Quote:
Originally Posted by darryl
As a reader, why would anyone use bookshop.org?
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Because they're *not* Amazon, of course.
The real problem is they talk about taking business from Amazon but in reality they don't. They can't. Their sales come from non-Amazon customers. And non-Kobo, non-B&N (which is cheaper and, hard to believe, has a better website with a deeper catalog), non-Apple, etc. And their message is aimed at non-chain bookstore shoppers. Those are primarily locally-focused pbook shoppers.
On top of that, they only carry Indies by accident, if at all. Whatever you might think of Indie books, they make up a significant portion of the market.
Add it all up and they are targeting a slice of a small niche.
As for their success or failure, a lot will depend on how realistic their expectations might be. Indie stores collectively add up to 5% and most of their business, such as is, is local and unlikely to want to give up their traditional stroll through the aisles. Essentially tbey're aiming at B&M shoppers willing to give up what keeps them shopping B&M, for no economic benefit.
That doesn't strike me as a big portion of the Indie store's 5%.
Of course, that calculus can change if B&N collapses but that is, so far, only possible and not yet likely, much less assured.
My own expectation is B&N will outlive them just as it outlived the ABA's last attempt to float an online referral website. Bookselling is a legacy, non-growth business. Any newcomer *has* to take business from existing players and their profile isn't that of a true Amazon competitor, whatever their posturing for the media.
Any true challenger to Amazon will have to appeal to *consumers* not big publishers and not existing, squeezed booksellers. Because the overwhelming majority of book buyers vote their wallets and not their Anti-Amazon feelings. And those that do already have better choices.