Who killed the bookstore?

[jbcohen]

Perhaps I need to try Calibre.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by mldavis2

You can read anything on a laptop or notepad if you can endure the shiny screens and inflexible seating positions and short recharge cycles. I've tried reading on my iPhone and Blackberry and it's a joke. Yes, you 'can' do it, but who wants to? Grab a copy of Calibre and convert to your eReader format and enjoy. Fit the tool to the job, not the other way 'round.

And my Xoom is wonderful for any of the ebook readers/formats - Kindle, Nook, Sony etc. as well as PDFs!

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by mldavis2

You can read anything on a laptop or notepad if you can endure the shiny screens and inflexible seating positions and short recharge cycles. I've tried reading on my iPhone and Blackberry and it's a joke. Yes, you 'can' do it, but who wants to? Grab a copy of Calibre and convert to your eReader format and enjoy. Fit the tool to the job, not the other way 'round.

What did you find wrong or uncomfortable about it? I read on my iPhone before I received my Kindle. For me, it wasn't that bad - the only discomfort was eye-stain if I tried to read when I was tired.

Originally Posted by jbcohen

Perhaps I need to try Calibre.

I would highly, highly recommend it; or I should say, 2nd the recommendation. It is an awesome program.

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Unlike others, I am not a fan of Amazon. I used to be, many years ago, but my opinion evolved as I saw Bezos imitate Steve Jobs's attitudes. I also dislike, very much, Bezos's attitude towards collecting sales tax. He's already doing it on every agency ebook he sells, so it clearly isn't a major business disrupter. But he prefers to have every taxpayer subsidize his business rather than just the ones who buy from him. (By which I mean that the local governments have to make up for the lost revenue so they increase everyone's taxes, which means I who don't buy from Amazon, in addition to paying sales tax on my purchases also now have to pay a portion of the Amazon buyer's taxes.)

I'm confused. Amazon includes sales tax for states that require it for online purchases, I thought. If you pay sales tax, how is that lost revenue for local governments? Unless Amazon keeps the tax and doesn't return it to the local government, which doesn't seem right.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by MV64

As someone who works in a bookstore, it's simple: $30 hardcovers killed bookstores.

I think this has the ring of truth.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I think this has the ring of truth.

Particularly given the economy of late.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by MV64

As someone who works in a bookstore, it's simple: $30 hardcovers killed bookstores.

Just as in any industry, there is a point where the cost is no longer equal or less than the benefit, and conscious or not, consumers make this decision.

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I think this has the ring of truth.

It certainly didn't help matters - Not that I tended to buy hardcovers in the first place. I have always found them to be a little too pricey - the Honor Harrington and Harry Potter series being the exceptions.
My husband has quite a few hardcovers, but he found all of them at discounted prices.

[TenaciousBadger]

The internet and the scanner were the kiss of death for the bookstore.

[AlexSno]

Well mostly the internet if i had to chose one from your list....

[vaughnmr]

Well, I went to a bookstore to buy a book, had to order it, and it arrived 3 weeks later, at full list price. I went to Amazon, ordered a book, it arrived 3 days later, and was half the list price. Where do you think I will order next?

[HarryT]

That depends whether or not you still want to have a local bookshop. If you do, it's worth considering giving them your patronage even if they are more expensive.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Ask not what your bookstore can give to you, but what you can give to your bookstore.

Or in modern parlance:

Ask not what your bookstore can't give to you, but what you can't give to your bookstore.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by vaughnmr

Well, I went to a bookstore to buy a book, had to order it, and it arrived 3 weeks later, at full list price. I went to Amazon, ordered a book, it arrived 3 days later, and was half the list price. Where do you think I will order next?

And once all the bookstores are dead, leaving only Amazon, the price will be full list price and you'll get delivery when you get it.

[rhadin]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

I'm confused. Amazon includes sales tax for states that require it for online purchases, I thought. If you pay sales tax, how is that lost revenue for local governments? Unless Amazon keeps the tax and doesn't return it to the local government, which doesn't seem right.

Amazon only collects sales tax in a handful of states, largely because of lost court decisions (New York) or because it has decided it is to its economic benefit. The only exception is agency books. For those sales, it has to collect sales tax because it is not the seller of the ebook, the publishers are and Amazon is simply their agent.

Amazon has already told Texas it will shutter its distribution center and fire all the employees if Texas insists Amazon collect sales tax on all sales to Texans. Same with California. It has already cut loose its affiliates in Illinois and Rhode Island rather than collect sales tax for those states.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rhadin

Amazon only collects sales tax in a handful of states, largely because of lost court decisions (New York) or because it has decided it is to its economic benefit. The only exception is agency books. For those sales, it has to collect sales tax because it is not the seller of the ebook, the publishers are and Amazon is simply their agent.

Amazon has already told Texas it will shutter its distribution center and fire all the employees if Texas insists Amazon collect sales tax on all sales to Texans. Same with California. It has already cut loose its affiliates in Illinois and Rhode Island rather than collect sales tax for those states.

I'm a little puzzled by this. Why should Amazon care whether or not they collect sales tax? They obviously have the systems in place to collect it, so what's the problem?