Convenience has a cost and a consequence, says Alison Hill, CEO, American Booksellers Association.
Catching up with PW's Andrew Albanese
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The American Booksellers Association has launched a national marketing campaign, “Boxed Out,” to draw attention to the plight of independent booksellers, who say they are facing the upcoming holiday gift-buying season with double challenges – a pandemic and Amazon.
“ABA CEO Alison Hill explained the motive for the campaign as well as its timing: more than one indie bookstore a week has closed since the Covid-19 crisis began, while at the same time, there are forecasts that Amazon will generate $10 billion in revenue on October 13 and 14 during its Prime Day promotion alone,” reports Andrew Albanese, Publishers Weekly senior writer.
“Convenience has a cost and a consequence, says Hill. Closed indie bookstores [in her view] represent the loss of local jobs and local tax dollars; the loss of community centers; and the loss of opportunities for readers to discover books and connect with other readers in a meaningful face-to-face way,” Albanese tells CCC’s Chris Kenneally.
“As we move into 2021, it is important that we start to think about how we want our book business to look post-pandemic.”
Every Friday, CCC’s “Beyond the Book” speaks with the editors and reporters of “Publishers Weekly” for an early look at the news that publishers, editors, authors, agents and librarians will be talking about when they return to work on Monday.
(photo courtesy of Publishers Weekly)
