While listening to Late Night Live this morning (see LNL 29 November 2010) I heard an interview with an Australian author who has just published his biography. Later I was walking past Tim's Bookshop in High Street, Kew (Melbourne, Victoria), and decided to look it up. It wasn't on the shelves, so I approached the attractive lady behind the counter and asked her if she could look up a biography by an Australian with the given name Manfred.
No, I'm sorry, I would need the title for that.
Hmm. Why are bricks and mortar bookshops worried about online competition? There are good reasons, but this is not one of them. All she needed to do was search Amazon.com for the key word "Australia", author "Manfred", subject "Biography", and publication date 2010.
Let me quickly say that Tim's Bookshop is one of my favorites and the staff (and Tim himself) are very helpful and efficient. No problem there.
But why don't bricks and mortar bookshops take advantage of online bookshops for even bibliographical look ups like mine?
It's a bit like restaurants in the same shopping area resenting the other restaurants and eateries nearby. The reality is that those other cafes add to the critical mass of potential customers who walk by and potentially come in and have something to eat. If they dine next door tonight, maybe they will check out my restaurant next week.
Bookshops are no different. It's even possible to order meals online, to take the simile further. If I see a book online, I may consider buying it in a bookshop if I want it now.
And the price comparison between bookshops and online sellers is not quite accurate. Yes, the online booksellers have a price advantage. But the bricks and mortar bookshops have the tactile advantage. People are far more than 10% more likely to buy an item they have touched and felt.
Bookshops: go online, even if it's just to look up a book for a customer. People like to look at books, read a bit, feel them, even savor their sweet print and paper scent.
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