What will bookstores look like in 5 years? - somersault

What will bookstores look like in 5 years?

RetailCustomerExperience.com (@retexperience ) offers a few predictions on what to expect to find in the coming decade at your favorite bookstore, now that ebooks and DIY publishing is on the increase. The article states bookstores have already morphed "from stacks of books on shelves to entertainment destinations that are as much about the coffee as anything else, and it looks like the coming years might bring the biggest changes it has ever seen." One forecast actually doesn't seem so bad:

I think that the megastore as we know it today will disappear from many towns and those that remain will be only in large urban centers," said Richard Day, publisher of Self-Councel press, which has published DIY legal books since 1971. "My expectation is that bookstores will revert to what they once were: smaller, neighborhood stores concentrating on selling print and digital to an audience with common genre interests. The stores may be book/coffee/tea shop hybrids, with a while-you-wait book printing facility, digital connections to facilitate ebook browsing and purchase, and staff who know and love the books they sell.

Read the article in full.

Somersault Group

Announcing Somersault Group, doing business as Somersault. We believe the unprecedented changes occurring in the publishing world aren’t a crisis; they’re a playground of possibilities. We're here to help clients embrace change and leverage it to fulfill their mission. We're flipping the publishing world right-side up! Due to rapidly churning communication technology and seismic shifts in the book market distribution landscape – from the Internet to eReaders and the iPad to individual book print-on-demand capability – publishers expect authors to take more responsibility for the development, promotion, and sales of their books. Somersault helps publishers, agents, ministry partners, and Christian authors adapt to these changes with dexterity. We combine the experience and vision of Somersault publishing executives with the integrated marketing and technology expertise of digital natives. We honor good ideas and the creative people who embody them. We believe in the power of books to change lives, and are committed to help authors tell their stories and actively engage their readers. We want to be known for our nimbleness and responsiveness. Anticipating and embracing the future, being attentive to consumer behavior, inviting collaboration, and encouraging entrepreneurship are our core values, as we operate within the framework of having fun and reflecting the kingdom of God. We’re seeking ‘blue water’ opportunities, be they pond, lake, or ocean. We provide authors with brand counseling, editorial direction, research capabilities, marketing strategy, Internet and social media presence, and a comprehensive portfolio of publishing assistance. Our mission is to change lives by connecting inspirational content creators with readers using exceptional creativity, right-now technology, and old-fashioned personal care. See all our social networks on our Google profile. Contact us at hello@somersaultgroup.com, 1.616.551.1539, 131 Division Ave. S., Suite 300, Grand Rapids, MI 49503-4215.

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