Decline or Growth across the board?

[Ageless Stranger]

A question occured to me today and I wondered what everyone here thought based on personal experience, opinion and fact concerning the book industry by which I mean publishing, book stores, etc. Over all is it declining or growing?

For example I keep hearing alot of talk of independant book stores being brought/forced out by chain stores, is that particular aspect of the book industry declining? Or is it simply being dominated by the larger stores?

[Cathy C]

Ultimately, my personal opinion is that much of the change in the retail market is being driven by the consumer---i.e., the reader. Readers have high expectations and WANT "one-stop" shopping experiences. They WANT to buy their books and music in the same place. Oh, and let's not forget movies and coffee shops. People WANT to have the option to buy new or used, plus buy the occasional (and odd-market) magazines they don't want to subscribe to, along with worldwide newspapers at the same time.

So, that puts a lot of pressure on the small indie store. They either have to become larger and put out more bucks (that they might not get back) for more types of products to meet the needs of the shoppers, or they wind up having to close or sell to a chain because they aren't competing and are losing the finite number of shoppers who actually read.

The indie stores that do the best (from those I've seen regularly hit the "top ten bookstores in the country" lists) are those that resemble a library. There are comfy chairs for shoppers to peruse various books, for hours. There is a wide selection in every possible genre, often over multiple floors. They have really good customer service who are book knowledeable and can make solid recommendations of new authors, help find out-of-print books or recognize plot/character details to remind someone of a title. There are often "bibliocats" purring amongst the shelves and they have a relaxed, friendly atmosphere that make them a "destination" store for shoppers. In other words, people are willing to go out of their way, to forego the "one-stop shopping" just to soak in the restful feeling and find a treasure.

But how many of us have TIME to do that? The driving, the parking, the nuisance of visiting ten stores in the small amount of time we aren't working or ferrying kids this place and that---they aren't condusive to visiting a store that is in an odd location with cheap rent with only limited street parking available in the middle of a block. No quick in's or quick out's that we all demand.

Trust me, if more people took the time to not CARE about how long it takes to get there, or how far we have to walk to reach the door, in whatever weather, there would be plenty of indie shops. I make the time, because each independent shop is that person's livelihood. Without me making the time, they won't be there tomorrow.

It's all consumer attitude. Really, it has nothing to do with the chain stores, except that they have the wherewithal to provide the consumer what they want.

More's the pity... :(

[Ageless Stranger]

I do agree with alot of what you say there, consumer attitude does seem to be a huge problem for indie stores of nearly any type.