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Just like with online referrals, Amazon should release a barcode scanning system with store-identification or perhaps simply a geotracking system where brick and mortar stores get a cut of sales from Amazon made by recent visitors to the store. Everybody wins.

The only difference between online and offline referrals is the difficulty of tracking credit for the purchase but I think that can be surmountable.

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The store could provide wifi and rewrite your urls going from your phone to amazon to include the affiliate tag, but this would not affect purchases made from a home computer.

Why should they? Amazon isn't a charity.

I think the problem is the pricing in the stores. Often books are over 50% more in retail stores then on Amazon.

For the same reason they pay for online referrals - it's an avenue that drives sales their way. No charity involved.

As for the pricing at b&m stores, at least in the case of smaller shops, they simply don't have the ability to price anywhere near Amazon. They don't have the leverage to negotiate low enough prices from publishers and distributors.

B&N I don't know about. I'd think they could discount somewhat more, even in store.

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