Given the small profit margin of books, however, Weich says it’s difficult for Powell’s to devote time and resources to creating the online “bells and whistles” needed to compete with the likes of Amazon. Plus, the growth of e-books reader may eventually squeeze retailers even further, he says.
“I think it is inevitable that e-books will take over a certain portion of the market, though it’s going to take a better device than the 1.0 [Amazon] Kindle,” he says. “It might be the 2.0 Kindle.”
SPECIAL REPORT: The Transforming Booksellers’ Landscape
Given the small profit margin of books, however, Weich says it’s difficult for Powell’s to devote time and resources to creating the online “bells and whistles” needed to compete with the likes of Amazon. Plus, the growth of e-books reader may eventually squeeze retailers even further, he says.
“I think it is inevitable that e-books will take over a certain portion of the market, though it’s going to take a better device than the 1.0 [Amazon] Kindle,” he says. “It might be the 2.0 Kindle.”