Comment by Kluny | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Kluny | Hacker News Reader

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I propose this business model for bookshops:

- Have one copy of each book, like a library, with the option of ordering a copy in, available for browsing.

- People can pay $10 for a day pass to come in and enjoy the facilities: unlimited books, coffee on tap in reusable mugs, soup on tap in reusable bowls, showers, free wi-fi, lockers (lockers are pay-for-time), inexpensive sandwiches, comfy seats

all in a convenient walkable location.

- Option to buy the book you were reading for Kindle or order a physical copy, to be delivered in two days (pay for shipping) or pickup at the bookshop (free shipping).

Money comes from:

$10 facility fee

Physical book sales

Amazon commissions

Sandwich sales

I think model needs a social element and an experience element and not just the ownership of an asset. * More author visits and signing and book reading sessions, More QnA's with Authors. * Work with nearest businesses for peer coupons and if any customer buys a coffee at the nearest starbucks give him a coupon which lasts 2 hours for the books. This way force customer to come into your shop even when they left the house without any thought of buying the books. * Trunk Club like service for books. Send them books and they can keep the ones they want and return the rest. This can be done by somehow making sure only first x%/20%/50% book can be read and if consumer still wants to read it they will have to break the seal which will be considered as a purchase.

The problem would be such a facility will have a hard time competing with a...

  1.Libraries without being subsidized from tax payers (free to enter and borrow books) 

  2.Big stores like B&N which have coffee and sandwich shops now and allow browsing and are free to enter.

This needs a large initial investment that small bookshops can only dream.

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