?” Books, not eBooks. But that’s a different issue.
I think some brick and mortar places will adapt and survive. New models are already emerging. The one that interests me most sort-of merges what public and private libraries once did, adapting what you can do with a commercial space to an interest in the universe of things we use books and similar products for. Customer service, location and things like snack and coffee shops come together with technical books and monographs, comic books, picture books, children’s corners, audio books and players, movies, etc., etc. Innovation and creativity wins. Lamenting the past is a waste of resources.
Anyway, I will continue to support bookstores that support me and I think others will too, if only out of self-interest.
|