Borders Sales Down, Tries to Increase Reader Participation

4 Comments

1. Tara Marie
   Jan 11, 2007 @ 13:55:32

   Don’t you think that each probably has declining sales but for different reasons. I can’t speak for BAM (we have none in our area), but it seems to me Borders needs a web presents like B&N and Amazon. And B&N needs to lose the $25 charge for being a member.

   Reply

2. jmc
   Jan 11, 2007 @ 14:32:18

   I think Tara Marie is absolutely right about web presence. I never really understood the Borders-Amazon relationship; if I was going to end up buying from Amazon, it was easier to go there and search in the first place. But if Borders had their own online sales service? They’d get the lion’s share of my new online book purchasing. Which so far this month, with pre-orders for January and February books, is ~$250.

   Locally, BAM has a beautiful store in the Arundel Mills mall….but I don’t shop at the mall unless utterly desperate. Which I guess is why Borders Express and/or Waldenbooks don’t work for me. The bookstore is a destination for me. I go there with intent, not as an afterthought while I’m out shopping for clothes or whatever. I wonder how much of the Borders business model is based on mall stores, and how that compares to the B&N model.

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3. Tara Marie
   Jan 11, 2007 @ 14:37:18

   And I think jmc is right about destination–LOL . I never go to Borders/Waldenbooks/Borders Express because they’re located in “The Mall”.

   I wonder how much of the Borders business model is based on mall stores, and how that compares to the B&N model.

   Me too

   Reply

4. Dear Author.Com | Amazon’s profits are down despite great fourth quarter earnings.
   Feb 02, 2007 @ 10:19:49

   [...] posted a 34% increase in quarterly sales (compare this to the decline in sales for both BGI and BN) but their profits were down 51%. Increased sales of electronics, lower prices and discount [...]