“We are committed to the idea that book shops matter”: James Daunt criticises and defends Waterstones

February 28, 2014 - Melville House - by Zeljka Marosevic

James Daunt: still committed

The managing director of Waterstones, James Daunt, spoke yesterday to attendees at the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG) conference, and addressed some of the biggest questions being thrown at the national bookshop right now.
Daunt took part in a question and answer session, and as expected, much of the focus was on the relationship between digital sales and physical shops. With an attitude that feels refreshingly honest, Daunt directly addressed the issue of Waterstones’ website, which has flagged behind competition and is often criticized for how out-dated the service it offers is. As the Bookseller reports, Daunt called the website “pathetic”, recognizing that it needs to be made “engaging and intelligent”. Much to everyone’s relief, he revealed it would be undergoing an overhaul this summer: “We will have a new platform from July which will give us something more adaptable.”
Daunt was also prepared to be critical of the chain’s previous management:

“it had failed to invest “when the sun shone”, and that what investment had been made was done in a “crass” way, leaving the business with a poor infrastructure.”

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