Research shows that online bookstores are great when you know what you are looking for.

Retail spaces are better when you don’t.

There will be fewer places to find books.

There already are fewer places.

Barnes and Noble has closed 150 stores.

Try to find a book review in a major media outlet beside O or The New York Times.

The world of book publishing always hopes that readers will discover the new writers they publish.

Language is important here.

Discovery is unexpected.

Discovery is random.

Discovery implies being found for the first time.

Do we really want bookstores serving as showrooms?

Those don’t feel like strong qualities for maintaining a sustainable business model for everyone involved.