Libraries are still hanging around thanks to their strong partnerships with schools and universities, but brick-and-mortar bookstores are finding it difficult to compete with eBook readers like the Amazon Kindle and the Barnes & Noble Nook.

However, these two companies don't have a total monopoly on the digital book market. You too can develop your own business as a digital bookseller with these steps.

Your Business Plan

Before you get started, you need to outline your vision of what kind of business you're running. Are you looking to resell books from other publishers? Or are you going to be a vanity publisher as well and help authors cut down on printing costs by going purely digital? It's important that you analyze the market you're about to enter and study the major trends for the publishing industry. Any way that you can put yourself ahead with a new idea or approach will make you stand out to the establishment.

Legal and Tax Requisites

Just like with any business, there are forms you'll need to fill out and file with the appropriate local, state, and federal agencies. You'll need to check that your business name is available to use, along with a domain name for your website and tax information for your state's business department. It might be good practice to consult with a lawyer for setting up contracts with other booksellers and publishers.

Sales and Negotiation

As you get yourself established, you'll need to generate a source of books that you can tend sell through your online marketplace. One way to start would be to open a seller's account on preexisting sites like eBay or Amazon. Some companies (like Amazon) have association deals that allow new marketplaces to carry their featured products and get access to an instant customer base.

Web Design and Marketing

The key to being a successful e-commerce website is professional Web design. Hiring a good Web designer can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars depending on how extensive your site's design will be. What you're aiming for is an interactive storefront that customers can browse through easily, give feedback on products, and feel comfortable enough about sharing private data like their credit card numbers.

Don't forget that you'll need to attract new customers through extensive Web marketing, too. Invest in social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter, giving you direct interactions with your customers. Attract interest by starting a blog on WordPress and talking about industry news and trends in publishing and digital commerce.

Image by Luke Ma on Flickr

This content was created by AI