On the Table: How People Buy Books

Was browsing the book blogs and came across this post from Two Ravens blog, which says that a study undertaken by The Bookseller found:

26% of the population make their buying decisions about books based predominantly on retail displays. The second most influential factor was newspaper and magazine reviews (14%) followed by TV and radio mentions for a book (13%). Recommendations from friends and family were next at 12%, 9% gave internet recommendations as their main reason for buying a book, and 2% relied on the advice of shop assistants or librarians.

Two Ravens' Sharon Blackie seems somewhat despondent about this news - particularly the dominance of instore promotional displays. To be honest, I am surprised the figure is not greater than 25%. I am certainly influenced by 3 for 2 tables - not so much because of the 3 for 2 factor (although that always activates my "bargain" gene) as just the sheer visibility and browsability.

However, my eye couldn't help being drawn to one of those other figures: 9%. At last! The power of internet recommendations is being statistically recognised (although it must be admitted it is unclear how Amazon fits into any of these figures).

Blackie finishes her article with a call for change.

Of course what I’d like to see is a revolution - more and more publishers refusing to accept the huge discounts that big stores demand and the unlimited returns that can put an entire print run into the red … and so refusing to accept this crazy state of affairs where the publishers are the only ones who ever seem to take a significant financial risk at every stage of the business … or maybe a return to the net book agreement

Can this situation carry on interminably? Or will it eventually be a case, as Blackie predicts, of "something's gotta give"?