Non-motoring > Not so possessive Miscellaneous
Thread Author: CGNorwich Replies: 16
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 16:50 
 Not so possessive - CGNorwich
Horror shock. Forget the economic downturn. Waterstone's are to drop the apostrophe from their name. Is this the end of civilisation?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-16529653
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 17:05 
 Not so possessive - rtj70
Might be the end for Waterstone's?

If Amazon see revenue for the £89 Kindle (from selling books, magazines) do okay... what if they cut the price to say £50?
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 17:36 
 Not so possessive - bathtub tom
A local, fee paying school of previous good repute has replaced the apostrophe in its title with some symbol of its own design.

That would be enough reason for me to send my children elsewhere.
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 17:40 
 Not so possessive - CGNorwich
Perhaps a slight over-reaction?
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 18:00 
 Not so possessive - Meldrew
i don't quite see how changing its name has changed its reputation or standing in the community.
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 17:58 
 Not so possessive - Meldrew
I still use Waterstone's. They have changed their paperback offer from 3 for 2 to 1/3rd off which is still OK. I also buy books when they are on special offer; I just bought Max Hastings history of WW2 for £15, reduced from £30. Same price as Amazon so bought it and took it home.
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 18:34 
 Not so possessive - CGNorwich
"Max Hastings history of WW2 for £15"

For those ereaders out there Kindle edition at Amazon is now £12.99
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 18:37 
 Not so possessive - rtj70
And when I mentioned the end of Waterstone's I didn't mean due to the lack of apostrophe :-) And I would say book shops as we know them have maybe 10 years... but e-book sales will hurt. In the USA Barnes and Noble released their Nook. WH Smiths has partnered with Kobo (until recently Smiths had their own e-book store online).
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 18:48 
 Not so possessive - CGNorwich
I wouldn't give them 10 years. By then E book will be the norm. Paper books will still exist of course but will carry a premium and will be purchased on-line from the likes of Amazon. Will make little sense to distribute low sales volume items by way of trucks and expensive city centre bookshops
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 19:16 
 Not so possessive - madf
Sainsbury's have retained the apostrophe.

Some people have standards.. (not that I shop there)
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 19:20 
 Not so possessive - swiss tony
>> Sainsbury's have retained the apostrophe.
>>
>> Some people have standards.. (not that I shop there)
>>
Shouldn't that be ''Some people have standard's'' ;-)
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 19:49 
 Not so possessive - PeterS
>> Sainsbury's have retained the apostrophe.
>>
>> Some people have standards.. (not that I shop there)
>>

I guess the fact that Morrisons have abandoned the apostrophe supports that school of thought ;-)
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 20:27 
 Not so possessive - rtj70
>> Paper books will still exist of course but will carry a premium and will be purchased on-line from the likes of Amazon

Often it is the e-books for popular items that have a premium over print on Amazon. Partly due to VAT.

I gave it all 10 years due to many people not liking e-book readers. I am surprised I am allowed considering where my wife works. A library.
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 20:45 
 Not so possessive - CGNorwich
I agree that ebooks carry a premium at the moment. I doubt very much that they will in 10 years though.

There are a lot of people who say they don't like e-books who have never really tried them I agree it will take a while to overcome the attachment people have for the paper book but a 25% reduction in sales will kill off the likes of Waterstones.
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 Fri 13 Jan 12 22:31 
 Not so possessive - Slidingpillar
My stepfather has bought a kindle. I was impressed with light weight, good contrast and battery life. Would I buy one?

Nope. I like the physical feel of books as well as reading them.
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 Sat 14 Jan 12 03:14 
 Not so possessive - Armel Coussine
But are we as obsolete as books Sliding Pillar? Not yet perhaps. But literacy may be on its way out. These damn touch screens are the thin end of the wedge. In the end it'll be jack sockets installed behind the ear at birth and direct communication without words at all.

Back beyond the cradle, to the womb.
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 Sat 14 Jan 12 11:51 
 Not so possessive - Old Navy
>> My stepfather has bought a kindle. I was impressed with light weight, good contrast and
>> battery life. Would I buy one?
>>
>> Nope. I like the physical feel of books as well as reading them.
>>

Mrs ON reads real books at home but uses her Kindle in the car and when travelling. (I know, when I am driving :-) ).
Last edited by: Old Navy on Sat 14 Jan 12 at 11:53
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