Re: where to buy books--in defense of Amazon (kinda long)

[Sella Rush <SellaR -at- APPTECHSYS -dot- COM>]

Stuart's example illustrates why Amazon called themselves the "largest
bookstore on earth."  It had nothing to do with the number of books they
stock, but rather that metaphorically the bookstore spans the Internet
(or the whole earth).  I was amazed that people were being so literal.

I'm also amazed at the people panning Amazon.  When people talk about
big chains versus indies I've never heard of Amazon on the chain side.
In fact, lots of people admire Amazon for taking on the big B's.  This
has a lot to do with the fact that they flout the B's distressing habit
of carrying massive quantities of the popular books and ignoring those
works not on the publishing "A lists."  I'm not sure what is so
dispicable about Amazon's practice of not carrying a huge stack of
books. It makes sense for them because they're not a physical place
where inventory is needed for browsing.  (And I'm not just saying these
things because I live in Seattle and would love to work there! <g>)

When I think of the big booksellers threat, it's not Amazon I think of.
Barnes and Noble orders such a huge percentage of what any publisher
sells, they can actually end up influencing what gets published
(although I doubt this was intentional).  If B&N decides not to purchace
a particular book, the effect on total sales of the book can be so
drastic the publisher may actually drop the title, especially if it's a
first book, which libraries (the biggest buyer of books) don't tend to
buy.

I recently went to a talk by a Seattle book expert (librarian and radio
person Nancy Pearl).  She said that while the publishing and bookselling
future looks pretty dismal, there is a bright point of light for all
concerned.  There are independent publishers constantly springing up who
do buy books from anxious authors and do need some place to sell them.
And there will always be a market for alternatives to the big B's book
list.  Right now we're in pretty dark days, and it may get worse, but
public taste will swing around again.

Getting back to Amazon again briefly, Pearl also made a comment that was
supported by a number of people in the audience.  Regarding online
bookstores, she commented that she felt strongly the loss of browsing,
the feel of the store and the books and being able to thumb through
them.  I never felt this, but then I do usually buy fiction from a
physical book store.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sella Rush
sellar -at- apptechsys -dot- com
Applied Technical Systems, Inc. (ATS)
Bremerton, Washington USA
Developers of the CCM Database

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