[plug] O'Reilly

[skribe]

At 14:00 1/09/00, Colin Muller wrote:
> > Unfortunately, while Boffins in the past, may have provided good
> > service, shortcomings like the lack of a website like the nedkelly one,
> > or, even an email address, to which to send queries, will likely mean
> > that they lose potential trade, to bookshops that show that they do keep
> > up with the times.
>
>Yes - they're nuts to be thinking like that.

Perhaps, but I'm certain that it all comes down to their bottom 
line.  Designing and running an online bookshop isn't cheap in time or 
money.  If they believe the amount of extra sales they'll generate through 
the web site isn't going to compensate them sufficiently, then they'd be 
foolish to do it.

Personally, I believe that a combination of the GST and the overseas online 
bookstores will kill all but the biggest of the local stores.  Spending 
$A100 for a book I can get for $A60 doesn't encourage me to buy 
locally.  If the dollar continues to plummet that could change, of 
course.  But even then, buying books in the eastern states is cheaper than 
buying them here.  It's ridiculous.

As always, YMMV.

skribe
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