By: Katie Borders

Opinion Editor

One of my favorite experiences as a booklover is being able to go to a bookstore and browse through thousands of books, spanning rows and rows of bookshelves. No matter how many times I enter an independent bookstore, the magical feeling of being in a place that holds the works of writers and great thinkers from across thousands of years never ceases to amaze me: from the modern romance or fantasy novel to the contemporary classics. However, the bookstore industry is declining every year, as companies — namely Amazon — tempt consumers with books selling for less than many bookstores can price their stock. According to WordsRated, “Since 2012 the number of bookstores in the US has been decreasing from 16,819 stores to 10,800 as of 2020.” In order to keep the bookshop industry advancing, we need to support our local bookstores. 

I’m not implying that people shouldn’t buy books at all from Amazon — Amazon provides many books for more affordable prices, which I appreciate — and I’ve certainly held a book and thought it would be cheaper if I just bought it on Amazon and waited a few days for it to arrive. I still do buy books from Amazon; however, I think it’s also important to spread awareness of the effects that relying solely on Amazon has on the bookstore industry. I try to make an effort to go to an independent bookstore when I’m on vacation; I also try to go to my local shop once a month.  These small contributions add up to make the whole; buying a book or two from a bookshop, instead of buying it from Amazon, helps the stores stay open. 

Another incentive to support your local bookstore is if the bookstore industry were to disappear,  it is plausible that Amazon, as a business, will raise its book prices because there would be no more competition. According to Bookstore Revenue Statistics, “Overall from 2010 to 2021 US bookstores have shown a gradual decrease in revenue from $15,238 million, a loss of 47.4%.” Spanning across hundreds of, bookstores have been an important part of the attainment of continuance of knowledge. They are a physical space in which knowledge is exchanged through texts, and they are a place representative of education. We must help book stores stay open in order to preserve their cultural and traditional aspects. Through actions as simple as buying a book when we’re at a bookstore, we can help make a difference in maintaining the  uniqueness and importance of bookstores.

(Source: WordsRated)