Big Book Stores: The Secret to Keeping Indie Stores Alive?
Recently a fantastic essay came out on BookRiot on “How Should We Feel About Barnes & Nobel Now?” and it has been doing it’s round. If you haven’t given it a read, I highly recommend that you do.
The TL;DR is essentially that Barnes & Nobel is coming back and while it seems that they are trying to make their stores more “indie” focused – allowing stores to be a bit more unique and have smaller book selections – they really are just a big store with a bottom line. They aren’t there to truly care about the customer in the same way tat an indie store would. The author of the essay went so far to compare B&N to some of the Amazon Bookstores.
But, I would argue that there is some benefit to having B&N back on the scene and rebranding in a way. It gives some strong competition to Amazon in my opinion. Amazon has dominated the market is literally every single category. You need food? Amazon. Beauty items? Amazon. Phones? Amazon. Adult items? Amazon.
From larasbookclub.wordpress.com
Don’t get me wrong, I am guilty of using Amazon and as a blogger they do have a ‘decent’ and easy program to be an associate and earn a small commission, but at the end of the day they push everyone else to the side! Keep places that challenge a store like Amazon – whether that be Target, Walmart or B&N – means that there is some kind of diversity and it stops prices being too too crazy.
So where does Barnes & Nobel fit in?
Well, they challenge Amazon Books, you know those brick and mortar stores that they set up? I checked one out a long time ago and I personally hated it.
B&N allows people go in and browse, and also bring back a lot of our childhoods who grew up going to their events or looking for a book! It’s kind of that gateway that can help to maintain prices, have more money to keep more books in store and maybe introduce you to other books that you didn’t know of.
So how could this help indie stores?
Well this is where the buyer/reader comes in. Places like B&N, as I said, are good to browse and see what is out there. I hate shopping for books online so I may go into B&N and peruse the shelves, see what their people recommend, take some pictures of books I’m curious in, and then leave. I don’t purchase from them usually unless I go in for a purpose for something. From there I may go to an indie book store and find the book (sometimes reaching out before hand to have them get it in) and give them my business.
I used what B&N provided for me in their physical location but give my money elsewhere for certain purchases.
In my opinion, indie stores also usually hire people who are truly passionate about books and want to talk about books. B&N, as a large company, is just going to hire staff, or be more likely to. Not everyone who works there is a book lover and may just need a job. If you’ve ever been in an indie store you know what I mean! The staff love to chat, answer questions and always give great suggestions!
From my Instagram
So while B&N is still a big company and wants to take your money, when you are looking at prices, the price difference is honestly (in many cases) decently negligible. And yes, I know Amazon looks so attractive with their cheap prices, but they want you to only buy from them. They play the long game – buy from them, push other places out of business and then hike up the prices and you’ll have nowhere else to go.
There is no one clear answer – sometimes you can’t afford to really support an indie place and really have to turn to Amazon, I totally get that. Buttt, barring those pesky school books that you have to buy, I have a great solution there! Your library! I’m a big supporter of libraries for those who don’t maybe have tons of money to spent – I mean big duh with the name and all. But maybe instead of buying your whole TBR, borrow some and buy what you love and put that money towards indie stores. Just one option of many and there is no one size fit all.
But I know that I will continue to love my Barnes & Nobel to just go, grab a coffee and wander around a big store and look at books. I mean what is better than that?!
