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March 10, 2016 9:25 PM Subscribe
They're going to have to go a much longer way to compete with excellent community centers like Scuppernong Books in Greensboro, North Carolina.
posted by pracowity at 11:57 PM on March 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by pracowity at 11:57 PM on March 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Except their not trying to compete with folks like Scuppernog; their competition is Barnes and Nobles, and Chapters.
It's also possible that this strategy is a move to augment their web site: imagine paying no shipping (and not being a prime member) and picking up your package at the local bookstore.
posted by el io at 12:09 AM on March 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
It's also possible that this strategy is a move to augment their web site: imagine paying no shipping (and not being a prime member) and picking up your package at the local bookstore.
posted by el io at 12:09 AM on March 11, 2016 [3 favorites]
The bookstore is housed in the old Barnes & Noble in Seattle's University Village, which put beloved mom & pop bookstore Kay's Bookmark out of business when it opened. Sunrise, Sunset.
posted by duffell at 3:21 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by duffell at 3:21 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
So their way of doing a bookstore differently is to have the covers of fewer books showing?
posted by archimago at 5:35 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by archimago at 5:35 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Speaking as a former bookstore employee, I might have to visit the physical Amazon store just so I can take up a bunch of the employees' time with questions about books that I don't remember the title, author, or subject of ("I remember it was blue..."), before merrily skipping out the door to buy what I actually want at my local independent shop.
posted by Strange Interlude at 6:52 AM on March 11, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 6:52 AM on March 11, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'm just going to imagine this as the shop from Needful Things without reading the article.
posted by echocollate at 7:37 AM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by echocollate at 7:37 AM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
My mister is in tech marketing; his theory is that the B&M stores have little to do with books and are actually a platform for selling their gadgets. It's no coincidence that it's in the same mall as an Apple Store and a Microsoft Store.
posted by matildaben at 8:04 AM on March 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by matildaben at 8:04 AM on March 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
Do you -- the commenters here (Metafilter) -- relate the opening of a physical store to the ire some explained in a previous post about the Amazon workplace practices in their warehouses and corporate offices?
Previous reports were harsh and, even with objections from some that the reporting of that specific Times piece was bloated, it seems to shed some reality on what, frankly, gets under my skin.
That isn't the only report on the issue. At least see the Mother Jones piece on a similar topic about a different company. Is it possible to escape support for that work? How?
Support for the Amazon physical store = support for company workplace practices elsewhere. Or am I wrong?
posted by mr_bovis at 8:14 AM on March 11, 2016
Previous reports were harsh and, even with objections from some that the reporting of that specific Times piece was bloated, it seems to shed some reality on what, frankly, gets under my skin.
That isn't the only report on the issue. At least see the Mother Jones piece on a similar topic about a different company. Is it possible to escape support for that work? How?
Support for the Amazon physical store = support for company workplace practices elsewhere. Or am I wrong?
posted by mr_bovis at 8:14 AM on March 11, 2016
No bookstore cat, so that's points off.
posted by radwolf76 at 8:30 AM on March 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by radwolf76 at 8:30 AM on March 11, 2016 [4 favorites]
I'm just going to imagine this as the shop from Needful Things without reading the article.
"So, what are you-- like, the devil? Store comes out of nowhere, all the shit's old and creepy. Are you the devil? A demon? Leprechaun?"
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:50 AM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
"So, what are you-- like, the devil? Store comes out of nowhere, all the shit's old and creepy. Are you the devil? A demon? Leprechaun?"
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:50 AM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
Just Like a Barnes & Noble, But With Less!!!
Why Does Amazon think I want this?
posted by rtimmel at 9:44 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Why Does Amazon think I want this?
posted by rtimmel at 9:44 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
ALEXANDRA ALTER: Hi Nick! You’re reporting live from the mother ship! What’s it like?Why are you posting this vacuous fluff marketing piece? I could ask the same question about the Times, but I already know the answer there.
NICK WINGFIELD: The best part is, I just tested the free Wi-Fi and it’s 114 Mbps, easily the fastest I’ve ever gotten. Thank you, Jeff Bezos!
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:03 AM on March 11, 2016 [1 favorite]
Please, that vacuous fluff marketing piece has nothing on Wednesday's modestly-titled column The Echo from Amazon Brims with Groundbreaking Promise.
posted by R a c h e l at 12:58 PM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by R a c h e l at 12:58 PM on March 11, 2016 [2 favorites]
... questions about books that I don't remember the title, author, or subject of ("I remember it was blue..."), before merrily skipping out the door to buy what I actually want at my local independent shop.
That's what I do with Amazon online anyway- read reviews or 'Look inside'. (Well, sometimes I buy)
Needful Things
Wonder if they have a pink Kindle with the Ur feature?
posted by MtDewd at 8:10 AM on March 12, 2016
That's what I do with Amazon online anyway- read reviews or 'Look inside'. (Well, sometimes I buy)
Needful Things
Wonder if they have a pink Kindle with the Ur feature?
posted by MtDewd at 8:10 AM on March 12, 2016
Why are you posting this vacuous fluff marketing piece?
Wait, there might be a place in the mall that has a place to sit and wicked fast wifi; and I can hang out there... Now I want to know how comfortable the chairs are.
posted by el io at 2:30 AM on March 14, 2016
Wait, there might be a place in the mall that has a place to sit and wicked fast wifi; and I can hang out there... Now I want to know how comfortable the chairs are.
posted by el io at 2:30 AM on March 14, 2016
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Someone has spun this guy amazingly hard; he's just dizzily reciting marketing lines. Between this and the Verge mash note to the Kindle designers, someone at Amazon is apparently getting really good at using these access-based "pull back the curtain" stories to get what it wants out of reporters.
posted by RogerB at 11:04 PM on March 10, 2016 [5 favorites]