Rachel Caine ([info]rachelcaine) wrote,
2009-12-28 13:55:00
  • Previous
  • Memorize
  • Share
  • Next

The sky is always falling. Or not.

So, Seth Godin posted a blog that declared that bookstores were dead. And 2009 sales proved it. Entry here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Er, Seth? Wither cometh the proof? I see no stats, other than the generic "the typical American buys one book a year for pleasure" statement.

For clarification, here's what Publisher's Weekly had to say about the year's bookstore results on 12/14/09:

Despite the severe recession, bookstore sales through the first nine months of 2009 are down by less than 1%, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales, which include results from college bookstores, were $13.56 billion through October, off just 0.7% from the same period in 2008. Bookstores have fared better than the overall retail market, which was down 8.2% in the nine-month period. Sales have generally been better in the second half of 2009, when comparisons with 2008 are easier as the recession deepened. In October, bookstore sales were a bit disappointing, falling 0.9%, to $1.03 billion, after posting a 7% increase in September and a slight gain in August.

Hmmm. So ... OTHER stores fell 8.2%, but bookstores were down by less an an overall 1%. Yet *bookstores* are dead.

Someone's facts are a little wonky here, and I don't think it's PW's.

For reference, check out the Zogby poll done for Random House in 2008:
http://www.zogby.com/random%20house%20final%20report.pdf

Not a huge sample size, but the statistics are certainly still trending heavily in favor of print vs. electronic delivery, and although about 50% of the respondents bought "10 or fewer books a year," that's still a far cry from "one."

Periodically, someone will declare the sky is falling, books are dead, and the New Hot Tech will inherit the earth.

I think this could be one of those times. And now I shall go buy a book.

-- Rachel
Tags: books are dead, seth godin

  • Post a new comment

    Error

    Anonymous comments are disabled in this journal

    switch

    Your reply will be screened

     
    Help
  • 29 comments

[info]refined_mirages

December 28 2009, 20:01:16 UTC 2 years ago

I buy - at least - 8 books a month and whenever I go to the bookstore, it is always busy.

[info]spiderorchid81

December 28 2009, 20:35:46 UTC 2 years ago

I admit that I buy most books online (because the local bookstores simply don't have the books I want in the original language), but I went to a bookstore a few weeks before christmas to buy presents. I had to wait in line to pay for my purchases for 15 minutes. And there were three desks where you could pay. And it wasn't even one of the big city bookstores, it was a bookstore in a shopping mall in the suburbs. So much for "bookstores are dead" - at least in Germany, they're very busy being alive...

[info]zombiegoat

December 28 2009, 20:39:12 UTC 2 years ago

Gosh, faced with this news, I guess I should just hit the EJECT button on my non-existent career right now, eh?

PPPPPPHHHHHBBBBBTTT. I spit in the face of Doom... and play that gruesome game as well.

[info]littleheaven70

December 28 2009, 20:44:26 UTC 2 years ago

Sensationalist headlines like that are just an attention-grabbing ploy. In the 1990's everyone was freaking about global cooling, and that we were all going to perish under a blanket of ice. Now it's global warming and we're all going to drown instead. The more dire you can make your article sound, the more people will read it.

I would think in a recession, that more people would be into books because it's a much cheaper and longer-lasting form of entertainment than going to the movies or out to a meal.

Having said that, Dymocks did go under here in New Zealand this past year, but that's because they were just too specialised and OMG expensive. Borders seem to be doing a booming trade - it's always full - and Whitcoulls similarly. It helps that they also stock DVD's, puzzles, mags, stationery, etc, which pulls people in for other reasons.

[info]skywardprodigal

December 28 2009, 21:49:10 UTC 2 years ago

Good article.

Thank you!

[info]harmonyfb

December 28 2009, 22:14:51 UTC 2 years ago

I bought a fair amount of books this Yuletide season - six for my 8 year old, one for my 4 year old, one for my husband, one for my teenager, and with my bookstore gift card (thanks, bro!), I bought seven books today. Yes, my average yearly book spending has taken a dramatic downturn, as I now frequent the library a whole lot more, but even with the lack of funds, I generally buy at least one a month.

[info]numbedtoe

December 28 2009, 22:23:00 UTC 2 years ago

I admit it, I'm one of those "evil" Kindle users. Because the Kindle lets me read books again, my hands are screwed up and there are times when holding a book, hardback or paper, is impossible. So issue of bookstores aside, it was such a beautiful thing for me, because it lets me read again without being in pain. But I don't think for a second that it's going to make bookstores obsolete.

I still buy books and not just a few a month from amazon's kindle store. If I have money nine times out of ten I'll come home with a bag or two of books. I still go to B&N, and look forward to using the giftcards I got for Christmas. I still go to the library. Still have more books than room on the bookcases. Same goes for the bookworms I know. I love wandering around a bookstore, grabbing a stack of books to look through, and writing down titles of which ones I'll get later, since I always end up with more choices than money.

I love finding new authors or series. I love the feel, smell and look of books. I love how bookstores are usually peaceful places.

There are only a couple of people I know who don't read for pleasure so while I know there are a lot of people who don't read, I'm always suspicious of the articles that say people don't read or have stopped reading. I'm surprised bookstores weren't hit harder because the economy was so unkind to everyone. To me it speaks volumes that sales were only down a bit.

People who write stuff like that without backing it up with figures, irritate me.

[info]areteus

December 28 2009, 22:44:03 UTC 2 years ago

Benjamin Disreali was right when he said that there were 3 types of lie - lies, damned lies and statistics. It is very easy to twist figures to say anything you want them to, just like all religious writings. And just like religious writings, I tend to view stats critically (can't help it, I'm a scientist at heart... :) ).

I know that nowadays, the problem with the major book selling chains is that they expect to be paid to stock books - publishers have to offer incentives to the chain have them stock their books. This is why you tend to have only a limited choice and that drawn from the larger publishers. A lot of independent and small press stuff does not get a look in. What may be dying is the smaller, independent bookshop - hit by both the larger chains as well as the online stores. However, I have no evidence for that, which is why I say 'may' :)

I personally do a lot of book buying online but still like to spend money in bookshops when I can find something I want. I am too much of a chain reader (seeriously, I light a new book from the embers of the last one :) ) to not have access to more than one regular supplier :)

[info]damedini

December 28 2009, 22:45:35 UTC 2 years ago

One book a year?

I bought 6 books *today*. My book expenditure is mildly embarrassing, but happily my mom passes hers down to me, about 20 per year, which saves me a bit. Srsly, I'd have a hard time limiting myself to 100 books a year, and I suspect most of your readers are the same. Clearly his readers are less ... readerly?

[info]edgyauthor

December 28 2009, 23:18:39 UTC 2 years ago

Bookstores will never die, at least not while I'm alive! Books are all I ever ask for for Christmas and birthdays, and I STILL go to the bookstore regularly in between both those days to make sure my to-read pile doesn't shrink.

[info]tully01

December 29 2009, 01:27:30 UTC 2 years ago

Not only are book sales barely off as compared to other retail, library usage is up 15-20% or more as the budget alternative. Clearly people have given up on printed books...NOT!

[info]redeem147

December 29 2009, 02:01:47 UTC 2 years ago

I bought three books yesterday (for pleasure.) I guess I bought some other person's copies.

[info]misskiss645

December 29 2009, 05:02:39 UTC 2 years ago

Yeah, I bought like 4 books the other day. I think his sources are a bit crazy. P.S. Thirty Seconds to Mars rocks. :)
~T

[info]cactus_wren

December 29 2009, 05:51:51 UTC 2 years ago

I don't know about being dead, but they are closing my closest bookstore, Waldenbooks, and when I talked to my fav friendly clerk there she told me Borders is closing all the Waldenbooks, except for two. This sucks for many reasons, the selfish one for me being that now I have to drive MUCH further to buy my books & the shopping center I'll go to is always a parking nightmare; but more importantly, Borders/Waldenbooks is not offering any of the employees (at least from *my* store) a job in any of the nearby stores. They are just out of luck and out of a job. These are wonderful people, people who bother to get to know you, to know what you like to read and recommend books accordingly. They know my name, they rock in so many ways. My favorite clerk has worked for them for something like twenty years and now she is just shit out of luck. It's awful. So I don't know if bookstores are dead, but one bookseller is making it worlds harder to buy from them.

[info]writerfangirl

December 29 2009, 10:56:25 UTC 2 years ago

Hmm. Well, since September, I have purchased--and this is a little embarrassing (and obsessive)--over 50 books. I went so long without that, now when things are better I'm kind of buying books regularly. I'm working on making things better in my life and many of these books relate to that. They are a bunch of writer biographies and self help books. But they all make me very happy.

Maybe the person is confused. Maybe bookstores are dying in comparison to online retailers. I do purchase many of my books from Amazon.com. He's incorrect in lumping Kindle in there too. So there is at least some slight confusion on his part. I also buy my books from Borders (my former employer, but I hold no sour grapes toward them even if they aren't the nicest of people to their booksellers), Barnes and Noble, and recently, Powells (from their online section). Nothing beats walking into a room filled with books, though. There's something about it that gives me a thrill. And I know there are many people like that too.

Anonymous

December 29 2009, 15:06:13 UTC 2 years ago

cannot find morganville vampires book 6 on kindle. reading book 7 but disappointed.

[info]rachelcaine

December 29 2009, 15:46:22 UTC 2 years ago

I know -- something wonky going on at Kindle. Book 1 and Book 6 are suddenly unavailable, and I don't know why. I have alerted the publisher but they won't be able to research until after their offices reopen on Jan. 4th!

[info]loajayne

December 29 2009, 17:30:31 UTC 2 years ago

One book per month - I am buying for at least 10 people then monthly! And that doesn't even account for the fact that I do most of my gift shopping at the book stores as well.

Anonymous

December 29 2009, 18:24:02 UTC 2 years ago

Seth isn't saying "print books are dead" - he's saying that bricks and mortar book stores are dead.

His point is that the 100-200 per year "backbone" now buy on-line, leaving the the stores with the 1 per year average Joe.

[info]rachelcaine

December 29 2009, 22:57:01 UTC 2 years ago

Except it's NOT TRUE. The sales figures simply don't support it. Otherwise, we'd have seen a major hit to bookstores, which in fact were quite steady all year long.

Amazon sales STILL do not surpass the traditional store sales, and it's broken out on my royalty statements, so I can actually see the data. They've gained ground for midlist authors whose books are sometimes not easy to find through chain stores, but as your sales figures rise, in-store sales actually rise much more than Amazon sales.

At least, that's been my experience. Interesting, eh? I sold more through Amazon when I was selling *less.*

-- Rachel

Anonymous

December 29 2009, 20:27:24 UTC 2 years ago

Really?

Wow. That is a load of bull. In the last year I've bought 76 books. (I just counted; My bookshelf is next to my computer.) Not to mention thats just one bookshelf. I have two others down stairs that have some books i bought this year on them. AND im pretty sure I've bought less books this year then i have in my whole life. And when i go to the book store theres ALWAYS at the very least a 5 minute line. Idk where hes getting his facts from, but they sure are wrong.

[info]godiva2111

December 30 2009, 06:08:38 UTC 2 years ago

Fade Out

I just had to tell you how excited I was when I saw Fade Out at the grocery store (HEB)! I know it sounds silly, but being put out at a grocery store to me seems like you are definitly becoming more main stream and that much cooler! Congrats!

Anonymous

December 30 2009, 18:33:54 UTC 2 years ago

Re: Fade Out

Omg!! I saw it in Winco, and was so excited cause Twilight wasn't even there! lol

[info]ellieknows

December 30 2009, 12:53:10 UTC 2 years ago

Books!!!

I buy at least 10 books a month, but Borders has been shut down all over the UK which is really sad, where am I going to spent my weekends now. But before Borders had closed down it was always pack with people. I will have to relocate to waterstones here in the UK. Bookshop are much better than online shopping I love the real experience!

Anonymous

December 30 2009, 18:32:42 UTC 2 years ago

lol

Yeah I kinda want to go buy like 5 books now, just to prove how wrong he is. On a yearly bases, I buy 10-15 books. I usually end up with far more though (gifts, and such).

[info]bulldogheavan

January 1 2010, 16:57:16 UTC 2 years ago

Hi rachel its angela, HAPPY NEW YEARS!

seo packages san diego

[info]rachelcaine

January 1 2010, 18:19:25 UTC 2 years ago

Hi, Angela! Awww, cute doggies! I always had a soft spot for bulldogs. And pugs. I had a pug growing up, and he was utterly charming.

-- R.

Anonymous

January 6 2010, 21:21:25 UTC 2 years ago

I read one book at least in one week :)
or if the books are short (or i spend a lot of time on them) i can read them in two-four days (:
i feel so proud of myself when i finish a big book quickly
bookstores *CANT* die :(
id be very sad
even though i get mostly ALL my books from the library,
i still buy some (:

[info]queenlyzard

January 7 2010, 02:08:59 UTC 2 years ago

Bookstores will never die!!! (I hope. I work at one. But truly, I don't think online shopping will replace bookstores any more than e-readers will replace books. Sure, they'll win a lot of converts... but if TV didn't kill bookstores, nothing will.)
Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Facebook Twitter More login options
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…