| The emergence and evolution of the internet in the | | | | completed using a secure ecommerce gateway that |
| last decade and especially over the past few years | | | | is linked to a bank or a credit card processor. |
| has made it an inseparable part of human lives. | | | | Traditional stores are finding it difficult to survive the |
| Ecommerce technologies have facilitated the opening | | | | onslaught from online chains like Amazon and Barnes |
| of web stores; so that people can make their | | | | and Noble. However, several studies by the American |
| purchases directly on the internet and have them | | | | Booksellers Association have discovered that |
| conveniently delivered them at home. | | | | traditional stores still contribute a significant proportion |
| Popular items that have found favour with online | | | | to the local economy. |
| customers include DVDs, videos, toys, apparel, and | | | | It may be partly correct to assume that online |
| games, amongst a host of other items. Books have | | | | bookstores are pulling away business from |
| emerged as an extremely popular item over the web. | | | | conventional independent bookstores, but the fact is |
| According to a recent study by Nielsen online, more | | | | that independent bookstores also keep up their |
| than 50 percent of internet users purchased a book | | | | businesses by inducing a loyalty factor amongst their |
| over the internet in the last quarter of 2007. | | | | existing clientele. |
| The study also discovered that nearly 85 percent of | | | | Many people still love to browse through books |
| the total online population had made at least one | | | | before they ultimately make a purchase. This is |
| purchase over the internet in the recent past. | | | | where most local bookstores benefit by proving |
| The emergence of books as popular online item has | | | | amenities like ambience and space for reading and |
| seen the rise of internet giants like Amazon, Barnes | | | | browsing within the store premises. |
| and Noble, and EBay catering to book orders from | | | | According to a recent survey, in San Francisco, |
| around the world. Many of the customers come from | | | | independent bookstores accounted for 50 percent of |
| developing countries like China, India, Vietnam, Brazil, | | | | sales compared to 10 percent across the United |
| and Egypt. | | | | States. |
| Traditional independent brick and mortar bookstores | | | | There is yet another dimension to this entire issue. It |
| have always benefited from the ongoing demand for | | | | may appear that online bookstores are taking away |
| books. However, virtual bookstores are slowly | | | | business from local stores, but there is extreme |
| making inroads into minds of people around the world. | | | | competition between online bookstores as well. For |
| Traditionally, customers browse through brick and | | | | example, there are customers who would never go |
| mortar stores and search for books of their choice. | | | | to Barnes and Noble to purchase their books if they |
| Online bookstores replace the conventional | | | | are habitual Amazon users. Other online bookstores |
| bookshelves with highly structured websites. These | | | | utilize a number of internet tactics to drive traffic to |
| website display a range of book categories and | | | | their websites. |
| books in stock along with their prices, description and | | | | To summarise, at present it is too early to say |
| virtual browsing abilities. | | | | whether online sales will force independent |
| Customers conveniently click on the category of their | | | | bookstores to close down, but the present scenario |
| choice to select the books they want. These books | | | | makes it evident that both will compete for |
| are added to the virtual shopping cart, and the sale is | | | | supremacy in the human mind. |