The terror inflicted on 9/11 stood the economy on end, and selling books online was no exception. Before this date, selling venues were going great guns. On September 12th, however, sales, like stocks, took a plunge.
"I expect to see an increase in book sales by the end of the month (October)," optimistic bookseller Michael Daum prophesied at the Greenwich, CT, antiquarian bookfair held Oct. 5. "After all, Christmas is coming."
Daum, along with other dealers at the show, reported book sales dropped considerably after the attack, both on eBay and non-auction sales sites. "Except for books about Islam," he added.
Ron Weston from Ron's Reading Room also reported that his book sales dropped following the 11th. "I didn't sell anything anywhere for two weeks following the 11th, not in stores or on the Internet." Upon reflection, he remembers getting one or two orders from overseas during that time, and the only book about religion that was requested was one he sold two weeks earlier, a Franklin Mint copy of AMONG THE GODS.
This week, eBay listed 244 books with Islam in the heading, 24 that used the word Moslem, and 259 about the Middle East. Abe.com had substantially higher numbers: 15,439 about Islam, 1,342 using Moslem, and 60,224 about the Middle East. By comparison, the word anthrax appeared 443 times on eBay.
Additionally, there is an upturn in the number of anthrax-related items for sale these days, things like gas masks, biohazard suits, water filtration systems that "removes anthrax," and an anthraxvaccine.com domain name and Web site.
Charles Agvent, who specializes in rarities, concurs up to a point. "My sales slowed, certainly, as I'm sure they did for most people, but it has not been terrible. I think having good books is a boon in times like these."
While most sellers are reluctant to talk numbers, bookshows display how hard the industry was hit. This year's New York shows traditionally held at the armories are cancelled because these facilities are being used for their intended purpose. The most recent booksale held was in Greenwich, CT, and despite its lucrative population and easy drive from New York, there were as many as 25 fewer dealers this year. For those whose booths were up and running, Korans and books about Moslem life and Middle Eastern politics were prominently displayed.
With the immediate fallout from the World Trade Center collapse, sales in my own shop declined marginally, whereas the Internet numbers fell by half. In the first week following the tragedy, we attributed that to interrupted communications and postal delays.
What salvaged our Internet trade was having bought a religious library last spring that contained many Islamic titles. Our drop in ABE.com, Alibris, Barnes & Noble, etc., sales resulted in a more determined use of eBay, with good results. We took time to clean house, listing more than books, things that accumulated over the summer from estate sales and private collections. Of these lots, sales seem to be fine, and international buyers have been as eager as Americans.
One message by Paperbackexchange on eBay's book board proclaimed that the writer quit watching the news weeks ago. "It seems though my customers have not, as business in the store has slowed down. So I am crossing my fingers this does not keep up most of the fall. Of course there is always ebay thank goodness."
Will Michael Daum be right? Will the approaching Christmas season add a little oomph to Internet book sales?
After all, it's hard to keep Americans down, and holidays aren't just a time to party; it's a time to celebrate the blessings that we possess and share our bounty with those we love. This year we have a lot to be thankful for. In the midst of great suffering, Americans learned an important lesson. When faced with a national crisis, ethnic and racial divisions are replaced by a unified people of only three colors: red, white, and blue.
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Edith Reynolds is a former newspaper and magazine writer. She and her husband Dan own an antiquarian bookstore, The John Bale Book Company in Waterbury, CT. For the past nine years, they have specialized in early Americana and rare bindings. They are members of the ABAA - Antiquarian Booksellers of America Association, ILAB - International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, IOBA - International Online Booksellers Association, and OAUA - Online Auction Users Association. Edith manages online sales. In addition to their bookstore, they sell on eBay and at book fairs. Visit Edith's Web sites, http://www.taxter.com and http://www.usiana.com. eBay IDs: TAXTER, TAXTER2 , TAXTER3 , USIANA , BALEBOOKS
