I see a lot of talk on the internet about the closure of libraries and bookshops. The rapid speed at which we are losing both.
The electronic reader has had quite an impact on the book world and it’s a growing industry. I’m not going to make specific comment on that industry in today’s post, but I am going to acknowledge that we are losing bookshops. So my thoughts then turn to what can we do?
I am a reader. I read both electronic and paper books.
Electronic for ease. I can be sitting on my sofa, browsing and have downloaded three books while the kettle is boiling. It’s doing no favours for my TBR pile and I’m not actually reading any quicker, but I am definitely buying more books than I have ever been. And yes, though I may download some free books, I am also buying many more than I ever used to, because buying books has never been so easy for busy people with little time.
But, I love holding a book in my hands and I still buy and read paper books. With the ease of downloading books and having a busy life, I have found I also buy a lot of these books online as well. The place I have been buying them, is the place I download my books. The place people are scared is taking over the world.
I have nothing against Amazon. They’re a business. They were set up to make money and someone with brains has managed to keep coming up with great idea’s that keep their company in the lead. Now while I have nothing against them, I would hate to see more bookshops close, so last month I decided to do something about it. This was prompted in part by a blog post by Pete Dominican here, where Pete discusses attempting a life without Amazon at all, not just with books.
So with struggling bookshops and concerned about my automatic running to Amazon for all needs, I signed up for a Waterstones membership card. It’s a loyalty card. You earn points as you shop. Now the great thing about this is, it’s not impacting on my hectic life and making me drive into town just to get a book because Waterstones have a delivery service like most High Street shops. Out of interest I have checked out the price on my first required book, on Amazon, then on Waterstones. Amazon came in cheaper as expected, but with the cost of delivery, they came in about equal as Waterstones whose delivery is free. So all my paper books are now bought at Waterstones. Don’t be fooled that Amazon’s books are cheaper, remember to add the cost of delivery. And because I have the Waterstones loyalty card, if I am any town, I tend to pop in any Waterstones I pass, more than I would have before. What is it about a pretty piece of plastic that promises me books?
So, if you live in the UK, would you consider checking out Waterstones, or elsewhere rather than automatically going to Amazon? I’m sure there are similar shops in the US and other countries as well that have these kind of loyalty schemes. Bookshops you hadn’t realised you could so easily support. Is this something you would now consider. Do you already?
This isn’t about bashing Amazon because they have great business acumen, are really user friendly and I could decide to publish with them in the future, this is about supporting bookshops.
Thanks, Rebecca. I’m all for what you say – bookshops are so important. (I’m actively trying to avoid Amazon where possible due to its tax avoidance in the UK…which is another story altogether!)
I know it will only be a small for the bookshops, but I think it is probably one worth making, whatever our reasons 🙂
Thank you for the article and the mention. As people who follow the link to my blog will appreciate, I believe Amazon enjoy an unfair advantage over UK bookstores but essentially if we want bookstores to continue to exist, we have to support them.
The decline of the bookshop is not inevitable. Where I live in Hertfordshire, two new children’s bookshops have opened in recent weeks; one in Hertford (‘Leaf Café’) and one in Brookmans Park (‘Tuffets’, owned by Tim and Simon who run Big Green Bookstore in Wood Green).
I’m going to do a full update in the near future but when it comes to books, I’m supporting libraries and bookstores actively, it’s not inconvenient and I’m getting far more out of the experience of buying and reading books now than I ever did pressing a yellow button.
I’m really pleased you’ve found something that works for you. Some independent bookstores offer free postage or deliver locally free of charge. You can always negotiate something with the owner. It’s their business.
I’m hoping others will be inspired by your article to make the change.
You’re welcome Pete. Always happy to link back to something that sets me off on one of my posts.
That is great news for the two new bookstores! I’m not sure where my clostest independent bookstore is. Maybe it’s something I should try harder to find out.
If you know what you want a really good trick with Waterstones is to order online to collect. They will give you the cheapest price of their online or shop price when you pick it up.
But I’m not sure that supporting Waterstones is much better than Amazon, although I don’t have much choice – all our independent local bookshops have already gone. Not sure what that says about my dream of opening my own…
You could have a look at Hive website which would enable you to support a local bookshop in a neighbouring town and still get your books by post.
Thanks for the suggestion Peter.
That’s a great idea. I will look up Hive as well!
Rebecca – What a terrific post. Bookshops are very important I think, and there are ways to support them. And as far as the stranglehold Amazon has, well, I always have serious problems when one company has that much power…
Thanks Margot. I’ve heard so much about the bookshop closures, I wondered how I could make a change myself, no matter how small. My next change will be to seek out my closest independent bookstore.
I love independent bookshops and we are lucky to have one in our small town. They can get any book we want and often give discounts
That sounds wonderful. I need to find where my closest is.
An excellent post. And you’re absolutely right. I used to bang on about how upset I was about book shops closing… and then I’d go on to Amazon to buy my books. So my new year’s resolution this year was to only buy books from book shops. And I have done. I’m not rich but I have enough money and care enough about books that the extra £40-50 I will spend over the course of an entire year is absolutely worth it.
What a great new year’s resolution. I’m a little late to the party but got there in the end! Hopefully the seed is planted in one other persons mind now and it moves forward from there…
Interesting. When I return to the UK, one of the towns close by, has a Waterstones, and when I visit, i always pop in. Now I will be able to get a loyalty card, as I will be living there! There is also a large library around the corner, so I will be visiting often!
I love that there’s a library around the corner. I have one fairly close, but due to funding cuts, it’s no longer open full time, which is a shame. I really do need to start reading faster now I have this Waterstones card in my pocket!
I confess, I don’t buy print books anymore. But Amazon isn’t my first stop – I always go to the iBookstore first. I know, doesn’t help real bookstores, but it doesn’t feed the Amazon monster.
I buy both. I think I’d miss print books too much, but I do like the ease of ebooks and have an awful lot on my reader waiting to be read. I do buy my ebooks from Amazon though. I think I could actually get them from Waterstones though, I may have to check!
A point well made! I have become concerned about this lately as well and have popped into Waterstones a couple of times when I wouldn’t normally have done. Also bought two second hand books from Waterstones second hand market place (www.waterstonesmarketplace.com). I don’t know whether buying online from them helps them stay open (I wasn’t sure buying online from HMV had helped the case of the HMV stores?) but maybe it does. I love books in all forms, but especially paper. We also have a small, independent bookshop in Colchester, so I’ll be popping in there next!
That’s a good point Bel, about whether online helps keep them open. I would hope it does as it keeps money going into their money jar. I also heard a podcast yesterday that Waterstones is owned by a very wealthy Russian bibliophile who has deep pockets, so he’s invested in the company. Online is just because I’m inpatient and can’t wait until my next trip into town!
Great post Rebecca 🙂 I shop in Waterstones, but I’m a HUGE fan of Foyles, and will seek out there shops when i go into London. Unfortunately i don’t have any small independent book shops near me, but i love the ones i often stumble across in London 🙂
xx
I’ve never been in Foyles, but there is a wonderful independent bookstore in Derby that I love. It’s just a long drive to get there. I need to see if there are any slightly closer.
I love small independent bookshops but where I’m living now they have all closed. We’re even struggling to keep the library open 🙁
It really is a sad state of affairs isn’t it 🙁
Amazon has come to India through a tie-up with an Indian online company, but I don’t know what it all means. While small bookshops and libraries are closing down in Mumbai, their books, I think, are finding their way into the used and secondhand bookshops I frequent. For the past few months I have been buying mint-condition novels of both old and new authors for less than 25 cents each. It’s also possible that western book dealers are offloading them in cartloads.
Amazon themselves are a great company. They have great deals and I have nothing against them. What I wanted to think about was supporting our bookstores. It sounds as though you are having the same issue there in Mumbai, which is really sad, that this is genuinely a global problem. I know the US are in the same boat and it’s just sad.
Great idea. My views on digital and paper are the same as yours. You made me think of my local bookstore which is one of only two traditional new book stores in my region. They have hosted me twice for book signings, and I reckon your suggestionw ould be a good way to both say thanks and to support them in an ongoing way. Maybe I could buya book a month, and also continue to sing their praise to everyone who likes books.
I think that sounds like a great idea. I really need to find where my local independent bookstore is as well as knowing where Waterstones is. Books are just wonderful things and it’s sad to see places closing.