Bargain Books vs. the Internet Independent booksellers are less concerned about e-commerce when it comes to bargain books. Some independent stores are embracing the Internet as well. Strand is developing a Web site, which should be operational in about six months. The Brookline Booksmith sells remainders on its Web site and is seeing sales increasing. Harry W. Schwartz has a brand-new Web site that will soon carry remainders as well.
Online booksellers face their own challenges in offering bargain books to their customers.
It's very important that we plan our promotions and sales estimates carefully so we don't disappoint our customers. We feature 17 different Bargain Bookshelves, each of which includes a search option to let our customers view all our Bargain titles by topic, listed in bestselling order. Business Strong All Over National retail chains, like the independent stores, report strong bargain book years. Among the company's challenges, Manno says, is to help customers understand the savings they are receiving when they buy bargain art books. With fiction and other remainders, she said, the consumer can compare directly and see the savings.