What's so great about indies?

This is a claim I see regularly: "So-and-so new thing will be bad for indies. This is awful!"

But it's not clear to me what exactly is so great about indies. Obviously monopolies are bad for consumers, but it seems like there's a fair distance between having several large providers and having one single provider.

Do indies guarantee more choice? That hasn't been my experience, and the prices certainly aren't better. Is it the "personal connection"?

What exactly is it that everyone is fighting for?

Well, the former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) are very beautiful ;-)

Independent bookstores give you a wider choice than the big chains; one Barnes & Noble pretty much has the same stuff as any other Barnes & Noble, and not that different from Borders. An independent store can slant their offerings to a more local or topical specialization; there used to be a bookstore near me that specialized in history books. It's now gone. :-(

Re-reading your original post, I see that you have heard what I said before, and I witness that it has been my experience. The personal connection is good too; it's marvellous when a bookseller gets something into stock because they know I will like it; and yes, I do have a bookseller who does that. Of course, they are fairly sure that there will be other people who want that book too.

One very concrete argument for independent businesses--of any kind, not just bookstores--is that more of the money spent at an indie business stays in the local economy. Something like three times as much, depending on the particular economy in question. Something to think about when you are cursing the budget cuts to your local libraries, schools and police force. Or swearing at the sorry state of your city streets.

But when it comes to selection, doesn't Amazon just trump all?

Maybe I'm just weird in not being concerned with forming a relationship with my bookseller. I prefer my recommendations to come from people who don't have a stake in selling me something; even when the bookseller has the best of intentions, it always feels awkward. And it's not like I have any shortage of other recommendations, especially since discovering LibraryThing.

>5 southernbooklady: Thanks for that point; it's one I hadn't thought about much before. Where are all the big booksellers based? If I'm living in a large city where big chains tend to have headquarters, is it less important for me to support indies?

If the headquarters is based in your town, then it is, in effect, a "local business" albeit one with an enormous amount of clout. The big corporate headquarters in my neck of the woods is a pharmeceutical research company with global presence. And there is no question they've been great for the economy, bringing in over a thousand whitecollar jobs. They also got massive tax breaks as incentive to locate here, so who knows how it all pans out? Our library's budget is certainly under the axe.

ETA: Another thing I've heard, although I don't have specifics to hand, is that money spend at independent business returns to circulation more quickly. That is--small businesses are less likely to hold it in investment accounts, and more likely to spend it on day to day operations. And they are more likely to use other local businesses for their business needs--ei, printing needs, cleaning companies, mechanics, etc. Although it is hard to tell how across the board that practice might be.

For me, independent bookstores aren't a 100% positive or negative experience. I love 20% percent of the indies I've shopped. 40% are pleasant, capable, book shopping atmospheres. The other 40% sometimes make me wish for a magic 'poof' wand to poof them out of their miserable existence. Curated shops are great if you share tastes with the curator. Not so great if you don't.

I've lived in a small town since 1983. I might have more compassion for Indie's if the one we have actually had any decent books in it. Their tastes and preferences are certainly not mine.

I was ecstatic when Amazon first appeared and I have not looked back.

For me, indies include those bookshops which not only sell new books but have a selection of used and discounted/out-of-print titles. Here in the extreme west of West Wales one in two bookshops is independent, and I tend to happily browse in about three or four of those for the odd serendipitous find. That kind of bookshop I hope is not subject to the vagaries of big chains' obsessions with charts and promotions. Also, charity shops often have a second-hand book section, though I'm not sure if you'd call them independents in the strict sense. Plus, they are very variable in their range even if bargains can occasionally be found.

In any case, I don't have too much against chain stores except when competitors go out of business: this side of the pond Borders UK (which had a presence in the bigger towns and cities) went bust in the recession, and the loss of competitors mean the survivors can get just a little lazy about catering for varied tastes.

I like the indie bookstore in my town, if nothing else because it's the only bookstore for thirty miles...well, Borders (with its puny selection) just closed, so now it's more like forty-five or sixty miles....
The bookstore, while it has a really small selection, will order pretty much anything you like that's not really obscure. It doesn't charge shipping costs for books you order, either.