I would like to discuss a cause that is very dear to my heart, namely the support of independent bookshops in the face of giant corporate monsters (maybe that's not exactly the technical term) such as Amazon and the like.
Today I went to pick up some of the new books I need for my English Literature course ('Emma' by Jane Austen and 'Anthony and Cleopatra' by William Shakespeare) at my local bookseller, as named above, and fresh outrage has struck me regarding the situation with bookshops being forced out of business by said corporate giants.
The books I bought today were crisp and new, beautifully printed and properly packaged for me upon collection and the whole lot cost me exactly £3.58. After checking the Amazon website (I'm sorry, but it's the easiest target) to see what the cost of my purchases would have amounted to had I shopped there, I discovered that the price for 'Emma' was more expensive on Amazon and the price for 'Anthony and Cleopatra' varied enormously, but the same copy I bought could be found for the same price.
So, no savings would have been made through Amazon and, what's more, I actually spent less money by buying through my local bookshop. So, to those of you using the 'it's cheaper' argument...well...there you go.
Another common argument used to justify buying through colossal online corporations instead of the local bookshops is 'it's easier'. And, in this respect, you're right. It IS easier to simply click a few buttons and order online rather than trek into town and physically buy it.
However, I can assure you that independent bookshops have also heard of the internet too - word got out, I guess. Therefore it should come as no surprise that there are numerous reputable websites and companies set up to support independent bookshops, with many booksellers having their own website or simply linking to these larger sites for the same purpose. The difference is - before you argue - these sites pay a commission to the independent booksellers and ensure that their businesses do not go under in the face of larger multipurpose online retailers such as...you guessed it.
You still get the same variety, the free delivery, the (in most cases) cheaper prices and you're keeping independent books on the highstreet. And for those of you with e-readers, you can still buy your ebooks on these sites too; Amazon is not your only option.
If you don't believe me, please follow the links below and see examples for yourself:
http://www.hive.co.uk/hive-network/
http://localbookshops.tbphost.co.uk/TBP.Web/CustomerAccessControl/Home.aspx?d=localbookshops&s=C&r=10000020&ui=0&bc=0
If you'll allow me to step away from the focus on bookshops for the moment, let us also consider the value of the people behind the books we are buying - the authors. I don't know if many of you have ever attempted to write a book or any form of literature, but it is an enormous and difficult task which can consume years even for the most efficient and talented writers.
If we permit large corporations to completely dominate the book market, we are agreeing that books that have taken years to write and produce are only worth, for example, three pounds. Because of their size, large retailers can afford to lower prices, which puts independent booksellers at a disadvantage. As I have already shown, this is not always the case,but even if it IS, I think it is worth the extra two pounds or so to ensure that we keep booksellers on our highstreets and put economic value in the books that we are reading.
Likewise, there are also organisations set up to support authors in this cause. If you are interested, please follow the link below:
http://independentbooksellersweek.org.uk/author-support/
What is your position in the large online retailers vs independent booksellers debate?
Comment below and share your thoughts - I'm very keen to hear the different opinions on this matter.
Don't forget to like and share!
Today I went to pick up some of the new books I need for my English Literature course ('Emma' by Jane Austen and 'Anthony and Cleopatra' by William Shakespeare) at my local bookseller, as named above, and fresh outrage has struck me regarding the situation with bookshops being forced out of business by said corporate giants.
The books I bought today were crisp and new, beautifully printed and properly packaged for me upon collection and the whole lot cost me exactly £3.58. After checking the Amazon website (I'm sorry, but it's the easiest target) to see what the cost of my purchases would have amounted to had I shopped there, I discovered that the price for 'Emma' was more expensive on Amazon and the price for 'Anthony and Cleopatra' varied enormously, but the same copy I bought could be found for the same price.
So, no savings would have been made through Amazon and, what's more, I actually spent less money by buying through my local bookshop. So, to those of you using the 'it's cheaper' argument...well...there you go.
Another common argument used to justify buying through colossal online corporations instead of the local bookshops is 'it's easier'. And, in this respect, you're right. It IS easier to simply click a few buttons and order online rather than trek into town and physically buy it.
However, I can assure you that independent bookshops have also heard of the internet too - word got out, I guess. Therefore it should come as no surprise that there are numerous reputable websites and companies set up to support independent bookshops, with many booksellers having their own website or simply linking to these larger sites for the same purpose. The difference is - before you argue - these sites pay a commission to the independent booksellers and ensure that their businesses do not go under in the face of larger multipurpose online retailers such as...you guessed it.
You still get the same variety, the free delivery, the (in most cases) cheaper prices and you're keeping independent books on the highstreet. And for those of you with e-readers, you can still buy your ebooks on these sites too; Amazon is not your only option.
If you don't believe me, please follow the links below and see examples for yourself:
http://www.hive.co.uk/hive-network/
http://localbookshops.tbphost.co.uk/TBP.Web/CustomerAccessControl/Home.aspx?d=localbookshops&s=C&r=10000020&ui=0&bc=0
If you'll allow me to step away from the focus on bookshops for the moment, let us also consider the value of the people behind the books we are buying - the authors. I don't know if many of you have ever attempted to write a book or any form of literature, but it is an enormous and difficult task which can consume years even for the most efficient and talented writers.
If we permit large corporations to completely dominate the book market, we are agreeing that books that have taken years to write and produce are only worth, for example, three pounds. Because of their size, large retailers can afford to lower prices, which puts independent booksellers at a disadvantage. As I have already shown, this is not always the case,but even if it IS, I think it is worth the extra two pounds or so to ensure that we keep booksellers on our highstreets and put economic value in the books that we are reading.
Likewise, there are also organisations set up to support authors in this cause. If you are interested, please follow the link below:
http://independentbooksellersweek.org.uk/author-support/
What is your position in the large online retailers vs independent booksellers debate?
Comment below and share your thoughts - I'm very keen to hear the different opinions on this matter.
Don't forget to like and share!