Full Sto Proposition, Feasibility and Research Paper. Lucy Frances May Fuller.
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Nature of Subject.
The book industry is one that has been hit by many factors in recent years. Digital books have gained more popularity as online sellers such as Amazon dominate the industry. However, physical books are still holding their own, likely due to the experience that physical books and bookshops provide. People enjoy being able to switch off their electronic devices and get lost in a book. Simple things such as the smell and feel of a book can evoke a feeling of nostalgia, making physical books and bookshops a popular choice. However, the prevalence of digital books and sellers can’t be ignored. The industry must continue to evolve as this side of the industry becomes more and more established. The experience provided by physical books and bookshops needs to be emphasised and highlighted in order to prevent people from turning to online options. Technology has also hindered people’s ability and desire to read. On social media, all text is short and snappy due to word limitations and abbreviations. Therefore, people are accustomed to only reading for short periods of time, and are reading long pieces of text less frequently. By sharing the experience and feel of physical books with its customers, Full Stop will aim to tackle this challenge. The Covid-19 pandemic has also had a large impact on the industry. As bookshops were forced to close due to national lockdowns, the demand for physical books declined. Revenue in the publishing industry is expected to have declined by 51% in the years 20202021 (Dermott, 2021). However, online retailers have significantly increased their shares as a result of the pandemic with the spending patterns of customers having changed. Fortunately, the popularity of physical books is expected to improve over the next five years (Dermott, 2021). This is largely as a result of improving economic conditions due to the easing of restrictions and reopening of bookshops.
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Call Me MOSAIC. Call me MOSAIC is a bookshop brand that aims to respond to every individual’s reading requirements and desires. The brand prioritises ‘book selection strategy’ that is entirely user-oriented (Wong, 2017). The interior of the bookshop has the same philosophy and prioritises the reading experience of the customer above simply selling books. The concept for the bookshelves is inspired by live commenting on social media (Wong, 2017). Shelves of multiple different lengths are stacked to make the wall appear as though it is bursting with books; reflecting how social media is bursting with opinions, comments and information. The bookshelves aim to allow people to receive information from all different directions at the same time. By simply following the direction of the shelves, customers are encouraged to find more things that interest them. This is due to the fact that all of the books are organized horizontally, as opposed to the classic vertical system. Rather than staying in one place, customers are encouraged to move around the shop as a result of this. Customers follow the shelves around the shop until they find the right book for them.
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Many researchers over the years have concluded that boys and men read less than girls and women. However this gender gap has grown over the course of the Covid-19 lockdowns (The Guardian, 2020). This gap is likely due to a number of factors, one of which being exposure to male reading role models; fathers are less likely to read themselves and are more likely to read to their daughters than sons (Auxier, Bucaille, Stewart and Westcott, 2021). Also, men appear to enjoy reading less and therefore choose other entertainment activities. Not only are boys and men placing themselves at a disadvantage by not reading but society too. This is because they read fewer books by women and fewer books with a female protagonist (Auxier, Bucaille, Stewart and Westcott, 2021). Men avoiding female authors and protagonists can be particularly problematic as it can reinforce a lack of understanding of, and therefore discrimination against, non-male groups. This is because reading can help improve our social intellect – books encourage us to empathise with the characters and provide insight to different ways of life. One way Full Stop could aim to overcome this is by hiding a book’s author and cover so a customer can’t perceive whether it is aimed and men or women. So-called ‘mystery books’ have gained popularity in recent years with many bookshops wrapping books in brown paper and only providing a brief description of what is underneath. Another option would be a ‘personal shopper’ experience. Customers could complete a questionnaire on their interests and preferences and have a book selected for them. In order to get boys and men reading, different entertainment options could be integrated into the interior with the aim of appealing to a wider audience. For example, men are more likely to choose gaming over reading but perhaps the two activities could be combined within Full Stop.
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Conclusion.
The barriers that prevent people from reading can be broken down into three main categories; ability, interest and social factors. A lack of ability or skill is often caused by a learning difficulty such as dyslexia. As confirmed by Participant A, a physical space could have the ability to help people overcome this particular barrier; simply providing tools such as bookmarks can help people with dyslexia a great deal. Full Stop must also ensure it creates a comfortable space where people can avoid distraction if necessary. A lack of interest in reading often seems to be caused by other entertainment options. Participant B found that they were choosing TV and film over books but also said that social media helped them get back I to reading. By integrating these digital elements into the space, Full Stop could appeal to a wider audience. This also links to one of the social factors preventing people from reading – researchers have found that boys and men are more likely to opt for other entertainment activities over reading and so adding digital element could help overcome this barrier too. Another social barrier is income; people on a lower income have less exposure to reading and this puts them at a greater disadvantage in life. So it is essential that Full Stop ensures its pricing is accessible. In order to fully represent all people, Full Stop must feature a diverse range of books and reading materials; people are more likely to read if they can see themselves represented within a story. To conclude, both Full Stop and Dot will be able to overcome these ability and interest-related and social barriers by prioritising the comfort and accessibility of the space whilst integrating different elements so as to appeal to a wider audience.
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