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David vs. Goliath
The online book market is dominated by two types of retail Web sites: the mega-store and the federation of independents.
At first glance, the competition would appear to be a modern-day David vs. Goliath story, with the mega-stores having every advantage.
On second glance, however, the competition would appear to be... a modern-day David vs. Goliath story, with the independents poised to kick some Philistine butt. Let's take a closer look...
Everybody knows Amazon and Barnes & Noble, the 900-pound gorillas of online book sales. Other power players in this match include Borders and Books-A-Million.
They have incredible selections, excellent pricing, valuable programs to encourage your loyalty and speedy shipping (sometimes free).
Stir in their extensive product information, user reviews and sophisticated recommendation systems, and you have a recipe for Internet Shopping Satisfaction.
In contrast, you may not be as familiar with the Federations of Independents.
Bookseller consolidators such as Alibris, AbeBooks, and Half.com provide an easy way for small stores to obtain an effective Web presence.
The vendors provide the merchandise and the consolidators provide the buyers.
It's a good match, but how can the independents prevail against the overwhelming power of the Death Star - I mean the mega-stores?
In a word, MOTIVATION. These people are motivated to sell. You would not believe the deals you can get from the independents, particularly on older titles.
Any store that would sell you a brand new copy of Huckleberry Finn for $0.99 plus shipping definitely wants your business.
Just don't ask me why anyone would go to the trouble of selling products online for $0.99. They must be crazy! (or just motivated)
How do you get the best of both of these great ways to buy books? Buying Guide, of course!
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