by Michael
Though I think it's a fantastic idea, one built around the concept of merchandising (a word people hate to use with books), B&N's rearranging of their teen book section is already pulling in derisive comments from the web.
I don't think this is any way the sign of the apocalypse, but rather an admission that readers of certain genres stick to those genres. They also buy a lot of books. And if this makes it easier for them to buy more books, I'm all for it.
What do you think?
Posts
Sounds like a great idea. Every time I'm in the YA section of B&N there are at least two other people there sorting through books, animatedly discussing the plots of their favorites. Why shouldn't they widen the choices?
ReplyDeleteDoesn't bother me (of course, the nearest B&N to me is 40 miles away, so I don't usually shop there). It's adapting to stay relevant - it makes sense for the genres that sell well to be the most prominant.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great idea. Anything to encourage kids to read is a plus. If only I could my daughter to love books.
ReplyDeleteAlso it will keep teen boys from the embarassment of being caught in the vicinity of Twilight. :)
ReplyDeleteAnything to make finding books easier seems like a great idea, though I'm sure there will be books put into categories that not everyone will agree on. They'll still be there somewhere, though, so buyers can't really complain!
ReplyDeleteI think it's an excellent marketing idea. It says something about the books that are selling. If paranormal romance is selling, why not make it easier to differentiate them from the others on the YA shelf. Why not encourage teens to read by making their favorite genre easy to find. I know B&N is doing it to make more money, but it has its uses, too. I don't mind it at all. Anyone who does is may be a bookstore snob.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good idea as well. Today, the teen section is substantial and can be intimidating. The new smaller sections may encourage and welcome more teens. The comment about taking away the embarassment (from the highly-marketed Twilight shelves) for boys is brilliant! I think boys are more likely to go into a "Dystopian" section than a general "Teen" area. However, I hope B&N will include cross-over marketing. Lisa McMann's novels helped moved me from fantasy/paranormal novels into issue-based YA where I discovered Sara Zarr, John Green and Jay Asher. I would hate to see teen readers get too locked into one genre and miss all YA has to offer.
ReplyDeleteGood point about making it more welcoming to boys -- or actually anyone (like me) who is looking for YA books that AREN'T teen paranormal romance. It's the OTHER books that this categorization makes it possible to find.
ReplyDeleteAlthough in general I dislike too many categorizations -- it might make good browsing but it's hard to find specific books.