Indie bookstores resurgent - Page 2

Andrew H. · 08-12-2013, 11:01 AM

This is good news, but I think the OP's post is too optimistic. The growth in indie bookstores isn't primarily because they've figured out what customers want or because customers have decided that they want more personalized service. The growth in indie bookstores since 2011 has a lot more to do with the fact that Borders went bankrupt in 2011, closing 600 stores across the US.

It's kind of surprising to me that indie sales didn't increase more than a meager 8% since 2011, given the sudden collapse of Borders and the fact that all of their customers needed new places to buy books, all of a sudden. (Although a big reason it wasn't more might have to do with the fact that there may not have been indie bookstores serving every population with a Borders - which might change now, however).

fjtorres · 08-12-2013, 11:50 AM

Borders was down to 13% market share and 75% of their stores were practically in walking distance of B&N stores.
The real surprise is B&N captured almost none of Borders share, long term.
Whatever they captured merely offset their own decline.

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08-12-2013, 11:01 AM	#16
Andrew H. Grand Master of Flowers Posts: 2,201 Karma: 8389072 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Naptown Device: Kindle PW, Kindle 3 (aka Keyboard), iPhone, iPad 3 (not for reading)	This is good news, but I think the OP's post is too optimistic. The growth in indie bookstores isn't primarily because they've figured out what customers want or because customers have decided that they want more personalized service. The growth in indie bookstores since 2011 has a lot more to do with the fact that Borders went bankrupt in 2011, closing 600 stores across the US. It's kind of surprising to me that indie sales didn't increase more than a meager 8% since 2011, given the sudden collapse of Borders and the fact that all of their customers needed new places to buy books, all of a sudden. (Although a big reason it wasn't more might have to do with the fact that there may not have been indie bookstores serving every population with a Borders - which might change now, however).

08-12-2013, 11:50 AM	#17
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Borders was down to 13% market share and 75% of their stores were practically in walking distance of B&N stores. The real surprise is B&N captured almost none of Borders share, long term. Whatever they captured merely offset their own decline.

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