Disappearing Chairs at Bookstores
Over the last couple of months, I’ve visited quite a few big chain bookstores in Wichita, Atlanta, and Orlando.
I see a disturbing trend.
The big soft comfortable chairs are disappearing.
Thats not completely true. There are still a few around the magazine sections, but none in the rest of the stores.
Well, except within the in-house Starbucks, Seattle Coffee or whatever.
Is this is a business decision? I should have asked a clerk. Maybe they don’t want people coming in, sitting down, reading, and then leaving. Instead, people will stroll through the stores, make a quick decision to purchase since there is no way to spend any significant time with the books, and leave.
Or maybe its to steer customers to the coffeeshop, where the bookstore surely gets a kickback.
Too disturbing for me.
Wichita, Atlanta, and Orlando.
One of these is not like the other!
-humor = on-
But . . . but . . . but that’s what LIBRARIES are for, is to sit around and read. Bookstores are for BUYING. SHEESH! One would think you were an anti-capitalist, or something. This is America! You’re just supposed to buy things without knowing anything about them!
-humor = off-
I’d venture to say that it is a business decission. Comfortable seating takes away from space “better used” for displaying stock. It also promotes slothful activities like reading books/magazines without purchasing them, thus causing loss of income as well as potentially damaged stock.
Who needs chairs?
Try walking through the B&N @ Union Square, in NYC. It looks like Jonestown, the day after, with people just laying on the floor reading.
I’ve noticed the disappearing chairs as well.
Unfortunately they aren’t being replaced with more books. In fact, it seems that even worse than disappearing chairs are the disappearing books! I fear that many retail bookstores are being forced to cut back on inventory, which unfortunately makes the store less attractive to customers. It’s a vicious cycle. Fewer books equals fewer customers and eventually fewer retail bookstores in existence
Bob
Yeah, they don’t want you pulling off an XKCD ( http://xkcd.com/294/ ). I’m fine with just sitting on the floor to read a few pages and decide if I want it or not.