The study examines how independent bookstores differentiated themselves from other bookstore retailers, to satisfy their customer needs and then to achieve customer engagement. The research proposes two questions as following: How do independent bookstores in Uppsala differentiate themselves in the book retailing industry? How do customers engage with independent bookstores? In order to answer these questions, qualitative research method was employed in this study. This research took all of the seven independent bookstores in Uppsala as a sample, interviewed owner/managers of each of them, and collected 85 questionnaires from their customers on the basis of the servicescape theory. The researchers employed the approach of qualitative data analysis. The analysis of the findings was based on Raffaelli’s 3C’s model, servicescape theory, and customer engagement theory. The conclusion of this study illustrates the actions of independent bookstores of differentiating themselves in the six dimensions of servicescape theory and indicates that both independent bookstore and their customers lay emphasis on the differentiation of functionality and employees. Furthermore, the customer engagement could be enhanced through the differentiation.

В работе исследуется работа книжных магазинов России и Европы. Деятельность магазинов рассматривается с социокультурной точки зрения. В диссертации проводится анализ крупных книжных сетей России, Германии и Польши, а также маленьких независимых магазинов в тех же странах по специальным параметрам. Кроме того, в работе рассмотрен мировой опыт функционирования книжных магазинов. На основе анализа выявлен ряд важнейших факторов, которые влияют на успешность работы книжного магазина, а также в целом на культурную ситуацию в городе и стране, где расположен книжный магазин. / The paper examines the work of bookstores in Russia and Europe. The activity of stores is considered from a socio-cultural point of view. The dissertation analyzes large book chains in Russia, Germany and Poland, as well as small independent stores in the same countries by special parameters. In addition, the paper considers the world experience of the functioning of bookstores. Based on the analysis, a number of important factors that affect the success of the bookstore, as well as the overall cultural situation in the city and country where the bookstore is located, are identified.