Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
This is a completely backwards idea.
Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes?
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Because you can browse. Simple as that.
And browsing means people spend more on books. Amazon has tried very hard to give their website features to simulate the experience, and they've failed. Amazon is great when you know what you want, bookstores work when you don't and just want to see if there's anything interesting available. Furthermore, if I come across a book on Amazon that I might want to read later, I usually just put it on my wishlist. If I find it in a bookstore, then I'm much more likely to buy it, since I'm there anyway.
It would make a lot of sense for bookstores to put physical books out for display but let you buy the eBook version instead for a small discount.