Amazon's bookstores should be celebrated, not feared

The web giant’s move into bricks-and-mortar bookselling has upset many in the books community – but there is much to praise in this innovationYou could describe it as a troubling development in publishing: someone comes along with no real knowledge of the book business, a brash salesman who sells books cheaply, undercuts established rivals, drives them out of business. Then he moves into publishing as well, and allows people to publish themselves without recourse to the gatekeeping taste-makers.But I’m not talking about Jeff Bezos and Amazon. I’m talking about James Lackington, who turned the book business upside down – at the end of the 18th century. His London bookshop accepted cash only, so he could slash prices, and he used his accumulated wealth to buy whole libraries and pounce on publishers’ remaindered stock to sell dirt cheap. One of the books his company subsequently published in exchange for a payment from the author’s husband was Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #jeff bezos #18th century #mary shelley

Other news stories related to: "Amazon's bookstores should be celebrated, not feared"


Amazon's bookstores should be celebrated, not feared

The web giant’s move into bricks-and-mortar bookselling has upset many in the books community – but there is much to praise in this innovationYou could describe it as a troubling development in publishing: someone comes along with no real knowledge of the book business, a brash salesman who... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #mary shelley #slash prices #18th century #jeff bezos


Indie Bookstore Day returns, celebrating local bookstores as sanctuaries

Independent Bookstore Day returns April 29 for a day of reader solidarity, or, in the words of one local participant, Skylight Books, “Today we all bleed indie!” Launched in California in 2014, Independent Bookstore Day has since gone national — this year’s list of participants boasts 458... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #skylight books


Amazon VP On Amazon's New Bookstore: 'We Have No Idea What's Going to Happen'

Amazon Books vice president Jennifer Cast discusses Amazon's strategy for its first physical bookstore, where a mix of data and user reviews decides the inventory. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #physical bookstore


Bookstores Challenge Amazon with Olympic Campaign

The ABA has unveiled "Indies Take The Gold," an Olympics-themed marketing campaign encouraging people to shop at independent bookstores on Amazon Prime Days, July 16 and 17. The Paris summer Olympics begin July 26. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-06-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstores


ABA Seeks to Add Bookstores to FTC Lawsuit Against Amazon

The American Booksellers Association has filed a motion with the Federal Trade Commission seeking to fix a hole in the FTC’s antitrust complaint against Amazon that many in the industry agree needs correcting: that it did not specifically include what Amazon’s practices have done to book... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-04-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #american booksellers association #independent bookstores #book retailing


Independent Bookstore Day 2023 Celebrations Across the Country

Find out what cities across the U.S. are doing to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2023 on April 29th and get in on the fun! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2023-04-24 10:38:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore day #independent bookstore


Amazon to close Kindle bookstore in China, halt device sale

Amazon said Thursday it will shut down its digital Kindle bookstores in China and stop selling the device to retailers in the country Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2022-06-02 17:45:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #kindle #stop selling


Party to Celebrate Bookstore Cat’s Retirement

After a decade of enjoying his presence, an Ohio bookstore is hosting a party to celebrate Otis the Cat's retirement. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-05-25 15:44:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore


Celebrating Independent Bookstore Day

Independent Bookstore Day was held this past Saturday in both the U.S. and Canada. Booksellers were delighted with the return of the annual holiday celebrating bookselling, and turnout, they agreed, was excellent. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstore #past saturday


Amazon to Close All Bookstores

After opening its first bookstore with much fanfare in November 2015, Amazon is closing all of its 24 physical bookstores as well as its 4-star and pop-up stores, which carry a mix of items, including some books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-03 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore


Amazon is closing its physical bookstores and 4-star shops in the Bay Area and beyond

The retail giant will shut its bookstore in San Jose and Walnut Creek, as well as it its 4-star stores in Burlingame, Berkeley and Corte Madera as part of a company-wide brick-and-mortar reset. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2022-03-02 23:22:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #corte madera #san jose #retail giant #bay area #physical bookstores


A Bookstore Trolls Amazon With Reworked Holiday Songs and ‘Dystopian’ Window Displays

Independent book shop McNally Jackson staged a public protest with a melodic twist in New York this week, reworking classic seasonal songs and sending carolers to perform in front of the Amazon four-star store in the SoHo neighborhood. The newly written lyrics, from agency DCX Growth... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2021-12-23 20:20:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #soho neighborhood #window displays


Celebrating Independent Bookstore Day

On Saturday, April 24, 749 bookstores in all 50 states participated in bookselling's biggest yearly celebration. Here are some highlights of the day, in pictures. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstore


How an Agency Cut Through ‘Purpose Clutter’ With Its Bookstore Campaign Trolling Amazon

In this David-versus-Goliath battle, mom-and-pop bookstores wrapped themselves in Amazon's familiar brown cardboard as a protest against the retail giant and a plea to shop local. The Instagram-ready stunt, with Amazon lookalike boxes covered in sick literary burns and topical quips, came... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-10-19 20:06:41 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #shop local #retail giant


Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2020 With These Official Online Events

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2020 with a host of online events, including author panels and drawing demonstrations. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-08-27 10:40:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstore #online events


Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day This Saturday

This year's Independent Bookstore Day is taking place on Saturday, August 29. More than 600 stores are participating in the day, which will feature a day-long lineup of virtual events for both children and adults. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstore #virtual events #taking place


Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2020 Virtually: Four Meaningful Things You Can Do From Home

Meaningful ways to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2020 from the comforts of your home. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-08-14 10:37:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #independent bookstore #meaningful ways


A Bookstore Turned “Travel Agency”; Chewy Celebrates Very Good Pets: Friday’s First Things First

Welcome to First Things First, Adweek's daily resource for marketers. We'll be publishing the content to First Things First on Adweek.com each morning (like this post), but if you prefer that it come straight to your inbox, you can sign up for the email here. A Bookstore Shocked Fans and Boosted... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-05-01 10:45:39 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #daily resource


In Amazon’s Bookstore, No Second Chances for the Third Reich

The retailer once said it would sell “the good, the bad and the ugly.” Now it has banished objectionable volumes — and agreed to erasing the swastikas from a photo book about a Nazi takeover. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-02-09 21:35:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #photo book


Lin-Manuel Miranda has a surprisingly personal reason for opening a bookstore in the age of Amazon

He may have created the biggest hit on Broadway, but the ‘Hamilton’ auteur still thinks small in a lot of ways, especially when it comes to business. Along with being the creator of a little show called Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda is also known for his enthusiastic social media... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2019-11-08 17:15:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this | All news stories tagged with: #bookstore #biggest hit #lin-manuel miranda