Independent bookselling in the 21st century - by Patrick Neale
Independent bookselling in the twenty-first century
Patrick Neale, co-owner of Jaffé & Neale bookshop and café,
Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire
Why would anybody buy books in an independent bookshop these days? They
are notoriously the most expensive, often smell of boiled cabbage and are run by
ex-teachers who took early retirement with no knowledge of retail fundamentals.
Is this really the case or is there a fantastic opportunity for independent
booksellers opening up right now?
The channels from which customers can buy books are many compared to
20 years ago. This is obviously a great benefi t to customers. They can pick up
bestsellers at the supermarket, train station, petrol station, or airport – or have
them delivered to their door having purchased online.
Previously one would have visited WHSmith or one of the old-established
independent retailers and put up with whatever service was thrown at you. Then
came the new high street players, Waterstone’s, Borders and Ottakar’s (now
part of Waterstone’s), making bookselling exciting and vibrant. The Net Book
Agreement collapsed and Amazon and the supermarkets waded in, making
the book market even more dynamic. Most customers have welcomed these
developments.
This is the environment in which independent booksellers have to operate
and it is no surprise that 50 are going out of business every year. Competition
is strong and so there is no point trying to face these big businesses head on.
Butchers and greengrocers have already witnessed the ‘heartless’ way customers
have chased bargains and convenience and neglected their traditional shopping
locations. Rather it is wiser to play to your strengths and recognize where the
large chains and online retailers cannot compete.
One could feel very pessimistic and fear the death of independent bookselling.
The questions asked in the House of Commons about the price of the Harry Potter
books and the shouts of ‘it’s not fair’ may raise the spirits of some. But customers
are always right and they will not take kindly to any return to price fixing.
So how do independents respond to this tough environment? The exciting
news is that sales in the independent sector have actually increased. So it is not
all gloom.
Independent booksellers have realized that customers want personal
service. They want recommendations from people they know and trust, not
from a chain that demands a payment to display books at the front of the
store. Independent booksellers put books at the front of their shop because
they have read them and can advise buying them with their integrity intact.
The independent bookseller can create an environment where customers feel
welcome and known. They can get to know each customer’s preferences and
recommend exactly to the tastes of those individuals. This ‘boutique’ style of
retailing is not the cheapest but can give the customer the feeling of individuality
in an often soulless high street. Book clubs and author events are increasingly
becoming the domain of the independent as they are seen as unprofitable to the
big chains. On this note authors are keen to champion independent bookshops
as they may well have supported them before the author was famous.
Independent bookshops can tailor their shop to the exact requirements of
the community making it the meeting place. Our bookshop acts as a head office
for the ‘Keep the Local Lido Open’ campaign and is a drop-off point for a group of
people to collect their organic eggs. There seems to be shift from, and a suspicion
of, the big players in the retail sector. In the same way that people are going to
butchers who can tell them exactly where their meat comes from, they want to get
their books from people who know the pedigree of the books they are selling.
There is definitely a future for cleverly located and well-run independent
bookshops. They must be run by book lovers who understand their market and
want to give customers an experience they will remember and pay a little more
for. Independent booksellers can lead the vanguard in bringing the soul back to
Britain’s high streets.
Clark and Phillips, Inside Book Publishing, 2008, pages 238-9
