MENG LIAN: The situation of Window display for bookstore

The purpose of such Visual merchandising is to attract and engage people’s experience and sale production. In other words, Window display combines the areas of art with commerce, as store face to provoke people to go into store. As early as the eighteenth century, small stores began display their products to the public place, and which is popular in 19^th century. With the industrial revolution occurred, the large amounts of iron and glass used in construction, which provided display spaces for the department store. Nowadays, the window dressing is very prosperous, the typical emporium is Selfridges window display in London. There are various forms to present product, dynamic, fantasy, drama etc. Every year, store will attract many visitors go to there to see wonderful windows.

In contrast, the bookstores, there is a different situation. Since the digital technology developed quickly in 21^st century. A new reading form, e-book, which occupy most proportion in physical book, whilst, book retailers have also faced threaten from online shop. BBC has reported: “ Last year, 50 new independent bookshops opened across the UK but 72 closed…”(2011). Many people have talked about this situation and try to relieve this problem. According to my research, I have read many articles about this part, to try to know the influence of window display upon bookstore. Based on those articles, my viewpoint is bookstores still should existence, even though the situation of e-book and online shop can not change, of course, disappearing is essentially impossible, but fewer physical bookstores still can survive in the future. Maybe, it will be like museum to strength “sensory experience”. so window as the face or cover of bookstore , it can be not only to put recommended books in window, but also using other ways to express message.