Discourse.net: Trouble at the Borders

November 24, 2009

Trouble at the Borders

Borders is having a bad time in the US - $39M Loss in Q3 - and seems to be going broke in the UK.

Which is a shame, as I find their book stores a lot nicer than Barnes & Noble, which always seem cloned and unfriendly. But I can't say I'm surprised: we used to go to the local Borders on US 1 in Kendall a couple times a month. Oddly, no matter what we bought, the bill was just about the same — and fairly high. (Then we looked to run out of wall space for bookcases.) In time, we started making aggressive use of the excellent Miami library system, filling in the gaps with Amazon. And Borders lost a lot of business.

So it's probably our fault.

Posted by Michael : November 24, 2009 02:36 PM | Shopping | TechnoLinks

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Comments

The library is great. Very recently, with the economic downturn, I discovered that the library is not merely a place for the homeless to go BM! In fact, if you get a "library card" you can even borrow books!

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/01/04/check_it_out/

Posted by: Blackstone at November 24, 2009 02:52 PM

Amazon is a real problem. Without even leaving my home, and at really odd times of the day (like 2 AM, when I'm more vulnerable to thinking, yeah, this obscure mystery/book of poetry might be interesting), Amazon is there for me. I think, if anything, I spend more on books with Amazon than I would if I actually had to go to a store with a fairly limited set of options...

Posted by: Donald A. Coffin at November 24, 2009 05:03 PM

I like them both, but B & N has a better deal on discounts. For example, they recently had a sale on Criterion Collection DVD's: 50% off. I had a coupon good for an additional 15% off on top of my regular 10% member discount. I bought the box set of three films by Shohei Imamura that lists at $79.99. After the discounts it cost only $30.99. Borders would have only given me a discount off the list price.

Posted by: Randy Paul at November 24, 2009 10:35 PM

Support your locally owned independent bookstore.

Posted by: Steve at November 24, 2009 11:57 PM

I agree, locally owned independent bookstores are great...!!..I personally recommend BOOKS & BOOKS at Lincoln Road.....

Posted by: Clemente Vivanco at November 25, 2009 01:13 AM

heheh, last time I went to the library I was assaulted by a naked vomiting drugaddled woman who kept telling me to get in the elevator with her and that my wife was a bitch.

I love it.

Posted by: Adam at November 25, 2009 09:01 AM

I try to support my local bookstore, too, but if the desire for a particular book comes over me suddenly (perhaps I'd just read a review of it) it's sooooo easy to go to my public library's web site and put a hold on that book. Sure, there may be a wait for it, but eventually, I'll get an email that the book is waiting for me down at my local branch (where there are few weirdos). The library will even email me again when the book is about to be overdue!

Posted by: Emily at November 25, 2009 09:53 AM

My wife get's mystery novels on CD from the local library, and then listens to them on the drive to school ( 1/2 hour, each way) and finishes them up in a week. Then drop it off, get another free one, repeat as necessary.
I do Amazon ( Buy New and Used) and support my 'local' online independent retailer.

Posted by: Chuck at November 25, 2009 01:23 PM

Well, I used to support my local bookstore, spent hour upon hour there during the weekend. Then they slowly started to disappear. Then discovered Amazon, they have friggin everything, but theres nothing like being able to actually look at it before buying, granted you have actual videos posted now for art books, and reviews, etc...I do love Amazon.

As far as Borders goes, GOOD RIDDANCE!...crappy selection and way overpriced, they should have stuck with the Amazon partnership...fools.

Posted by: jim at January 5, 2010 06:54 PM