British.Books@American.Prices - concept to reality

James Bowes-Lyon (Bowes-Lyon@British.Books.American.Prices.com)
Sun, 8 Oct 1995 09:47:05 -0400

8 months ago, as a web-neophyte, I looked at and digested your site,=20
how it worked and what it offered. I learned about it from and am indebted
to Mardy Hutchinson at Netaxis.qc.ca who is the cyberboss at that ISP
in Montreal. (He's also a 'smalltime' publisher).

It appeared and still is one of the two best locations on the web for
bookstore searchers and serious literary types. The 11 headings which=
comprise
IBIC's Table of Contents are well organized. A few days ago, again, I read=
your=20
comments carefully. They reconfirmed my inspiration and decision of last
December.

Although I live in Montreal, I enjoy a lot of time in north central Vermont.
Weekends frequently include browsing the bookstores. I've known for years=20
that there is a plethora of great books from Britain that either never reach=
=20
the US market or do so long after are published and available for sale in
Canada.=20
This would eventually present a business opportunity (cliche- ugh!).=20

One year ago I also discovered the internet and the world wide web!=20
More than fascinated, I dreamed about the possibilities - both 'in' and=
'out'!
I recognized here was a unique method to bring the best first editions=20
of British non-fiction and fiction, and offer them to US readers.=20
There was much more than offering fast low cost delivery from Canada,=20
compared to air or sea post from Britain. I could actually create a facimile=
=20
bookstore atmosphere!=20

I had a sense we could do something unique. As a 'typical' browser looking
at existing cyber-bookstoress, pointers directed me to either
'more' computer books or 'off-the-wall' subjects and titles. (We're overrun=
=20
with sites in these 2 sub-categories!=20

The major US publishers like MacMillan, Prentice, Bantam etc., give
excellent information, but usually refer you to their retailers for purchase
arrangements. Prices are generally 'full retail'. The 'zillion titles'=
sites,=20
while offering extraordinary choice, are rather boring. The buyer needs most=
=20
or all the information about his desired book, before running a search to=
see
if it is available. In all cases, these bookstores have actual retail
locations from which they sell, and in varying degrees offer distant
web-customers the opportunity of buying through cyberspace.

I recognized that no single site that I could find, fulfilled *all* the=
major
criteria of a real web-bookstore. I could not find a 'true' cyber-bookstore;
namely a retailer whose complete focus was to offer:
1 the latest releases of
2 popular subjects and authors=20
3 'only' via the internet AND=20
4 at attractive prices AND=20
5 NOT available in every bookstore down the block.

My site has become the outgrowth of that first perusal in December '94.=20
Serious readers (me) and post-yuppies (not me) alike, enjoy the Saturday
perusal of their favourite bookshop for some combination of entertainment,
to find the latest releases (normally by subject) by either their favourite
author or discoveries of new ones. They want to be able to browse
undisturbed and/or leave the store with their purchase(s). Could this be
accomplished on the web? Is it possible to design and introduce a really
unique, not cloned bookstore with broad appeal? If so, would it be possible=
=20
to actually reach enough people to sustain a successful book busines?

I believe we have accomplished the first part - a new, graphically pleasing
cyber-bookstore, offering the very 'top of the line titles, in a graphically
pleasing format including bookcovers and bookjackets - in a wide range of
subjects that are either not available in the US or available weeks and=
months
BEFORE they may be purchased at retail bookstores across the country. Our=
name
defines us: British.Books@American.Prices. (Our Press release is attached).

Now, the hardest part - how to bring our better mousetrap into the market.
Undoubtedly the whizzy looking sites compete and enjoy Best Site of the Day
moments. We have concentrated on content rather than process.

Is there a mechanism anywhere on the web to present our site as a 'true'
web-bookstore? Aside from the common profit motive, we have developed a site
that meets the criteria of a legitimate step in the marketing evolution
through the internet, a real "World-Wide" web.

Am I mistaken, or can I honestly evidence pride that we are a unique
(cyber) location that offers, in timely fashion, a wide range of popular
*literature*, NOT available in US bookstores: a 'true' internet vehicle
that delivers readers the best; presenting it informatively and=20
graphically; and passing it on quickly and competitively? The best example=
=20
I can think of is Salman Rushdie's new novel, The Moor's Last Sigh. It is
on sale in London where it has been nominated for the Booker Prize. It's=20
release hasn't even been announced for the USA (tho' I expect they'll move=
=20
faster now!). We stock this book: which is available to US readers via=20
the Internet.=20

While the fraternity of book-lovers is immense I have 'put' the question=20
to one other person, an acquaintenance whose vocation is publishing. While
it makes my unsolicited email even longer and inspite of more than a modicum=
=20
of repitition, I have exerpted part of that letter which I hope you will=
read.=20

"I've lost myself in HTML-land. But at last =97 after unimaginably=
imbec-silly
delays by VISA International =97 we put our site =91up=92 last week. The URL=
is :
http://British.Books@American.Prices.com .

Now, my left-side (profit motive) is focused on how to get some reasonable
publicity for the site. Immodestly - I do think we already offer a
reasonable range of particularly interesting titles, none of which are
available in US bookstores. (Our selection increases by about a dozen=
weekly.)

But there is a second reason to seek recognition, and it is not motivated by
profit. It is in this regard that I'm writing to solicit your thoughts,
reaction and suggestions.

Vinton Cerf and Dr. Negroponte write eruditely about how the internet will
prompt wholly new marketing techniques and a significant evolution in
information-flow. Books reprinted on the web qualify in this new category,
but they are limited to public domain titles. Both the concept and execution
of City of Bits is a meaningful if singular evolutionary step.

Last December I fell uopn Frederick Zimmerman's Internet Bookstore
Information Center (supported by Sun Microsystems and the Univ. of North
Carolina- Chapel Hill). It restored my feeling that not everyone accepted
the conventional smart-ass wisdom about the imminent doom of printed books.
This in turn inspired me to look for the best examples of bookseller sites
fathered by the concept of the World Wide Web - not merely using some basic
features of HTML and scanned images. My research demonstrated that existing
web bookstores were actually nothing more than adjuncts to existing
individual or chain stores. And most offered the same selection that retail
buyers enjoy in the 'physical' locations =97 much like L.L.Bean's with a
www-order dept.=20

Even Book of the Month clubs do, after all, promote catalogued choices by
mail with some newspaper advertising reinforcement. The mail order houses
are not simply after-thoughts to traditional retail establishments.=20

There are a few basics that make bookstores sensible internet enterprises,
despite the fact that commercial web display technology is still quite
rudimentary. Shoppers can source and browse from web displays that combine
most textual features of newspapers and magazines plus limited graphical
techniques that simulate the seductive book jackets in bookstores. The US
market it is essentially a copycat technique with alternative presentation.
There is nothing unique about the choices, and they aren=92t available=
faster
than by shopping in-store.=20

While the concept and execution of British.Books@American.Prices is far from
revolutionary, perhaps it does qualify in the legitimate-evolution category.
At least it meets more criteria of a true cyberstore. Am I correct, that we
appear to be the only pure cyber-bookstore offering the US market the
latest, broad range, of up to date, popular, literary and topical (British)
titles, available virtually concurrent with release in Britain; at US
prices, delivered quickly nationwide?=20

British.Books@American.Prices extends the value of the speed and borderless
aspects of electronic text and graphical transmission. If there is any
significance, it is to use the techniques to offer to the marketplace
popular product not otherwise available. And to make it financially
worthwhile requires using 2 other fast-tech industries - (economical
transatlantic) air freight and dependable (read =93low damage=94) fast=
delivery
to destination (UPS & DHL).

The hardest part for me is =97 how to bring our better mousetrap into the
market. Broad blitz recognition goes to the super-whizzy sites which enjoy
Best Site of the Day =97 a graphical moment of fame. But we have=
concentrated
more on concept/content rather than process. Is there a mechanism anywhere
on the web to promote the unique marketing value of our site?

We aren't reinventing the wheel, but we are an example of utilizing the
internet as a medium for commerce. It is the uniqueness of the WWW that
allows us to overcome the gigantic and prohibitive costs of presenting
(advertising) simultaneously a wide range of titles, from many publishers,
using traditional newspapers or magazines. And the web method guarantees
almost instant information to shoppers, and easily updated; which neither
catalogues nor direct mail can ever accomplish.=20

I am in a quandary about =93How to get the message out there?" That is one
reason I have written to you. You have an intimate knowledge of book
publishing both from the academic and business viewpoints." =20

At the risk of a little boldness =97 I am soliciting your observations and
critique. I would appreciate your viewpoint, very much.

Yours sincerely,

(tongue-in-cheek alias: James Bowes-Lyon)@ etc.