Bookseller: “Sorry, we don’t have that book in stock. May I order it for you?”
Potential customer: “No thanks.”
Bookseller: “That’s fine but you should know that we can get it in ?? days, return it if you don’t want it, and, for a special order, we will automatically match the price at Amazon.com. Remember, no shipping.”
You might lose money sometimes, and you wouldn’t make much profit if any, but at least you would keep them coming back.
Excellent idea. So tell me where your new book store will be located and I will come.
Mark,
You are exactly right. The tough question is whether or not it makes any sense to run a retail bookstore at all (assuming that you are not Barnes & Noble).
1. Competing on price with on-line stores is a brutal proposition.
2. With the ubiquity of the internet, you even lose the impulse buyers. It used to be if you walked into a bookstore and found a book that you really wanted (which wasn’t a best seller) it would be a hassle to get it if you didn’t purchase it right there. Today, many people write down the book – and buy it on line if they still want it when they get home.
3. Obviously a retail bookstore needs to diversify into other revenue streams such as coffee and pastries – but can a bookstore be the loss-leader to a cafe? I question the economics of this.
David
Re: #2 it is even worse now. I just call in to http://jott.com/ and dictate a reminder to myself which is right there waiting for me as email when I am at my computer.