MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - E-books in physical bookstores, even without internet

Kali Yuga · 12-24-2009, 03:41 PM

OK, so let me get this straight.

Let's say I want to go somewhere, sit down at a table, have a decaf, browse a few book titles, maybe read a few pages to know if I like the book, then buy the book.

With a wireless ebook reader, I can do all that at any of the half-dozen cafes that are closer, cozier, and less corporate (if that matters) than the nearest B&N.

So what reason is there for me to go to the bookstore to do all this, exactly? Conversely, why would a store want the high cost of operating a brick and mortar store (rent, staff, utilities, etc) when they can sell me their goods digitally at any time, any place, and without the need to draw me into a specific physical space, at a fraction of the cost?

The emotional attachment we may feel towards a particular kind of commercial space may have some appeal, but it does not alter the fundamentals. Many bookstores are going to go out of business, and these types of things won't save them. There won't be much point to a "bookstore" if it turns out to be a Starbucks with a tiny shelf of books.

12-24-2009, 03:41 PM	#46
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	OK, so let me get this straight. Let's say I want to go somewhere, sit down at a table, have a decaf, browse a few book titles, maybe read a few pages to know if I like the book, then buy the book. With a wireless ebook reader, I can do all that at any of the half-dozen cafes that are closer, cozier, and less corporate (if that matters) than the nearest B&N. So what reason is there for me to go to the bookstore to do all this, exactly? Conversely, why would a store want the high cost of operating a brick and mortar store (rent, staff, utilities, etc) when they can sell me their goods digitally at any time, any place, and without the need to draw me into a specific physical space, at a fraction of the cost? The emotional attachment we may feel towards a particular kind of commercial space may have some appeal, but it does not alter the fundamentals. Many bookstores are going to go out of business, and these types of things won't save them. There won't be much point to a "bookstore" if it turns out to be a Starbucks with a tiny shelf of books.