This is a link to a story about a woman who has started charging customers $5 to browse her store. The $5 is redeemable if you buy anything.
You might laugh or think she's nuts but honestly, sometimes in a bookshop, it's tempting to do just that.
I love the book shop I work in, the customers are wonderful though we do have, luckily in the minority, some customers who come in and look around, or they ask your advice on what books to get and you are friendly and help them with recommendations that you are more than happy to give because you love books and want to share your knowledge, in the hope the customer goes home, settles down with the book and is happy with their choice.
Then they actually tell you they are going to buy that same book online or in Target or Big W, so you want to brain them with hardback copy of War and Peace.
I know it's cheaper online or even in discount bookstores and most of us are guilty of looking around for the best price before buying, myself included, but why should we be allowed to do this for free?
That's why bookstores, most independent stores in general are struggling or even going out of business and why eventually, there will only be discount and second hand bookstores left.
In fact, the way it's going at the moment, there will be no independent stores left at all, of any kind.
We'll all be shopping online or at big brand departments stores.
Do you think that's a bad thing, or that it doesn't matter where books are sold, as long as they are still being published?
I personally will be very, very sad to see the personal attention you get in an independent store die off.
I just found this great article on Bookriot regarding this very subject-what do you think?
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