In terms of the music industry, there are two major timeframes – before and after digital downloads. The iPod will be in history books as the device that encapsulates this change in the industry in generations to come. Many people have said it is inevitable that this will happen to movies as well. This industry was fortunate to learn from the music industry, but technology has reached the point where even these much larger files are capable of being easily transferred, to the point that hundreds of feature-length movies can be held in the palm of your hand through a range of portable devices (iPod included).
Now we’re seeing a new development that poses a new shift for retailers. In 2009, Amazon’s ‘Kindle’ gained popularity as a ‘digital book’. A hardware device that would enable you to carry around with you hundreds of books in your bag and could download more from their online store. Sounds reserved to only the rare tech-savvy? Consider this: Over Christmas 2009 Amazon.com, the largest bookseller in the world (http://www.thebookseller.com/news/58808-amazon-could-phase-out-publishers.html), sold more ‘book downloads’ than it did physical books (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/dec/28/kindle-christmas). Music downloads haven’t even come close to that kind of percentage. Amazon’s not alone either. Barnes & Noble, the claiming to be the largest bricks & mortar bookseller, spent over $15 million USD to acquire an “e-reader” solution. Rumour websites are abuzz that Apple (yes, the iPod) are set to launch their own version later this month. It seems digital books are coming, and coming fast.
So what does this mean for independent Christian stores in Australia? Whatever we want it to mean. Depending on our outlook, it could be one of fear or one of opportunity – people are still purchasing the hardware and paying for the download of the book. Plus, there will always be us die-hard book-readers that refuse to read a book that requires recharging. If we choose to take a lesson from the music industry, we should be keeping our ear to the ground on this topic and ensuring that we’re ready and willing to embrace this new change. Last decade, many music stores chose to ignore the change to their industry and were left behind. The industry didn’t go away, in fact in many ways it’s grown – but they didn’t grow with it. Let’s decide that in this new decade we won’t allow the fear of the unknown or technology grip us. Ultimately, this new medium has the potential to get God’s word into people’s hands like never before.
Share your thoughts on this topic – do you think this could happen in the near future? How could this change our industry, both stores & suppliers?
In think this technology will create more competition. Once a specialist brick and mortar store is established in a prime real estate location, it often seals the market. In contrast, the dominance of stores like Amazon will become increasingly less secure. Online retail space is cheap rental, and web designers are everywhere. So, for example, The Book Depository website was unheard of five years ago. Yet, I already know half a dozen people who have switched from being regulars of Amazon to buying all their books from the Book Depository. This is not because Amazon’s service or pricing deteriorated. Someone simply came along with a better offer. Yes, e-kindle will change the publishing world. However, it is making books more accessible – and therefore the Bible more accessible.
For Local Christian Bookshops, I think this highlights the need to pursue viable business models. It is possible that you will experience a decline in book sales over the next decade. Yet, there will still be customers who depend on you to supply their books. If you predict that the reduced demand for Christian books is not sufficient to run a viable Christian business, then perhaps now is the time to diversify – subsidising your running costs by selling other products. Don’t limit yourself to pens with bible verses. Consider coffee, flowers, secular books, organic produce.
Yet, with continued population growth, perhaps we won’t see a decline in books sales at all.
I agree, considering a diversification tactic could work, and indeed could provide stores with greater opportunity to be a light in their community be attracting a wider audience. If it does follow the music industry, it could also mean that stores could potentially sell the hardware or “e-books” themselves. Worldwide, we’ve seen music stores incorporate the sale of MP3 players, iPods, headphones and pre-paid digital download albums presented like a gift certificate. Customers are then able to choose which album to give to a friend and the gift recipient simply downloads the music, paid for by the “gifter” in the retail store prior.
This could move to the book industry as well. Stores could sell Kindle, or a range of hardware devices as well as book gifts in-store. If this became the case, accessories become the major source of profit in this section of the store and physical books would become more of a novelty gift, as have CD’s. Physical CD’s increasingly offer different packaging options to provide a different purchasing experience from downloading. Books could follow this same methodology – available for download or in premium hardback, when previously it would only be available in basic paperback.
It could also mean that mainstream bookstores suffer physical sales, while stores that sell predominantly Christian content would maintain their sales due to Christians preferring a physical Bible and corresponding study books.
No doubt, younger readers will progress to iPad, Kindle and other technologies, but for those “readers” who are older, there is nothing like curling up with a good book in bed, or with a cuppa on a rainy day. Many of us already have our electronic Bible and other reference material at our fingertips. But the “wonder” and the “spiritual” experience of actually reading a good book, be it Biblical teaching or a novel, can’t be had electronically. Recently on a 22 hour international flight, I watched a young man across the aisle with a Kindle, struggling because of some reflections from the lights, then his arms obviously became weary. A fellow passenger asked him if he was enjoying the book, especially in that format. He said yes, but added a caveat….it was easy for him to carry his slim electronic book, which actually had three books loaded for the long return trip. Then he added that it was harder on his eyes, and it was not as enjoyable as holding a paper book. It was simply a space issue that had made him bring the Kindle. The three books that size would have filled his slimline computer case and left no room for his Blackberry, small notebook computer, wallet and travel papers.