We've all seen them. Some, perhaps, have even been them: those dreaded shoppers using their local bookstore as a showroom to browse books before buying them on Amazon.
Most people wait til they get home (or at least step out onto the sidewalk) to finish showrooming, but on a recent trip to Chop Suey Books, I bumped into the same woman in each nook of the store, her smartphone shamelessly open to her Amazon list. She'd select a small stack of books, thumb through them, touch her screen, and move on. Nothing stealth about it. But she did avoid making eye contact with anyone - guilt, I'd like to hope, something she couldn't click away.
This year, resolve to REVERSE the showroom process - starting with books.
Browse for the books you want online, then buy them from a local bookstore. You know, those quirky, essential places that support writers and whose "staff picks" lead to book discoveries beyond bestsellers and NPR picks. Better yet, PRE-order books from indie stores; pre-orders are one of the best ways to support the poets and writers you love. Don't have a local bookstore? Place your order with Indiebound or a similar site.
Eager to get started? Here are two poetry books to preorder now - both full of memorable, beautifully crafted poems that will stay with you long after your turn the last page:
For an extra bit of affirmation, you could COMPLETELY reverse the typical showroom process. Make yourself an Amazon Wishlist for books, but give the list a name that reminds you of your commitment to buy local. Mine is called "Buy Books from Indies." What will you call yours? And why stop with books . . .
Most people wait til they get home (or at least step out onto the sidewalk) to finish showrooming, but on a recent trip to Chop Suey Books, I bumped into the same woman in each nook of the store, her smartphone shamelessly open to her Amazon list. She'd select a small stack of books, thumb through them, touch her screen, and move on. Nothing stealth about it. But she did avoid making eye contact with anyone - guilt, I'd like to hope, something she couldn't click away.
This year, resolve to REVERSE the showroom process - starting with books.
Browse for the books you want online, then buy them from a local bookstore. You know, those quirky, essential places that support writers and whose "staff picks" lead to book discoveries beyond bestsellers and NPR picks. Better yet, PRE-order books from indie stores; pre-orders are one of the best ways to support the poets and writers you love. Don't have a local bookstore? Place your order with Indiebound or a similar site.
Eager to get started? Here are two poetry books to preorder now - both full of memorable, beautifully crafted poems that will stay with you long after your turn the last page:
- Take Me With You, Wherever You're Going by Jessica Jacobs
- These Many Rooms by Laure-Anne Bosselaar
For an extra bit of affirmation, you could COMPLETELY reverse the typical showroom process. Make yourself an Amazon Wishlist for books, but give the list a name that reminds you of your commitment to buy local. Mine is called "Buy Books from Indies." What will you call yours? And why stop with books . . .
