I have to agree it seems rather pointless to many of us. I prefer to buy online and download. Here in the States, at least where I live, there are no bookstores within walking distance. It is much more "green" to download from the internet than to drive several miles to a bookstore that has even less of a selection than I can find online. There is an appeal to browsing a brick and mortar bookstore, but I rarely buy printed books any more.