Borders: How do they still stay in business?

[Josh-da-man]

I've tended to favor Borders over B&N because it seems like they have a better selection of books than B&N. B&N seems kind of older and conservative, whereas Borders feels younger and has a wider selection of books on offbeat/obscure subjects.

Combined with the 20-30-40% off coupons that Borders puts out regularly, and it's a no-brainer.

The only area that B&N beats Borders in for me is their remainder/bargain selection. Borders generally has few remainders, while B&N regularly gets last year's major publisher hardcovers. I think I've bought ten "bargain" hardcovers at B&N in the last couple of months.

[fumanstan]

I like the Borders by me far better then any of the Barnes and Noble. It just seems organized better, and has more comic books which is what I swing in to check out most of the time.

I've bought some impulse buys there for things I wanted right on the spot and didn't feel like waiting a couple days for.

[Dean Kousoulas]

Originally Posted by Josh-da-man

I've tended to favor Borders over B&N because it seems like they have a better selection of books than B&N. B&N seems kind of older and conservative, whereas Borders feels younger and has a wider selection of books on offbeat/obscure subjects.

Combined with the 20-30-40% off coupons that Borders puts out regularly, and it's a no-brainer.

The only area that B&N beats Borders in for me is their remainder/bargain selection. Borders generally has few remainders, while B&N regularly gets last year's major publisher hardcovers. I think I've bought ten "bargain" hardcovers at B&N in the last couple of months.

My B&N has a huge discount hardcover section. Granted, I check back weekly and they don't switch out titles too often, but there are still great deals to be found.

[KillerCannibal]

I've pretty much stopped going to Borders altogether. Even the occasional 40% off coupon doesn't do it for me. After they cut their DVD/BD selection by 3/4 its size, I realized they have virtually nothing I want. Anything I want on Day One I'll buy at BB, and anything else I just order online. I rarely want/need anything that quickly.

[Gdrlv]

I love browsing at Borders and used to buy a lot there. Then, I got a Kindle. Now, I take my Kindle there, and buy anything I find interesting at Borders through the Kindle. Often wonder how the employees/staff feel about people downloading Kindle books right in their store.

[bdhart]

What I really don't understand is going into the store and seeing several Blu Ray's priced at $4-5 more than the retail price. Even with the 40% off coupon, the prices were still higher than Amazon.

[UAIOE]

I understand that Borders deals with some overhead that Amazon doesn't, but Borders is still somewhat higher than Best Buy.

But then, Best Buy has mark up on pretty much everything else to counteract any losses on CD's.

[StephenX]

Originally Posted by Maxflier

Not to mention Borders doesn't charge you for their member card. A card which actually earns you Borders bucks once you spend a certain amount versus the nothing that you earn with the B&N card.

I do miss when Borders had a nice Criterion selection like B&N

This.

My wife and I used to always print a couple of 30% off coupons and browse the DVD selection. With the coupon, the OOP, rare, and classic stuff was a decent deal. They always had criterions, as well. I actually got the Oldboy tin at Borders for less than $30 or so. Of course, they don't have DVD's anymore so we don't visit as often (if at all).

[FangsFirst]

Originally Posted by dx23

There $5 off until the company was sold to the idiots that have it now about 3 years ago and they decided to priced everything retail and on the website $1-$5 dollars over retail or over $400 dollars for things like the Beatles Mono set.

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...=4988006873612

That's the Japanese edition, silly.

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...=5099969945120

302.99 for the mono set.

Originally Posted by UAIOE

But then, Best Buy has mark up on pretty much everything else to counteract any losses on CD's.

Answered your own question. They are there to sell appliances and warranties and such. CDs and DVDs and such are to draw people in, and add a couple bucks to their purchases.

[UAIOE]

No, I know that is what Best Buy does. I was flat out told that when I worked there.

Of course, I was also told they were turning the music department into a "sales" department and also that teenage new hires get paid more than employees who worked there for over a year "because of inflation".

[Alan Smithee]

I went to a Borders for the first time in several months- GOD their DVD selection SUCKS now! Most of the shelves have hardly anything on them so they spread out what they have trying to make the shelves look full. If they're gonna have a crappy selection with crappy prices why am I going to bother going there?
I loved how all the box sets were locked up too- you couldn't even see the price tags. I wanted to ask someone to open it so I could check the price, then say "Naah, too expensive, I'll go get it at Fry's instead."

[Josh-da-man]

Earlier this year, most Borders locations gutted their CD/DVD sections.

I managed to pick up quite a few CDs for 50% off.

[bunkaroo]

Originally Posted by Alan Smithee

I loved how all the box sets were locked up too- you couldn't even see the price tags. I wanted to ask someone to open it so I could check the price, then say "Naah, too expensive, I'll go get it at Fry's instead."

Just assume list price (or higher) is on the tag. You'll be correct 99% of the time.

[dx23]

Originally Posted by FangsFirst

That's the Japanese edition, silly.

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...=5099969945120

302.99 for the mono set.

They must have added the other set days later because I searched and didn't find the link you posted. Still, I want to know why are they pricing $5 over retail price everything in their store. How are they going to turn things around when everything is more expensive in Borders than in every other store.

Example, the new Wizard of Oz BD

http://www.borders.com/online/store/...u=883929043477

[kristina]

My mom and I don't care for Borders either. The atmosphere is so dull there. The CD section is complete unorganized and they have less of a selection than Best Buy does. I have a member card for there but I just check coupons trough email...don't usually use any of thm though.
We love B&N. I go there to pick up books on the first day they're released, when I don't feel like waiting days for Amazon to deliver. Also I like when B&N sometimes has CD's that the local BB dosen't carry. The coffee and magazine selection are nice too. I go there to get my horror movie magazines.

[BuckNaked2k]

The big Borders near me gutted their CD/DVD section back around August, and had some OK mark-downs. The kicker is, I go in there now, and there's nothing where the DVDs and CDs used to be! They just put a few tables in there for people to sit and and read (but not buy). I mean, the area is huge! Empty floor space is a cardinal sin of retail, and they have it in droves.

I know the company is owned by some private investors, like a venture capital firm or something, and I think they are just trying to hold on, but when it makes more sense to have 15% of the store sitting empty, the writing is on the wall.

I like B&N, because I can get good buys there when they have certain sales, like the Criterion sale. I was getting $40 Criterions for $13 after 50% off + 10% member discount + $5 coupon.

The BN website is good too with prices actually less than in the stores. The Borders website is a joke, with most DVDs and Blu-rays selling above MSRP! Yikes!! Their web sales must be near zero with a business model like that.

[UAIOE]

I can't order from B&N.com on the basis that they royally screwed me over in 2002.

The short, short version:

Bought a DVD day after Thanksgiving (for x-mas) and it didn't arrive until Dec 26th. During my month long wait I called their CS line numerous times, I was promised another copy would be shipped 2-day (I believe). After it never showed up, I called again only to find out that CS person never even submitted the order.

Never again.

[Quack]

I've always preferred Borders over B&N any day of the week. I never liked the idea of having to pay for a discount there when Borders does it for free with the Rewards program. I just don't understand how they've just tanked though.

[Deke Rivers]

Originally Posted by Gdrlv

I love browsing at Borders and used to buy a lot there. Then, I got a Kindle. Now, I take my Kindle there, and buy anything I find interesting at Borders through the Kindle. Often wonder how the employees/staff feel about people downloading Kindle books right in their store.

as an ex-Borders employee i can honestly say most (as minimum wage employees) wouldnt give a a shit.
I mean 3/4 of the customers that would come in would just read in the store or do homework with the study guides etc....then I would have to pick up all books and crap they left on the floor , tables, etc when they were done for the evening..for this we were open until 11 every night.
I cant imagine them being around much longer..in fact Im surprised they still are

[Giles]

IMO the magazine selection at B&N is vastly superior to Borders.

[dogmatica]

What I wrote in a recent Borders coupon thread:

I get at least two Borders coupons a week via email because I signed up for their free rewards program two years ago when I bought a T.C. Boyle audio book on cassette on clearance. I've never used a single one. I was even at the store right next to Borders last night and had no desire to walk in.

Is it me? Is it them?

[GizmoDVD]

Originally Posted by Deke Rivers

as an ex-Borders employee i can honestly say most (as minimum wage employees) wouldnt give a a shit.
I mean 3/4 of the customers that would come in would just read in the store or do homework with the study guides etc....then I would have to pick up all books and crap they left on the floor , tables, etc when they were done for the evening..for this we were open until 11 every night.
I cant imagine them being around much longer..in fact Im surprised they still are

Exactly. Most employee's really don't give a crap since they are paid so low. They'd rather you walk around and read 'for free' than be a real customers and require assistance.

[UAIOE]

I always thought they let the reading slide in hopes you be around long enough to buy a drink and/or food.

[Deke Rivers]

Originally Posted by GizmoDVD

Exactly. Most employee's really don't give a crap since they are paid so low. They'd rather you walk around and read 'for free' than be a real customers and require assistance.

well i wouldnt go that far..i worked there because of my love for books and movies..
I welcomed the occasional customer in the store that shared that love..90 percent of them are there to sit in the cafe and use the books then leave
just the shape of the washroom was a good indicator of how far down the spectrum the typical customer in that store declined..might as well have been a Walmart...
done with the book? hell just throw it on the floor..someone will pick it up..why buy th emagazine when you can bring a whole stack of them in the cafe then spill shit on them and get up and leave the stack there..
my rant being that someone walking around in the store with a Kindle would have been the least of my concerns..

[BuckNaked2k]

Originally Posted by Deke Rivers

....just the shape of the washroom was a good indicator of how far down the spectrum the typical customer in that store declined....might as well have been a WalMart....

No kiddin'.

The Borders closest to me is a medium to small store in a rather exclusive community. They recently went to a system where you need to request a token to get into the rest rooms on account of the mess and vandalism taking place in there. I was amazed when the associate told me this, as again, this is a really nice preppy town with no bums or miscreants.