Editorial
Unless you have been living on another planet for the last few months, it can't have escaped your attention that there has been a seismic shift in the book-buying habits of the British public.
The comfortable publisher-bookshop relationship is under pressure like never before, and the reason - a certain company by the name of Amazon. Take a look at the last profits announcement. Here are figures that would induce nothing less than unbridled joy at Waterstone's head office.
Bearing in mind we have yet to witness the true impact of the digital reader and the e book, there can only be one conclusion - Amazon will continue to increase their market share over the next two years or more.
Who cares ? Well, we all should, unless we want to see the complete demise of the traditional Bookshop. Our only true hope for a level playing field is for Waterstone's, in conjuction with the top publishing houses, to get their collective act together.
What's needed is a root & branch overhaul of their approach to the way they sell and serve their customers, less attitude more help, less celebrity more writers, less accountants more booklovers!
Be warned this one will not go away !
B kopedia
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