Waterstones sold

[Ian Whates]

I'll be very interested to see how this effects things:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=534229&in_page_id=3

Hopefully, from the high street point of view not much will change, but who knows?

 

[chopper]

apparently Mr Mamut has already said that he wants Waterstones to be more local- and community-based. Not a bad thing, if true.

from my side of the fence, it keeps me in a job. again, not a bad thing. i might even be well enough to go to work.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

I'll be very interested to see how this effects things:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/markets/article.html?in_article_id=534229&in_page_id=3

Hopefully, from the high street point of view not much will change, but who knows?

I'm wondering if this will change the relationship between writers publishers and agents.

Anyone will be able to (and as I understand it Amazon will happily allow it) upload a load of crap and call it a finished book. Amazon will sell it and take their cut.

It seems to me that agents will soon have a vested interest in touting for writers, rather than the current situation, since their gatekeeper role can be effectively bypassed: so they will have to rely more on what they can bring to the party, rather than what the author has to offer.

Publishers will be going to the wall like lemmings.

I'm using the analogy of U-tube and music downloads, where quality of the product seems to be last thing the public care about.

If it costs twenty pence and 500,000 down load it because there's a wave of interest then that will do for me cash in the bank wise.

 

[Vladd67]

Of course stories like this must be making book sellers nervous
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/20/technology/20amazon.html?_r=2&hpw

 

[Boneman]

I tend to buy all my books in Waterstones - mainly because it's the only bookshop in town, but also because I like to browse. Had an interesting discussion with a manager there, when I suggested they might like to think about a second-hand section of old and rare books (he said they'd never do it for books under 25 years old, because they wouldn't sell any new books), but they had considered a (paying) lending service... Not sure how much autonomy each manager has, but, if Libraries are closing more and more, then possibly there's a market to be had...?

 

[nixie]

Fingers crossed it won't affect the high street stores. Like Boneman most of my books are from Waterstones.
Although Works have been getting some Fantasy in recently and I've bought a few from there.
Occasionally I get books online but I like to browse.
WH Smith's seem to think if you hang around more than 5 minutes you can't find what your looking for and helpful assistants constantly pester you. Waterstones I can browse for hours and be left alone.

 

[Tillane]

Me, too. Almost all of my books are bought from Waterstone's, so I'm hoping that little if nothing changes on the high street - not for the worse, at least. I can't see the Newcastle store shutting any time soon, but I know that I'm in a privileged position with that.

Where this leaves HMV...well. Creek and paddle spring to mind...

 

[RJM Corbet]

Fingers crossed it won't affect the high street stores. Like Boneman most of my books are from Waterstones.
Although Works have been getting some Fantasy in recently and I've bought a few from there.
Occasionally I get books online but I like to browse.
WH Smith's seem to think if you hang around more than 5 minutes you can't find what your looking for and helpful assistants constantly pester you. Waterstones I can browse for hours and be left alone.

That's so true. Some even have a coffee shop where you can sit down and read

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I still have many friends in Waterstones (for whom I worked for eight years) and they are optimistric about the sale. Waterstones have made some bad decisions in the past, for which they suffered, but this could be a good new owner for them. They do need to put more into their local communities, and they do need to reduce the emphasis on top sellers, celebrity biogs etc - they will never be able to compete in those markets with the likes of amazon, tesco etc.

 

[Pyan]

That's so true. Some even have a coffee shop where you can sit down and read

Yes, my local one (Southampton West Quay) has one - great for spending a Saturday morning in a civilised manner.

 

[nixie]

There is a Costa's in our local too.

Pyan, there is still a Waterstones in Winchester isn't there?

 

[Pyan]

Two, I think - one in the High Street, and one in the Brooks Centre - used to be an Ottakars...