Letter to the Editor: Amazon and Bookstores

Roger Freeman read an article in Slate about how independent booksellers can fight Amazon and wanted to sound off.

After reading about the above in Slate, I have a couple of comments about book stores. 

When I go to the mall book store, I find it limited in the books available. When I go to Books-a-Million, I usually cannot find the book I'm looking for.

Also, the help is frequently unable to other than "order the book".. Having been a retail proprietor for several years [small specialty food store] I find buying books in stores an arduous task. None of them possess the warmth of a public library such as the one in New Port Richey.

 I also like the untouched reviews at Amazon.  

They, along with the "browse feature" frequently convince me the particular book is not for me. My specialty stores gave in to the enormous power of the supermarkets that now carry a full line of what my store offered. I don't complain. I decided it was time to go and got out of the business.

The future of retail may be limited to such as the hairdressing, bars, coffee shops and chiropractors. Never underestimate the power of computerized purchasing.  Roger Freeman