A commercially published author might need to sell thousands of copies of their book in order to turn a profit, but a self-published author might consider selling a few hundred copies of their book a success. In the publishing industry, a book that sells more than 5,000 copies is generally seen as a success.
But it’s not only a matter of how many books are sold. Success for a book can also be attributed to favorable reviews, praise from critics, and referrals from friends and family. Even if just a small number of copies are sold, a book can still be deemed a success if it garners positive reviews and becomes a cult favorite.
However, the popularity of e-books and the growth of online sellers like Amazon have caused physical bookstores to disappear in recent years. Since they have a difficult time competing with these online behemoths, many independent bookstores have had to close. Even Nevertheless, there are still a lot of prosperous independent bookshops that have adapted to the shifting marketplace.
A person who works at a bookstore and is in charge of selling books to consumers is known as a bookseller. They could also be in charge of refilling shelves, setting up displays, and making suggestions to customers.
There is no independent bookstore like Waterstones. With more than 280 locations across the UK and Europe, it is a chain of bookstores. Tim Waterstone established Waterstones in 1982, and Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut bought it in 2011.
Amazon does not own Books Etc. Up until 2009, it was a chain of bookstores that served the UK until being bought out by Borders Group, Inc. In 2011, Borders Group, Inc. declared bankruptcy, which resulted in the closing of every Books Etc location.
In conclusion, there are many variables that can affect how many books are sold to determine a success. Even if the growth of online merchants has had considerable effect on physical bookshops, there are still plenty of prosperous independent bookstores that are still thriving. An employee at a bookstore is known as a bookseller, and Waterstones is a chain of stores rather than a single independent bookstore. Last but not least, Books Etc was a network of bookstores that did not belong to Amazon and that went out of business in 2009.