Originally Posted By alexbook Okay, so I'm spouting my employer's party line here, but I actually do believe it, too: The U.S. government needs to step in and do something about loss-leader sales in the book industry. Amazon, Wal-Mart, Sears, and Target are engaged in a price war over hard-back books. Each of them is offering the same list of 10 upcoming titles for less than cost. There's no way for smaller retailers to compete. These retail giants are using their deep pockets to drive their competitors out of business. Customers who care about a healthy publishing industry should be worried. The American Booksellers Association has asked the Justice Department to investigate: >>What's so troubling in the current situation is that none of the companies involved are engaged primarily in the sale of books.... The entire book industry is in danger of becoming collateral damage in this war.<< <a href="http://news.bookweb.org/7130.html" target="_blank">http://news.bookweb.org/7130.html</a>
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy The bookselling industry has been hurting for several years now. They are using the pricing strategy at Wal-Mart and other retailers to try and mask their much broader and larger problems. I can't imagine that discount prices on a very limited inventory of bestsellers at Wal-Mart or Target is going to drive a bookstore out of business considering its much larger and more diverse inventory to attract customers. The real problem is that, like CDs and DVDs, people aren't buying as much physical media anymore and that includes books.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Other than perhaps collectors, are there very many people interested in owning a hardcover copy of Sarah Palin's book? Or any other mass-market title for that matter? I don't understand the publishing process -- it seems crazy to me to not go straight to paperback with most new books. I can understand that a popular series or collections by a particular author, might be something people would want to own. But $35 for a book that will be a $7.99 paperback in 6 months seems crazy to me.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>I can't imagine that discount prices on a very limited inventory of bestsellers at Wal-Mart or Target is going to drive a bookstore out of business considering its much larger and more diverse inventory to attract customers.<< I know a few bankrupt CD chains that would beg to differ. Neither a bookstore nor a CD store can't survive on deep catalog titles alone. And now that the CD format itself is dying, the big boxes have moved on to another loss leader item.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy CD chains didn't die because of big box stores. CD sales simply don't exist anymore because of digital downloads.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>Amazon, Wal-Mart, Sears, and Target are engaged in a price war over hard-back books. Each of them is offering the same list of 10 upcoming titles for less than cost.<< Yeah, I saw this. They're offering Stephen King's newest title for $9.00. In hardcover. It's a 74% discount! I have a Kindle, so I have a different perspective - I'd love to cut out the paper middle altogether. Cut costs for everyone involved.
Originally Posted By Mr X Ugh. I'm going stodgy on this one, I love a good book. I love the feel of it, the smell of it, everything. I refuse to buy a kindle. Yuck. And GET OFF MY LAWN!
Originally Posted By ecdc LOL. You know, when I first bought it I was more curious than anything. I'm a reader and I like gadgets. We were made for each other. But I gotta be honest. Now that I've had it for a year, I've gone from thinking of it as a fun gimmick to truly believing it will be the future of reading. I get my newspaper on it every morning. I buy books directly from it, I get samples for stuff I want to try. It's fantastic. (When I say it'll be the future of reading, I don't necessarily mean the Kindle per se, but definitely portable electronic devices, be it the Apple tablet or something else.)
Originally Posted By Mr X Uh huh. Can you pen a little note on the inside cover and give it to a loved one as a thoughfully considered gift? Huh!? Huh!? p.s. good luck enjoying your gadget in a nice bubble bath!
Originally Posted By Mr X Can you stroll down to the local kindlebrary and select from a variety of stories to read for free!!??
Originally Posted By Mr X When your friend expresses interest in the story you're reading, can you say "I'm almost done, then you can have it and give it back to me whenever"!!?? Huh!? Huh!!?? (well in that case I suppose you could, but WOULD you?) <--considers changing LP name to X the Cantankerous
Originally Posted By TomSawyer Mr. X is going to be happy when Dr. McCoy gives him a pair of reading glasses so he can read the copy of Tale of Two Cities that Spock gave him.
Originally Posted By EdisYoda Actually, Mr X, you can use a Sony e-reader to read library books. The newest model also allows you to write notes and highlight as well. <a href="http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665921180#features" target="_blank">http://www.sonystyle.com/webap...features</a>
Originally Posted By skinnerbox I'm waiting for the Apple tablet. Then if a particular book bores me, I can watch a movie or surf the net.
