Barnes and Noble is dying, Waterstones in the U.K. is thriving. Why?
I see parallels in other industries as well.  I recently purchased a new camera (Olympus PL6). Normally, I just order my electronics online.  However, in this case, the size and feel of the camera was very important to me, as I&#x27;ll be using it on a cycling trip next year.  I wanted something to complement my pocket-sized Canon S-series.<p>I swung by my local Best Buy to see some of the options in person.  They didn&#x27;t have much of a selection.  A few full size DSLRs and a bunch of cheap point and shoots. Maybe one Sony mirrorless.<p>This seemed to be true of all the areas.  The shop was a bit of a ghost town.  Lots of &quot;stuff&quot;, but nothing to get excited about (and I&#x27;m a gadget geek).<p>So, I went to the local camera specialty shop. It&#x27;s a bit further away, but it was nice to get all the options spread out on the counter, chat with a knowledgeable salesperson, and end up buying something. Yes, it was full retail, but I got what I wanted, no regrets.<p>Same for my local bicycle shop. I can order most of the stuff online, but for some items, having knowledgeable staff and items I can touch is worth the extra retail markup.  But, the items need to be in stock, the salesperson needs to be able to help me, and the atmosphere must be something enjoyable.