Setting up a Bookstore - What the Dickens?
by Startacus Admin
Setting up a Bookstore - What the Dickens?
As you have hopefully noticed, over recent weeks we have been writing articles discussing the ins-and-outs of setting up various businesses. So far, we have covered 
setting up: a B&B business, a photography business and a magazine business (to name just a few) and this week we are turning our attention to that most traditional of enterprises... the bookstore.
Already I can practically hear your cries of protest - “Why on earth would someone want to set up a bookstore? Don't they know that paper publishing is dying a slow and painful death at the hands of e-books?” Well, this simply isn't true - in fact, sales of paper books continue to hold steady despite the growth of the e-book. To explain why (rather fittingly) I direct you to to the words of Russell T.Davies in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
“Maybe e-books are going to take over, one day, but not until those whiz kids in Silicon Valley invent a way to bend the corners, fold the spine, yellow the pages, add a coffee ring and allow a tablet to fall open at a favourite page.” Enough said!
Even so, the book market is still a hugely competitive business and it can prove an enormous challenge for independent booksellers who are coming up against the might of supermarkets, large chains and of course e-books, however with solid planning, excellent market research and a clear plan of action, a bookstore can still prove to be a lucrative and worthwhile venture. Here's a few things that you will need to consider...
Market Research
Ask yourself things like:
-
What sort of bookstore do you want to open? Will you sell second-hand books, antiquarian books, new books or specialist books?
-
Is there a market for this kind of bookstore in your area? Do you have any knowledge of the type of books that you will sell?
-
Who will your main competitors be? What is their pricing like? How busy are they? What will your store be able to offer that theirs cannot?
-
Where are you going to source your books from? If you are selling second-hand or antiquarian books will you have a reliable source or supplier?
-
Do you plan to trade only from the shop or will you advertise and sell your books online? What websites will you be able to use to do this?
-
Are there any other locations where you could also sell your books i.e. markets/trade fairs?
-
Are there any grants or start-up business funds available where you live to support your venture
Continued on page 2... Early stage VC fund Anamcara led by Female Solo GP Closes $10.6M Seed Fund to Invest in Founders Building Defining B2B Software Companies Want to ensure your startup runs smoothly? Hamid Bagherzadeh, Legal expert and Co-Founder of LegaMart shares insights on the legal contracts that will help you do just that. Koala, the innovative travel insurtech startup, secures investment to fuel its growth in Europe, expand its team and build additional travel protections.
The best early stage tech startups from across the UK revealed in Tech Nation’s final Rising Stars competition. Over 100 organisations come together via The Micro Business Alliance to help provide a voice for the UK's startups, micro businesses and small businesses. The lowdown on London-based hearing wellness startup Mumbli and its mission to help businesses provide inclusive spaces for all hearing abilities and preferences. Tech Nation calls for tangible support to secure capital, talent, growth and exits needed to accelerate the growth of UK tech in decade ahead. Glasgow-based This is Milk seeks investment for Neve Learning, its cloud-based Ed-Tech platform that has inclusivity and accessibility at its core. With the UK facing a clear digital skills gap, Amy Caton, Digital Talent and Impact Senior Manager at BT Group shares some insights on what businesses should do to close that divide. The lowdown on Berlin-based Beazy and its innovative solution that helps teams to plan, produce and deliver creative content and helps businesses to connect with talented content creators.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
.jpg)
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Anamcara launches $10.6M seed fund to back new wave of business tech 30th Mar 2023 Early stage VC fund Anamcara led by Female Solo GP Closes $10.6M Seed Fund to Invest in Founders Building Defining B2B Software Companies
- Travel insurtech Koala raises €2m to accelerate its growth 29th Mar 2023 Koala, the innovative travel insurtech startup, secures investment to fuel its growth in Europe, expand its team and build additional travel protections.
- Tech Nation announces the 10 winners of its latest Rising Stars competition 29th Mar 2023 The best early stage tech startups from across the UK revealed in Tech Nation’s final Rising Stars competition.
- Micro Business Alliance launches to represent 75% of the UK’s businesses 28th Mar 2023 Over 100 organisations come together via The Micro Business Alliance to help provide a voice for the UK's startups, micro businesses and small businesses.
