[Cpoll]

> The shelves are tidy, because the books are placed with their covers facing out

Spine-out doesn't facilitate browsing, so I can't see why this is a bad thing. More books doesn't equate more options or a better experience.

> and prominently featuring the opinions of exemplary randos.

Fantastically dismissive, but the book buyer is also a "rando," so it's a useful metric.

> The store selection is populist, elevating aggregate user ratings; the author’s name is, notably, the smallest thing on each card.

The only problem I see is that it doesn't need to be there at all. It's prominently featured on the cover of the actual book, right above the card.