The interior of London’s Daunt Books (Image: spektrograf under flickr cc)
I present you, readers, with a conundrum.
What do you do if you love reading, love holding a physical book in your hands and don’t want a Kindle or Nook or other e-reader, and love independent bookshops but don’t really have the funds to go to your nearest Daunt or Foyles to pick up the latest release?
What if, as a naturally broke student, you desperately need a book and would love to stop off at Bookmarks or Clerkenwell Tales, but see that Amazon is significantly cheaper?
It’s a problem I often have myself. I adore reading with every fiber of my being, and I adore discovering beautiful, previously unknown independent bookshops around London. Part of my favorite bit of traveling is finding English-language bookshops, almost all of which are independent. But, like many other students, I’m low on funds, and the convenience of using Amazon has lured me out of the gorgeous bookshops more than once.
All tax-dodging issues aside, a large part of the appeal of Amazon is that it discounts its products. More often than not, independent bookshops tend to charge the recommended retail price (the figure printed on the book itself), and Amazon discounts its products. It might not always be an enormous amount, but a few pounds here and a few pounds there can add up quickly. Every time I hear of another bookshop, be it independent in the UK or a nationwide chain in the US, closing, I get sad. I feel bad. But I still go to Amazon because it’s cheaper.
I went out on the digital streets to find people like me, people who’d love to shop at quirky bookshops but find themselves filling their trollies on Amazon. Independent Everything reached out over Facebook and Twitter to find these conflicted folks, and here’s what they had to say.
Sadie, Birmingham, UK:
“I think Amazon is eroding bookshops as people would rather pay less and not have to carry what they’ve bought around town. eBooks have become very popular but I do not think they will be the demise of the book selling industry as so many people love the feel of books.”
Kaila, San Francisco, CA, US:
“Book-wise? I only use Amazon these days. I very rarely buy actual books, since I can read Kindle books on my iPhone or listen to them through Audible (also on my iPhone). If I do need a hard copy, I go to the library first and then to Amazon. There’s a Barnes and Noble about 20 minutes away, but I don’t want to pay the marked up prices (or for the gas to get me there…)
Frankly, I see the book-selling industry as an online thing already. More and more people (at least in the sectors I frequent) are headed toward self-publishing eBooks or offering social-based multimedia offerings like those on the SnippetApp.
And, as much as I love, love, love the smell of used books (and the idea that someday I will have a library like Belle’s from Beauty and the Beast), I’m realizing that being unencumbered by the three bookshelves worth of books that I have packed away in boxes might be a lot nicer. That–and I don’t have to worry about the extra burden of hardcover when I’m packing for my commute each day.”
Sivan, Boca Raton, FL, US:
“I mostly shop for books on Amazon.com because it’s convenient. The books just show up at my door…. Soon enough, I think the book industry will take a hard crash and many places will close. But, slowly, I think very specialized stores will reopen if they find a way to accommodate virtual reading. For example, book stores could allow users to browse sections of digital books with the same feel as a genuine book store, or they could reward customers for actually reading at their location, which would also be some sort of eatery, and “checking in” for a reward (like a free eBook). Either way, stores would have to come up with a technological twist that that drives ROI.”
Ori, Boca Raton, FL, US:
“I buy my books at Barnes & Noble almost exclusively. When I’m in the mood to read a book, I have no patience to wait for something I order online, regardless of the price. Plus I feel like Amazon is overwhelming with its options, and I’d rather be able to walk in a store and browse the selection. I also got a Nook [Barnes & Noble eReader) two years ago, but I never use it, I like the feel of holding a book and having it on my shelf, and being able to easily lend it out.
Unfortunately I think I’m in the minority, and actual bookstores will have a hard time staying open in the face of online competition, which is another reason I shop at Barnes. I want the money I spend on books to go towards a place I enjoy visiting. Oh and if there was an independent bookstore near me, I would happily support it, but I don’t know of any.”
(Quotes edited for length and grammar.)
