Brick-and-mortar bookstores may look like they’re in trouble, and the Borders bankruptcy certainly doesn’t help. But Kassia Krozser, owner of Booksquare.com, says that amidst all this upheaval, we’re actually in a golden age of publishing. People are discovering and reading content all the time, and the very definition of “publisher” is expanding.
This golden age extends to brick and mortar booksellers as well. During a recent interview, Krozser said traditional retailers that can accept and adapt to digital realities will survive this transition:
Booksellers have to accept that digital publishing exists, because that is what your customers want. They want a digital book in certain instances, they want a print book in certain instances — they want to buy a combination of those books. They want to be able to buy a book in the middle of the night.
Krozser also pointed out that offering digital options isn’t enough — booksellers need to learn how all the various technology works so they can pass that information on to their customers.
You can’t just sell an ebook. You have know how to download it because that’s what your customer is going to ask you. You have to know how it works and what the file formats are. The retailers who actually spend time learning the technology, integrating it and accepting that it’s out there are the ones who will succeed.
For more of Krozser’s thoughts on the future of booksellers, check out the full interview in the following video: