Large book chains vs. small indep.stores-which do you prefer?

[SFG75]

I haven't found that to be true at all. There is a longer process to getting your book into one, but it's far from difficult or impossible.

I agree with you, these places are more likely to have obscure local stuff than even independent places IMHO. It's been my experience that local or state writers actually use these places for book signings and that the large chains dedicate sections of the store for these kinds of authors. I had an amusing time at the last one I went to. A young man had a camera and stacks of his books. Evidently he could take pictures of your "aura" and interpret them for you. I had my picture taken for amusement's sake and even bought the book for a good aunt of mine who is interested in that kind of thing.

 

[cgw]

If everyone who said they prefer the small independent actually bought books at the small independent, those small independents would still be open. In my (mid size) city, the small independent book stores are almost history. The small independent hardware, grocery, etc. are not far behind. Even Walden and B Dalton at the mall seem small if not independent. They are still out in the small towns though (esp. the college towns).

 

[SFG75]

If everyone who said they prefer the small independent actually bought books at the small independent, those small independents would still be open. In my (mid size) city, the small independent book stores are almost history. The small independent hardware, grocery, etc. are not far behind. Even Walden and B Dalton at the mall seem small if not independent. They are still out in the small towns though (esp. the college towns).

LOL-Reminds me of Wal-Mart shoppers with a guilty conscience.

 

[TheRedNewt]

I suppose I'm just the capitalist pig that gives my money to whoever does the job best regardless of size. I'm starting to think small bookstores are just some romanticized idea like quaint cafes in big cities. It's fun to think about being there, but good luck finding one.

 

[GeoffNelder]

I have actually found Ottakars to be very good in this respect - they have a central display dedicated to authors of local books

That's good news - I'll use that information when my book comes out in print form next month. So far the only institutions that have given my publisher a firm yes to displaying and selling my book are the independent bookshops Bookend in Carlisle; Booklands in Chester, and the Choice-Hotels chain. The hotels accepted my reasoning that since many people read on their hols (esp in rainy UK) why don't hotels sell books? So it's an experiment - my book has a holiday feel title, and is partly based on a fugitive surviving a trek across Northumbria and Cumbria - where the hotels are

Geoff

 

[MonkeyCatcher]

Where I live (in a rural town - well actually almost city ) we don't have any independant bookstores, and even the "large" chain-stores we have have a very, very limited range of options. I usually have to drive into the nearest city to find a bookstore with a somewhat decent range of books, and when I do I usually go to the chain-stores because of the lower prices

~MonkeyCatcher~

 

[Motokid]

So, to throw a completely huge monkeywrench into this conversation (cause that's something I like to do sometimes...) how then do you feel about libraries?

I prefer to get my books for FREE if I can. What does the library do to the independant, Mom & Pop book store? Isn't the free(taxpayer funded), public library just as guilty of forcing out the little guy? If you all are sticking up for the little guy, and recommending people spend more money per book, while having a smaller selection to choose from, then you surely must be outraged at the public library?

 

[Flowerdk4]

I suppose I'm just the capitalist pig that gives my money to whoever does the job best regardless of size. I'm starting to think small bookstores are just some romanticized idea like quaint cafes in big cities. It's fun to think about being there, but good luck finding one.

I am sorry to say this but the attitude you display here I find very upsetting. This is the attitude which will end up killing nice cultural place in a community and make the place to be all about money.

Flower

 

[Flowerdk4]

So, to throw a completely huge monkeywrench into this conversation (cause that's something I like to do sometimes...) how then do you feel about libraries?

I prefer to get my books for FREE if I can. What does the library do to the independant, Mom & Pop book store? Isn't the free(taxpayer funded), public library just as guilty of forcing out the little guy? If you all are sticking up for the little guy, and recommending people spend more money per book, while having a smaller selection to choose from, then you surely must be outraged at the public library?

I dont mind paying a little more for a book at my local bookshop cause if I only went into the city and the local bookshop had to close then I would end up paying more for my books anyway as I would have to pay for the transportation to the city, so it all adds up. Not to say the time I would have to use to go to the city.

I get a feeling that people forget that they have the POWER as a customer to have a saying whether or not there should be a local bookshop near you where they can order books for you. You DO have a saying whether bookshops and litterature should be something in your community and your every day life or if it just should be something which are in the big cities.

About libraries, we have very good libraries here in Denmark and I would not live without them. They have all the old books and lots of other information to the public. Many children go there and spend an afternoon reading, playing computer games etc. I like the idea that litterature of all kind to be a free thing for everybody in the society.

Now I am off to the local bookshop, need to order a gramma cd for my sons school work.

Flower

 

[Robert]

I'll shop at used bookstores, small bookstores and the big boys on the block. I'll buy the books where I get the most books for my bucks.

 

[TheRedNewt]

Yeah, I'm just killing culture all over the place. If our culture involves a store that is full of romance novels and other pulp fiction as well as being disorganized with unhelpful people, then let it die. Trust me: the culture of the American South is far from in danger. Shopping at the better store doesn't make it all about money; it makes it all about good service. What would you rather have survive a big, helpful store or a small, unhelpful store? If you chose the second, I find that very unsettling. You choose the small store simply because you have some idea that big corporations ar evil. Heck, Book-a-Million, which owns the store I usually shop at, was started here in my state. It started off small, but it grew. The reason is simply that they did the job the right way. If a small store opens around here that provides a more enjoyable experience, I'll shop there, but quite frankly corporations don't scare me. In fact, they did more for my friend when he was shopping his book around than any local store did. I guess we're just lucky because the employees and managers at the big stores here are kind and helpful.

From the way you talk, your local bookstore must be full of kind, energetic people who you love to be around, but not all are. I wish we had the romanticized little bookstores you see in movies, but I have yet to find one.

 

[Flowerdk4]

Yeah, I'm just killing culture all over the place. If our culture involves a store that is full of romance novels and other pulp fiction as well as being disorganized with unhelpful people, then let it die. Trust me: the culture of the American South is far from in danger. Shopping at the better store doesn't make it all about money; it makes it all about good service. What would you rather have survive a big, helpful store or a small, unhelpful store? If you chose the second, I find that very unsettling. You choose the small store simply because you have some idea that big corporations ar evil. Heck, Book-a-Million, which owns the store I usually shop at, was started here in my state. It started off small, but it grew. The reason is simply that they did the job the right way. If a small store opens around here that provides a more enjoyable experience, I'll shop there, but quite frankly corporations don't scare me. In fact, they did more for my friend when he was shopping his book around than any local store did. I guess we're just lucky because the employees and managers at the big stores here are kind and helpful.

From the way you talk, your local bookstore must be full of kind, energetic people who you love to be around, but not all are. I wish we had the romanticized little bookstores you see in movies, but I have yet to find one.

You got me wrong! I am not for shopping where they are unkind and with a lack of service.
My local bookshop has started to work with a large book firm. That shows that the bookshop knows that it has to something extra for its customers in order to give them a good service. The fact that I can order my books by email also shows that they are all about service. And I think the more people who ask for certain books, the more they will be buying these kinds of books.
I have just been down in my local bookshop and saw that they had two new books I want, I just dont have the money yet. So the shop is really trying to have all the new books on display.
Some big stores have local shops and I think its important to support that local shops cause if you dont, then they will close.

I have heard about a small bookshop in London where they only sell cooking books. I would looove to go and see it. And they should have books from all over the world.

In the city here, we have one shop which is a bit like you see in the movies. They have now a cafe in there so you can sit down with a cup of coffee deciding if you want to buy the book. And it has different floors. Its like a labyrinth where you are surround with old and new books. You could stay there for hours as the atmosphere is SO nice!

Flower

 

[TheRedNewt]

Then we're on the same page here. Whoever does the best job deserves the business. I'm all for the little guy, but when they aren't willing to help me get what i need, I'm not going to support them.

 

[Caelda]

In my area of the world, there are no independents that I know of.

I just found this site, www.booksense.com which states it is "a family of idependent-bookseller websites." I punched in my zip code and found the "local" shop was 37.5 miles away. However, the town that it's in is a good hour, hour and a half drive from here.

If there were decent independent stores in the area in which I live, I would go. So I visit the chain stores.

 

[mehastings]

I just found this site, www.booksense.com which states it is "a family of idependent-bookseller websites." I punched in my zip code and found the "local" shop was 37.5 miles away. However, the town that it's in is a good hour, hour and a half drive from here.

The place I frequent is a Book Sense seller. It's nice, because I can buy a giftcard, mail it to my mom and she can use it 150 miles away. They aren't everywhere, but they happen to be close to both of us.

 

[SFG75]

Then we're on the same page here. Whoever does the best job deserves the business. I'm all for the little guy, but when they aren't willing to help me get what i need, I'm not going to support them.

Excellent point here-at times I do find myself feeling "guilty" for going to the large chain shops, but they have superior service and a wider range of books that I enjoy browing through IMHO. My friends who abhor these large chains never really paid attention to economics class in my brutally honest opinion. I don't necessarily believe that a business that worked at one time in the past should necessarily continue to be in business simply out of nostalgia or out of contempt for "bigness" As stated, big businesses and establishments got that way for a reason, people voted with their dollars and they provided a service that consumers wanted. The "invisible hand" of the economy elevated them to the heights that they are at. Should they in the future not become attractive to consumers, they'll be just as easily deposed and another business will take it's place. No one is on top forever and some day Borders and Barnes & Nobles will have a scrappy competitor who offers something different or better than they can provide.

 

[GeoffNelder]

Looks like a bury-your-head-in-the-sands time.

Big chains get you most of what you want - partly because they make you want what you want. If you don't get it, then stay with them, that's what they want.

I shop with the independents when it suits and the big chains when it suits. Generally I have found the indies to be very helpful, and their coffee tastes better.

Geoff

 

[TheRedNewt]

Big chains get you most of what you want - partly because they make you want what you want. If you don't get it, then stay with them, that's what they want.

That's funny because there is only one store owned by a big chain around me that almost always has what I am looking for. On the other hand the small stores near me are limited for shelf space, so they mostly carry the more popular books.

 

[magemanda]

I never feel guilty about where I buy my books.

I frequent big chain bookstores or charity shops principally for my book buying. I go to the big chains when I want to browse or to buy something specific. I go to the charity shops when I need six or seven books for a holiday, or when I want to just 'try my luck'. I love the randomness of the charity shops, but my main book-buying occurs in big chains.

 

[novella]

In my area of the world, there are no independents that I know of.

I just found this site, www.booksense.com which states it is "a family of idependent-bookseller websites." I punched in my zip code and found the "local" shop was 37.5 miles away. However, the town that it's in is a good hour, hour and a half drive from here.

If there were decent independent stores in the area in which I live, I would go. So I visit the chain stores.

I don't know what part of NY state you're in, but where I live independent bookstores thrive. There are the Oblong bookstores (in Rhinebeck and Millerton), the Merrit bookstores (in Millbrook and Red Hook) and loads of really good used-book stores, particularly Rodger's Book Barn in Hillsdale, which is huge, cheap, and very carefully stocked. I know that across the river in Woodstock and the Catskills there are also lots of indies.