Does The Independent Bookstore Have A Future? A Message.
It would be horrible to lose the bookstores. Everybody is rooting for them.
But they need to give people a reason to shop there.
Why Borders Bookstores Went Bankrupt.
All my life I've loved bookstores and supported them.
Even before they discovered the revolutionary idea of having chairs in them for customers to sit in.
I often used to go to Borders. Especially if I wanted a particular book in my hand right now.
In the last few years before they went bankrupt, this is what would happen when I went there:
The book I came to buy would not be on the shelf.
I would spend time hunting for a customer service person.
They would know nothing about the book.
They would lead me to a computer station.
They would make me spell out the book and author name agonizingly slowly while they typed it as if it was Chinese.
They would search it up on their web site agonizingly slowly.
They would then tell me they didn't have it in stock and I could order it and collect it from the store after some days.
Then I would say:
You know, I have internet at home. I can search it and order it there and have it delivered straight to my house and not be bothered with having to call you and come back here to get the book..
And I didn't say that at the same time I could get it cheaper from Amazon than from their store.
And also avoid going through all this time wasting stuff.. And the drive.. And the parking..
But..
They never grasped the issue. That the only reason to visit the store was to get the book right now.
And now they are bankrupt.
Let this be a lesson to you independent bookstores.
We love you, but you have to compete with the internet!
You have to offer things that the internet cannot offer.
A wide range of stock / Experienced assistance / A sense of community. Smiles.
For a start.
Oh and chairs and coffee and cookies are always nice too.
If you are not a social business, you will not be a business for long.
You cannot only be a soulless seller of books now.
My computer does that so beautifully.
A Friend.
