Have you ever thought about the fact that books are sold in shops devoted almost entirely to one commodity ~ books? There are bed and bath shops, bake shops, electronic shops, shoe shops...and on and on. The difference is that all of these items are also easily picked up in department stores. Other than the odd cardboard bin of clearance books, department stores generally don't feature a bookshop.
The customer looking for a book to read, is already thinking of leisure time. The purchasing process has to be pleasurable. In the warmth and comfort of the bookshop atmosphere, the world is left behind. Thoughts are gentler and the pace is slower.
