The next domino in the line is toppling after seventeen years, suburban Washington DC’s Vertigo Books.
Their website bids their customers farewell, invites them to an Irish-style wake, and invokes the basic economic facts about independent community bookstores v. online chains.
As we have said before, your shopping dollars help create the community you want to live in. For every $10 you spend at locally-owned businesses, $4.50 stays in our community. The math is simple and compelling: Vertigo Books $4.50//Barnes & Noble/Borders/Costco $1.30//Amazon $0.00.
Amazon
I can see where that could be true, if you bought from Amazon itself directly… but as a seller on Amazon, considering I don’t always make a lot on the sale of my items, I’d say that what I earn stays in my community.
But here’s the clincher…and I am only speaking for myself: when buying a book, unless it’s the newest Harry Potter I am going to look; in the Library’s book sale, Amazon’s used section, Alibris, eBay, then (and only if I can’t find it anyplace else) a bookstore.
I don’t like going to malls or even out shopping where there are a lot of people…I also want the best price I can find. Unfortunately, this means that I obviously do not support small businesses, unless for the most part they are online.
Sad, but true….and many people who are hard pressed for time and $$ are now thinking the same way.
Washington Post commentary
by Marc Fisher on his blog at the Washington Post.
He has a poll at the end of his story:
What’s your obligation as a customer to support local bookstores?
* None–they either win me over on price and service or they deserve to die
* Some–if they create an enriching place, I’ll pay somewhat higher prices to support them
* Serious–great local bookshops are foundations of community, well worth the price to keep alive
* Don’t know–locally-owned bookstores already vanished from where I live
…wonder what the results will be.