Quote:
Originally Posted by dippin
But the key thing is that margins on coffee, pastries and so on which are consumed while there are much, much larger than on the sale of a single book. Because the fact is that the profit margin for selling used books online is much, much larger than the profit margin for selling new books on a brick and mortar store, and so they have to adapt. And they adapt by catering to the crowd who will come in, read major parts of a book, buy a coffee, a pastry, and maybe even get that CD that has been playing on the background.
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Spot on. I should also add that after having spent a few years working for a major retailer of books, they couldn't care less about damages or even theft. They've got a stronghold on the market because they've either bought up or pushed out the competition and they've got the publishers in their pocket. They couldn't care less if you lounge and read because with every book sold, they've made several thousand times over cost. It's a racket, really.
You should also know for the next time you spot a cop patrolling in a bookstore, chances are that they aren't there to protect the merchandise but to keep the child molesters and dudes who are looking to hookup in the bathrooms away.
Lounge away.