Borders Bookstores are closing across the country. Amazon announces that it is selling more e-books than print copy books. The face of the book world is changing.
It seems that Amazon is leading the charge. And it is no surprise. Amazon is the leader in e-book titles at slightly under one million and has launched among the best-known on-demand publishing companies.
Amazon began buying up small, large and independent publishing houses years ago with the shock that came with the emergence of the internet. Many publishing houses, facing financial trouble, looked to the buyer for relief. It comes as no surprise that Amazon should have its finger on the pulse of the industry given its close ties with the publishing world.
The Wall Street Journal suggested that self-publishers were cutting into profit margins for traditional publishers and noted recently that they are 'short-circuiting' the way that traditional publishers do business. Amazon certainly provides an avenue for self-publishers to be successful. The company is a fierce competitor. Perhaps the company's relative success is evidence of a fruitful competitive strategy.
Borders has had its financial troubles for years and will close the doors at hundreds of stores in the weeks to come. Barnes & Noble is looking for a buyer. If the publishing world's traditional means of distribution continue to change then the landscape for publishing and for books will look very different in a decade.
The internet was a shock to the publishing world just the same as the e-book is today. It is a game changer. And it should be interesting to see how things unfold.
