[darryl]

Steve. It may well be that Fictionwise was doomed, at least from the time it was acquired by Barnes and Noble. We will probably never know for sure. But certainly any realistic chance for them went out the Window when agency emasculated their business model. As you are no doubt aware from my posts I do not normally have a lot of sympathy for companies that fail to adapt to change. However, when the change is a conspiracy to raise prices I make an exception.

Retail Prince Maintenance is wonderful if your priority is saving now mostly archaic businesses at the expense of the consumer. I too liked my bookshops, but sadly, like the Horse and Buggy, they have mostly had their day.