But then, I’m shopping phobic, so perhaps I’m not the best example of Joe/Josephine Shopper.

Spelling should not be relative, but until the British agree to conform to correct spellings, it is a lost cause. Even I concede the sad truth. Reluctantly.

I don’t believe that consumers realize the essential differences between (chain) bookstores just like I don’t believe consumers realize there are differences between publishers. There is so little effective brand differentiation — and really, when it’s about a chain bookstore, it’s largely about convenience. That is why I cringe when I see “proprietary”. If we were talking about software, we’d all agree that term was the kiss of death.

That being said, I have to agree with Don (and not just because he’s super cool!). One title will not move the needle. Get the right player in the game and you’re going to see different strategies. I don’t believe that Borders has the right stuff. I could be wrong. I was wrong once before. Never buy pink shoes.

Amazon is still the dark horse here. For better or worse, Starbucks has proven that traditional media can thrive outside traditional channels. It’s, I’m sorry to say, a matter of money and promotion. Authors feel less loyalty to their publishers than they once did — it’s because they feel their publishers see them as a commodity.

I’ll save my thoughts on the viability of a serious book retailer venture for another time — there are other market pressures at play and I’m not entirely sure that retailers are designed to be publishers. Different mindsets.