INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES - ARE THEY A DYING SPECIES?

In these days of the massive chains like Whitcoulls and Paper Plus and Borders (in NZ) and many others in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK is the independent bookseller going to be able to survive?

This is a question often asked. It arises because of the enormous buying power (read blackmail ability) of the chains who then regularly use that buying power to discount bestsellers. Bestsellers are the bread and butter of the independent bookseller and by being forced to discount the likes of a new Harry Potter the independent bookseller's income (read survival) is threatened.
In New Zealand we are fortunate to still have many excellent independent booksellers but their fight for survival is a real one and if we want them to survive then we must support them.

Here is a thoughtful piece that appeared in The Christian Science Monitor last week on this subject.