Are the bookstores really going out of business?

[shelly blomker]

I've been reading things that others have been writing about, that some bookstores have been going out of business. I don't think it has that much to do with people not buying the books there. Because of the things that have been happening over the last few years, I'm not surprised that some business have been having problems.

Being that I buy my books mostly threw Barnes and Noble online. I wouldn't want to see them go out of business any time soon. Being that I've decided to keep my book blog up and running for the next five years or so.

 

But, what so you think is the cause of some of the bookstores going out of business? Are people just not reading as much as they used too? I'm just cerious of what you guys think.

[Kathy Maxwell]

Check out RYCJ's blog about this very thing, it's great!

http://oebooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-quirky-way-of-seeing-e-book...

 

[Kathy Maxwell]

Barnes and Noble has a huge presence in the big cities.  That's where we go if we're in a big city (we live in rural Arizona) and want to go book shopping.  Otherwise, we shop Amazon on line.  I think the bookstores that innovate and successfully serve all markets- physical stores, on-line, e-readers, etc.- will be okay!  They say that more people are reading than ever thanks to the internet.  Look at all of us book bloggers!!!!  Can we keep the market going single-handedly?!!!

[shelly blomker]

Yeah, I agree that we do help keep people reading. Barnes and noble is where I usely buy my books from online. As long as they stay up and running, which is a good chance of that, then I'm happy.

[Kelli Wheelwright]

Barnes and Nobles has crossed over into the world of ebooks as well, which I think will keep them afloat... But I do love going to bookstores and picking out books in person once in a while too... hope they keep going

[Anastasia Fitzgerald-Beaumont]

I think they are reading as much as ever - I read like a mad thing!  But, oh, it must be well over a year since I visited a bookshop.  I buy all of my books now from Amazon UK.  Not only is there a big saving on the list price but there is also a free postage option.  It's a pity in a way because I used to enjoy browsing, thus discovering something by chance.  Now I rely on reviews and recommendations. 

[Sara-Jayne Slack]

I agree that the business model is somewhat skewed. The businesses that do the best are those with a loyal customer base, and those that change with the times! You won't see Waterstones or Barnes & Noble going out of business any time soon, for the latter reason. (Okay, so they were huge chains anyway, but I needed to use an example that people actually knew about).

 

Smaller, independent bookshops are usually so set in their ways - many of them having been set up a decade or two ago - that they're scared of spending time and money on the internet, on e-books, etc. I know of one chap who doesn't even have a telephone! He survives through passing tourist trade and does rather well...but if he didn't have that, then his business would be under like a flash.

 

Communication is impossibly important these days. It's all about being available, networking, building that customer base and then being flexible enough to at least /consider/ changing from time to time. It's like anything else. What stagnates, dies.

 

~Sara, from Inspired-Quill

[Emily Hiesl]

Well, to answer the question, yes they are.  In NYC, a *huge* Barnes & Noble that I loved just closed its doors; a Borders downtown is closing soon (and only selling now at a lousy discount of 20% because they will just move the books to a different store!).  More are on the way out, and this is the big city, so I can imagine how bad it must be in smaller towns.  As much as I can lament the passing of bookstores, though, I still place my orders mostly from Amazon, which is still cheaper and you get free shipping when you buy a lot (which most book-lovers do anyway). It just meets more of the needs of people today than spending more cash and schlepping yourself downtown to get the same thing.  There's really no reason to buy from physical bookstores these days, unless you make a conscious effort to support them - but that applies more to the mom-and-pop stores than it does to B&N and the like.

[Gareth Wilson]

Its a pretty pickle to put it mildly, I've been to book launches but some stores only put the effort in when its a big name and they know that they'll sell a few.  The best thing that you can do as a new author is to get as much publicity for it as possible, contact your local media, let them know, the odds are the newpaper will do an article on you, you can probably also get a spot on local radio and let them help carry the baggage.

 

It's always going to be an uphill struggle but if you've also got the time making something like bookmarks (a wonderful post by a friend of mine) you can maybe drop them off ahead of schedule (or ask them if they'll put them out for you) and advertise ahead of the date.

[Laurawrites.net]

Yes, they're having trouble. The publishing industry, like the music industry, just refused to embrace the internet for far too long. They dismissed them and they've suffered for it. For years, ebooks were awful, horrible! No one would buy them or have any interest in them. It was so propagandized. I was on the first wave of ebooks in 2001, I thought "why not?" I loved it. Years later, ebooks are going far more stronger and with a massive audience. It's great for authors and online bookstores, but publishers have suffered. I think it is self-imposed suffering, so I can't feel very sorry for them. This is just the bookstores, though, not online. 

 

The online companies are doing fine. Barnes and Noble and Amazon both are doing great. People are reading just as much, but they've migrated to ebooks.

[Kelli Wheelwright]

From what I heard Borders is closing a BUNCH of their stores. I didn't hear they were completely shutting down, but I know they are selling off books at HUGE discounts at the stores that are closing.  Check your local Borders!

 

KW

[Bri Meets Books]

Yes, Borders filed Chapter 11. They are closing 250 of their stores. That's thousands of people out of jobs. I detest anyone who celebrates the "death of bookstores."  They are people's livelihoods.  (Not you all, but some on the web have this feeling).

[SidneReadz]

yes, I think the decline of purchases made at a bookstore has every bit to do with the success of a book store especially the ma and pa bookstore or brick and mortal.  if 55% of people start purchasing on line that could make a store close down or downsize.  It may not be fully the decline of buying books as it is where and How you purchase your books.  can a small mall book store compete with Amazon. NOPE, not with the prices nor can they compete with larger bookstores that may be able to offer a lower price on books, so bye bye small retail bookstores.  Anytime a larger business come in to monopolize its a done deal.  its fact.  for some to survive you almost are giving your books away.  even if a once small book store decide to close their retail store and go on line, can they compete with the larger on line book companies. RIGHTT, for how long.  it really boils down to THE PEOPLE.  what are they choosing and sometimes choosing cheaper prices will subconsciously lead to the dismissal of someone or something. 

 I don't use amazon because i disagree with their book review policies and the fact they are a giant book chain monopoly.  The computers are going to cause more illness than anything else,  why?  they are becoming  our 'conveniently lazy mat'. My friend has a dog that i think hates her computer, when she use to stay on it for long periods of time,  he had even begun to urinate on the computer,  lol. we decided to change her time on the computer and now he is fine. lol, she was just spending too much time on the computer for even the DOG.  anyway, i think how we make purchases alone with this economy was a true major dip for bookstores that were already struggling before the economy went downhill.