Sign in / up

back to article Oz bookseller fires back in online battle

Australian bookseller Dymocks, practically the “last man standing” as the combination of online competition, inept management and a rising currency decimates the local publishing industry, is firing back with what it calls an “end to end” online service for local authors. Perhaps hoping that Jeff Bezos is busy looking for his …

COMMENTS

House rules Send corrections
This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Head
    Thumb Up

    Hmmm

    I for one shop at Dymocks a lot.

    I would LOVE to see a retail website where i can check if a book is availabkle at my local shop, and if not i can order it in, and then pick it up at the shop, or for a bit extra, deliver it at home.

    2 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      They already have this option

      You just have to email them and ask. (really)

      Have done it before, including recently, with Dymocks in 234 Collins St, Melbourne.

      1 0
  2. Mark 65

    Dymocks - more like an auction house

    Going, going, gone.

    0 0
  3. Steve Brooks

    not all books are good books

    "CEO Don Grover says existing self-publishing operations charge as much as $AU3,000 for a print run of 100 books."

    Which is probably the only thing protecting us from a vast flood of astoundingly bad books. probably also means we miss a few astoundingly good books that the regular book publishing industry don't have the vision to take on, oh well, gotta take the bad with the good I guess.

    1 0
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: not all books are good books

      "the only thing protecting us from a vast flood of astoundingly bad books"

      Have you been to an airport recently?

      2 0
  4. Cpt Blue Bear
    FAIL

    More like just inept management

    Can't you just imagine the meeting that hatched this? Yeah! Vanity publishing: that'll save us!

    0 0
  5. Winkypop Silver badge
    Thumb Down

    Ahhh, this from some of the same people who...

    ....ripped off Oz book buyers over a life-time.

    THBPBPTHPT to them say !

    0 1
  6. cs94njw

    FAIL :(

    "things like book (or e-book) design, editing, cover art and so on – outsourced back to the author"

    My father in law did something like this, and er... the book cover was left wanting, and that might have affected sales. Outsourcing back to the author is a false economy, but I guess a graduated scheme can't be argued against.

    1 0
  7. @JohnDobbin

    Congratulations on a bold vision

    As one of the key developers on this project, and therefore close to some of the decision making, I applaud Dymocks' vision and commitment. It is not just vanity publishing but a removal of several barriers to entry* for budding authors. I expect to see great stuff come out of this initiative.

    (*more about this at www.nexusnet.com.au/answers-blogs)

    0 1
  8. TimChuma
    Thumb Up

    Just like Blurb/Lulu?

    Funnily enough, I have made more money from the ads on the page of my website that does a comparison of a photo book published on Blurb compared to Lulu than actually from the book I have published on either site (everyone seems to want me to buy copies first and they will pay me "later" as in they want it for cheap or free, bollocks to that!)

    Readings in Melbourne is still going strong and even managed to outlast a Borders operating across the street from its main store in Carlton.

    I do still read books, but they take up a lot of space and it often costs more to post them to people than buying the book new.

    1 0
This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like