Literary Criticism: Review of an Independent Book Retailer 

If you have seen the Tom Hanks Meg Ryan movie, “You’ve Got Mail” you may remember the plot revolves around the email exchanges of the two characters. Hanks runs the large corporate book store – FoxBooks, and Ryan the small independent Shop Around the Corner.

In the course of the movie the implication is that the small independent can offer so much more by way of knowledgeable care and product expertise.

The suggestion is that it’s a sad indictment of our obsession with ‘value’ (for which read price) that we choose economies of scale over service...

“… we'll just put up a big sign: ‘Coming soon, a FoxBooks superstore and the end of civilization as you know it.’”

So does the small book store have anything special to offer its customers – more to the point did Buy the Book in Nottingham have anything to differentiate it positively from its FoxBooks-style competitors?

Location is usually important. Buy the Book’s presence on a residential shopping street, rather than in the City centre made it an easy choice: somewhere to park the car inexpensively and a short drive, rather than the full-on bustle of the city centre.

Since my visit was with two book-hungry children (and a benevolent grandparent) the expectation of a smaller choice was actually an advantage.

Studies have shown that excessive choice leads to fewer purchases and greater dissatisfaction with what is ultimately chosen.

Even with the small stores smaller selection both phenomena were in evidence with my children, who flitted from book to book excitedly, committed to a title, and then had the loss of relinquishing it when a more attractive alternative was discovered.

The children’s books were ideally placed at the back of the store – reducing parental stress and enabling children to explore without close parental supervision – and the lighting and colours triggered the right associations to leave us feeling we could take our time.

Turn the page to read about what didn’t work so well... »

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