(From The Sydney Morning Herald)
Booksellers' jaws dropped today upon hearing that federal Minister for Small Business Nick Sherry had predicted that online shopping would wipe out general bookstores within five years
Australian Booksellers Association chief executive Joel Becker's initial response: "I'm gobsmacked," he said.
I agree with the minister, but I think it's the combination of online shopping as well as e-readers that will do in bookstores.
I wonder what the long-term impact of e-readers will be on used-book stores. Initially I expect that, as people down-size their libraries, the used book stores will get more books. But then, with less books being printed, they will start to run low on stock.
Does the concept of a used e-book make any sense? It might.
And what about remaindered e-books?
I rather imagine that literary agents are (as a group) running scared. As the e-book trend/revolution gathers speed, I expect the agent's main role will be assumed by the on-line 'group mind' and the viral effect. I do think agents could get on-board (somehow) to influence what e-books are given a high-profile, but I doubt if they will. There is such a tradition of literary agents being treated like minor gods that I don't think many of them will adapt to the new publishing paradigms until it is too late.
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