4 ms·
Why is the decline of the bookstore any different than the decline of record stores?
by ippisl 15y ago
Why is the decline of the bookstore any different than the decline of record stores?
- MatthewPhillips 15y agoThe audience for books skews older than the audience for music.
- ippisl 15y agoBut also the audience for ereaders skews older. see[1]. It's hard to tell if it's because older people read more , or because they like ereaders. But: " “Tablets and e-readers are relatively easy to use. Couple that with light weight and the ability to increase the text size (not to be underestimated with older owners), and you have a very appealing product for older demographics,” Kellogg said. " And without physical books What left of the bookstore is(almost) the public library. [1]http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/mobile-tech-demographics/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/mobile-tech-demograph...
- tptacek 15y agoRecord stores make poor promotional vehicles for records; people don't often go into record stores hoping for serendipity. Partly because it's hard to browse music, even when you can actually listen to it. Partly because people tend to have something specific in mind when they go to a record store, at least more often than when they go to book stores.
- jamesbritt 15y agopeople don't often go into record stores hoping for serendipity. That's pretty much the main reason I go into record stores. If I have something specific in mind I go to Amazon.
- tptacek 15y agoYeah, because now there's Amazon. If you could own a record store before or after Amazon...?
- jamesbritt 15y agoI've little doubt record stores are now a poor investment, at least as currently managed. Like book stores, they need a way to exploit having physical items in immediate proximity, and the prospect of there being other people around as your browse or shop. Perhaps only carry items that have distinct packaging, while providing high-end listening facilities for digital purchases.
- tptacek 15y agoI knew when I wrote my first comment on this thread that someone was going to tell me about how they love flipping through albums at record stores. I used to, too! The issue is, most people probably don't browse record stores that much. You can take a bunch of books at B&N and sit down with them in the coffee shop. You can't do that at a record store. This is all not to mention the fact that the era of buying music on physical media is pretty much over.
- jamesbritt 15y agoThe issue is, most people probably don't browse record stores that much. On what do you base this? I don't have anything other than my own anecdotal data, so I offered up my own personal preference. Thing is, as I recall, whenever I went into record stores there seemed to be a fair number of people in there. Gut feeling tells me people were browsing in the stores but buying online. No, you can't take a stack of CDs to listen too, though some places will play something for you if you ask (but that's hardly as frictionless as grabbing books on your own). There still are some opportunities for listening previews, though. This is all not to mention the fact that the era of buying music on physical media is pretty much over. Define "pretty much over." http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/cue-the-music-driven-by-digital-music-sales-up-in-2011/ http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/cue-the-music-d... Vinyl is certainly a much smaller market than CDs, but custom packaging still has its appeal.