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NEWS: U.S. Bookstore Sales Fell 4.1% in April




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KanjiiZ



Joined: 28 Jun 2009
Posts: 661
Location: Central Coast
PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 11:05 pm Reply with quote
Might have to do with the fact that bookstores are actually closing down all around. The nearest bookstore is eight or so miles. That's freakin' terrible. We have roughly 20-40 shoe stores all around my city, but not one bookstore. That's just disgusting.
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Lenks



Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 139
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:24 am Reply with quote
This probably has to do with E-Readers, since those are all the rage these days. No need for physical books with those around.
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dragonrider_cody



Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 2541
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:39 am Reply with quote
Actually, I think the bookstore closing have more to do with sales falling than the other way around. Though I'm sure it does have an effect.

E-readers are taking some sales, but they really haven't had too much of impact yet. But the iPad now in the mix and even Best Buy selling them, I'm sure they will. Personally, I can't stand reading digital copies.
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jrnemanich



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 238
Location: Denver
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 12:40 am Reply with quote
why is the united states census bureau reporting this?
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configspace



Joined: 16 Aug 2008
Posts: 3717
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:23 am Reply with quote
It might also have to do with competition from online bookstores, namely amazon. There are several Borders and Barnes and Nobles near me and while I definitely still use them, to be honest, it's very hard for them to compete with Amazon for the bulk of your purchases. The Prime shipping subscription deal brings the satisfaction of an "immediate" delivery you get with bookstores even closer to amazon.

jrnemanich wrote:
why is the united states census bureau reporting this?

yeah that is really strange
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Lady Multi



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 675
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 1:57 am Reply with quote
*huff* Maybe because they decide since things are selling they'll get LESS of it in... or never have the titles that some people want unless you "order it"... and then they're are store shutdowns. Yes...let's shut down the one of our only stores that covers over 300 mile radius....or move from a great location to one that no one goes to. Hey..it happened to 2 of the stores I went to.

Books-a-Million is always busy when I go into their stores, though... Probably cause they're the only ones even remotely close to many people around here now .. (closest is 30 minutes away).
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hissatsu01



Joined: 08 May 2006
Posts: 963
Location: NYC
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 2:28 am Reply with quote
jrnemanich wrote:
why is the united states census bureau reporting this?

Yeah, why doesn't the government agency whose mission statement is "To serve as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy." do it instead? What's that agency's name again?
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Yorozuya



Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 332
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:59 am Reply with quote
Lady Multi wrote:
*huff* Maybe because they decide since things are selling they'll get LESS of it in... or never have the titles that some people want unless you "order it"... and then they're are store shutdowns. Yes...let's shut down the one of our only stores that covers over 300 mile radius....or move from a great location to one that no one goes to. Hey..it happened to 2 of the stores I went to.

Books-a-Million is always busy when I go into their stores, though... Probably cause they're the only ones even remotely close to many people around here now .. (closest is 30 minutes away).


Sometimes stores move to worse locations because it's less expensive; the closer the store is to the city center the more expensive the rent is. If their having a hard time they might not be able to afford the expensive rent anymore and are being forced to move location Sad
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littlegreenwolf



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 4796
Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:18 am Reply with quote
I find this info funny since the store I work at seems to have the reverse happening. Ever since last year our sales have been dismal and we've been barely making 100 bucks a day on some days (small town, mostly illiterate) but over the last two months our sales have gone way up, back to almost what they were before the recession. I don't know if it's because of people buying tons of crap for graduation, or school summer reading lists, but if things keep up the store won't have to close down their extension.

People should always try to buy local. Your independent booksellers, and your local community needs the money more than ever. If they don't have the book, they can get it usually within 3 days at no extra cost.
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GloriousMaximus



Joined: 11 Nov 2009
Posts: 138
Location: North America
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:34 am Reply with quote
As much as I want to support local bookstores, I can't justify paying ten dollars more at a store then online, like in the case of MW. It was 25 dollars at the store but 12 dollars online!
But ordering from the actual bookstore itself will show the store that the book is in demand and perhaps they will start stocking it.
Hopefully.
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Teriyaki Terrier



Joined: 26 Mar 2008
Posts: 5689
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 10:16 am Reply with quote
KanjiiZ wrote:
Might have to do with the fact that bookstores are actually closing down all around. The nearest bookstore is eight or so miles. That's freakin' terrible. We have roughly 20-40 shoe stores all around my city, but not one bookstore. That's just disgusting.


I know what your saying. All a person needs is one pair of well made shoes and that's it. But there is only one Borders in my area and it's only a short matter of time before they close down.

E-Readers, online stores, online manga and possibily shoplifting is why sales are down.
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firedragon54738



Joined: 24 Sep 2007
Posts: 3113
Location: wisconsin
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:18 am Reply with quote
There only one bookstore in a 40miles area and they hardly have what I went right away
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Lady Multi



Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 675
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:32 am Reply with quote
Yorozuya wrote:
Lady Multi wrote:
*huff* Maybe because they decide since things are selling they'll get LESS of it in... or never have the titles that some people want unless you "order it"... and then they're are store shutdowns. Yes...let's shut down the one of our only stores that covers over 300 mile radius....or move from a great location to one that no one goes to. Hey..it happened to 2 of the stores I went to.

Books-a-Million is always busy when I go into their stores, though... Probably cause they're the only ones even remotely close to many people around here now .. (closest is 30 minutes away).


Sometimes stores move to worse locations because it's less expensive; the closer the store is to the city center the more expensive the rent is. If their having a hard time they might not be able to afford the expensive rent anymore and are being forced to move location Sad


The deal was the store moved from a prime location where they were always busy to an area about 10-15 minutes down the same road. I even told the people who worked there before they closed it that it would be my last time in the store. ... They moved from across the old(busy) mall to a new outlet-mall that no one goes to. Their rent was probably even more expensive due to the newer building they were getting.. That's what I didn't understand about them.. They lost business to get a new building...
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vashna



Joined: 19 Feb 2010
Posts: 1313
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:33 am Reply with quote
Would the fact that non-bookstores also sell books be included in this? In my area we have a few bookstores, but Wal-Mart gives you the best deals on manga to be honest.
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PetrifiedJello



Joined: 11 Mar 2009
Posts: 3782
PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:55 am Reply with quote
hissatsu01 wrote:
What's that agency's name again?

You should cut some slack with people who are generally confused about the Census Bureau. Most Americans think they're out just to count the population.

I just hope the data isn't used to throw bailout money to bookstores.
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