As a customer, while I frequent book stores regularly I almost always find myself thinking "I can probably save a few pennies on Amazon".
I think, they even think about partnering with local delivery providers to make delivery possible.
But it is hard to beat Amazon on the "no cost for shipping" thing for books in Germany.
If I would still live there, I would totally use this instead of Amazon for books.
If there was an independent bookstore here that offered that I would totally use it. But it's even hard to find any independent bookstore here (eastern Germany), so I'm back to Amazon.
So yeah - sadly I am also back to Amazon.
> This law provides protection for books as a cultural heritage. Fixing prices for customers ensures availability of a wide range of books. Additionally, this law ensures that this offer is available to the broad public by encouraging the existence of a large number of stores.
Fixing the prices makes books more expensive but ensures that even small niches are filled that would otherwise be unprofitable and bookstores sell those. It's supposed to be a cross-subsidy by buyers of popular books. Additionally, almost every book store will sell you almost any book (if it isn't in stock they get them overnight).
I think around half of the EU members have such laws in place. It is widely debated whether the law has the predicted effects.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_book_price_agreement#Ass...
Some people think it improves availability of less popular books.
By having the competition on other levels than prices (not totally, since the prices at which the shop buys the books are not fixed, so they compete for good deals on that end)
Dealing with bored, uninterested counter staff at bookshops is about as rewarding as dealing with bored,uninterested counter staff at any other shop.
I thought the same thing after reading this article, but then wondered how much a posted policy in the store might help? Something clever about doing our best to match internet prices if you come over and have a chat at the counter (giving you the catalyst for a relationship that could lead to a loyal customer), and/or politely extolling the work that the bookshop does to curate it's collection, and that you may never have found it if it wasn't for your thoughtful local bookseller! I find it hard to sypathize with local businesses that I have no connection to, but the ones I do frequent, I feel at home in. I go to retail locations to browse, or because I know I'll get a level of service (and personal interaction) that can't be matched online (being able to try things on, asking for reccomendations, ordering off the menu, chitchat on similiar topics, etc.)
Physical stores are increasingly just museums to me: a place to spend time looking at interesting things.
If they're in/from a culture that likes books, and you forgot about the birthday party this afternoon, you go to B+N and as a punishment pay list price instead of online Amazon prices. Its just like if you stop at a gas station convenience store in an emergency, don't expect health store quality or discount supermarket prices, but you can expect to walk out the door with at least something more or less usable. If they don't like books, B+N now sells legacy music CDs, dvds, board games, legos, kids toys, chocolate bars, coffee, magazines, pretty much anything in the store can be wrapped up as a gift for someone else in a couple hours. But its all pretty bland inoffensive, send auntie to pick something up for her nephew, kind of shopping destination.
They seem to have almost no competition as one of the very few stores left in the big suburban mall that isn't a womens clothes store or a food court. Its not like I can hang out in the Radio Shack anymore, LOL. Its sort of a more conformist "hot topic" but without the band tee shirts.
Some folks predict the death of B+N because of the decline in book selling, but books are only about half the floor space so they can just shove out the books, public library style, then move in some cell phone accessories, americana home decorating novelties, maybe candy, posters, maybe candles, maybe housewares, and honestly rebrand it as a gift store.
Or in summary B+N is not primarily a book store and has not been one for some time. Its a gift store that is currently, temporarily unusually heavy on physical book stock.
3 new libraries have opened near me in recent years. I've been stunned at how few books they have for the floorspace available (and not just that they're planning to fill it, the non-book floorspace isn't usable for books by design). My own personal library seems just one order of magnitude smaller.
I want to echo this. Anecdotally I find that markup to vary between 20% and 80%. Talking about that as pennies feels disingenuous to me.
If, on the other hand, you're looking for something like an affordable version of Galbraith's "The Emperor and the Wolf", you're better off asking at your friendly neighbourhood bookstore.
If you're in Bangalore, I'd point you towards Blossom's, Select or Goobeys (all in the vicinity of Church Street). Not only is their selection fairly eclectic, but you get a good variety of used books as well. Pretty much nothing - Flipkart or Amazon - comes close.