Barnes & Nobles, Borders near end of life

[sbk1234]

I'm not a technical person, so perhaps someone can explain this to me. How do you actually browse a book to see if you want it for an e-book? Or even just ordering a real book via the internet?
Are we supposed to just look at the title and little one or two sentence synopsis and make a decision? Talk about judging a book by its cover.

 

[RJDiogenes]

It's not all bad news.

I like this part:

"I kind of feel like we're coming to end of the age of dinosaurs and there's all these warmblooded animals running around instead," she says.

While I certainly have a nostalgic fondness for paper books, the important thing is the content; stories, poetry, knowledge. E-books have all that in a more efficient and portable and affordable format. Literacy is certainly in bad shape, but I wonder if the Kindle and the Nook might actually be able to turn that around.

 

[Kestra]

I'm not a technical person, so perhaps someone can explain this to me. How do you actually browse a book to see if you want it for an e-book? Or even just ordering a real book via the internet?
Are we supposed to just look at the title and little one or two sentence synopsis and make a decision? Talk about judging a book by its cover.

On the kindle you can get samples of the book and download them. It's usually a decent number of pages.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I'm not a technical person, so perhaps someone can explain this to me. How do you actually browse a book to see if you want it for an e-book? Or even just ordering a real book via the internet?
Are we supposed to just look at the title and little one or two sentence synopsis and make a decision? Talk about judging a book by its cover.

Some sites let you see a few pages, including the table of contents, if there is one.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

If any of them would survive, I'd put my money on Borders, because B&N charges money for their rewards card, and their reservation system sucks bollocks.

Agree.

I had the opposite experience. Borders Rewards decided to dump me from their e-mail list for no good reason, and when I called customer service, they said they had BLOCKED my e-mail. No reason offered other than some company they had outsourced the administration of their Rewards program had done it and that they would contact said company on my behalf. They said it would take weeks. Well, even after that, nothing. I got rid of my Borders card and I now use B & N (whose program costs but is easier to use), or Hastings (whose stores carry both new and used/rare items in stock).

I think that of the two big-box stores, Barnes and Noble, despite their pricing, will be the survivor. They are the more upscale chain and in my opinion offer better service. I expect Hastings to expand--while they are mainly confined to the South, I think that the combination of buy-sell-trade with a big-box model will survive.

 

[Professor Zoom]

If any of them would survive, I'd put my money on Borders, because B&N charges money for their rewards card [...]

The Borders Rewards program isn't even comparable to the Barnes & Nobles Membership program.

I like the Barnes & Noble membership program. Each and every purchase 10% AND, when I order online, FREE express shipping regardless of how much I purchase.

And with prices that compete with Amazon, I'm actually MORE likely to order from Barnes & Noble than Amazon.

Doesn't help the brick and mortar stores, but, for me, the membership program MORE than pays for itself.

 

[BolianAuthor]

^

The fact remains that to get a Borders rewards card is free, but you must pay money for a B&N one. I'd rather get for free what others have to pay for, given the choice.

I don't opt for any email lists/notifications from either chain, because most of the time it's just advertisements/junk mail.

I just don't like B&N's reservation system, either, because it simply doesn't work. When the art book for the 2009 Trek film came out, I placed a reservation for in-store pickup AFTER I had seen multiple copies at the store, during an earlier visit... I just wanted to make sure a copy would be waiting for me when I returned with money for the purchase.

So, money and printout for the reservation in hand, I returned to the B&N, and the cashier informed me that they had NO copies in the store, and that they'd have to order it, to which I replied that they in fact had THREE copies of the book in-store, and that I had come to pick up my reservation, since the computer said it was in-store, and would be held for me, to which SHE replied that since the computer she was on said it was not in-store, she could not honor the reservation as-was.

I told her to wait a second, went upstairs, got a copy of the book, came back to her, and told her to just sell me the book. So much for their frakking computer system.

 

[melancholymecha]

Im curious as to how the closing of B&M book stores affects the sales of manga & coffee table art/photography books....

 

[pookha]

dont be too sure local booksellers will take their place.
ours is closing.. well actually the store that at one time had local owners who then sold to an independent bookseller chain.

they hacked off some of their long term customers by tossing the genre books in the basement and seemingly offering more stuff not books.

they also moved to an expensive mall with hard to find parking so they are going out of business.
since our barnes and noble drowned i mostly go to borders for new books. i get some from amazon at times.

 

[PsychoPere]

The fact remains that to get a Borders rewards card is free, but you must pay money for a B&N one. I'd rather get for free what others have to pay for, given the choice.

Again, they are not even comparable. One, after all, is a rewards program, and the other is a membership discount program. There is a fundemental difference between the two, such as... you aren't "getting for free" with Borders "what others have to pay for" at B&N.

Borders Rewards - free version

• $5 in "Borders Bucks" after spending $150/year, with additional $5 after spending another $100/year
• Free shipping for online orders equal to/exceeding $25
• 30% off list price of hardcover bestsellers

Borders Rewards Plus - membership program for $20/year

• 40% off list price, hardcover bestsellers
• 20% off list price, selected hardcovers
• 10% off most items
• Free shipping, all online orders

Barnes & Noble Membership - $25/year

• Free express shipping (1-3 days), online orders
• 40% off list price, hardcover bestsellers
• 20% off list price, adult hardcovers
• 10% off most items

From where I'm sitting, the B&N membership is far better than the free Borders Rewards. I'd rather pay $25 per year and immediately start receiving a benefit than have to first rack up $150 in purchases. It didn't take me very long at all to have gotten past the initial $25 purchase cost of my B&N membership when I signed up.


As for your reservation experience, I can understand being frustrated. To say that it "simply doesn't work," however, is not entirely accurate - it merely failed you on that occasion. I've employed the B&N reservation system at two different locations numerous times without fail. On the other hand, the one time I tried to use the "order online, get called when product is in stock" option at the local Borders, I never received a call regarding the order at all.

 

[sidious618]

I find that Barnes and Noble rewards program to be the best, as well. I have the membership for Borders and the rewards program for Barnes and Noble and I always choose Barnes and Noble. Their stores are better stocked, too.

 

[Captain_Nick]

I don't really read that much, but I have made a concious decision to read more. That bieng said, I wouldn't worry, maybe this will be a return to small local book stores. Barnes & Nobles is cool, but just like Walmart, they destroy the mom and pop stores.E-Books suck anyway, I hate not having a physical book in my hand. There's enough people like you and myself(to a lesser degree) that will keep physical books alive. I doubt it will ever go away completely. If there is a huge natural disaster or "fall of Rome" moment someone will have re-educate the population. We need people like you to hold onto thier books. It'll be ok. I can't lie though, I do love my iphone and PS3.

I agree with everything you said except for the last sentence. The death of large bookstores can only be a good thing - all they stock are 'bestsellers', sportmens autobiographies and pop-science books. Oh, and self help codswallop .. 'Buhddism for Bogans' 'How To Make a Million Dollars Without Lifting a Finger - Yes You Can!' 'Change Your Life By Thinking About Things'. The death of chain stores will benefit civilisation enourmously.

I have found that second hand bookstores contain the real gems. You can find proper hardcover books from the 1940s if you look hard enough. They are awesome and reading them makes me feel like a time traveller.

 

[Captain_Nick]

I have a book on atomic theory that was written in the 1930s. None of that ridiculous 'quark' mumbo jumbo. Unfortunately the maths is still way over my head.

 

[sidious618]

I have a book on atomic theory that was written in the 1930s. None of that ridiculous 'quark' mumbo jumbo.

Yes, I hate it when I read a science book and it's accurate.

 

[Captain_Nick]

If only your vision was as profound as your ignorance.

 

[Skywalker]

I make back the $25 I spend on my B&N membership in about a month, anyway, so I really don't mind at all having to pay for it. I just generally prefer B&N anyway.

As for books vs. e-readers...yeah, e-readers are neat and all, but I'm of the same opinion with eBooks as I am digital movies. I'd rather have the DVD/Blu-ray so that I'm always guaranteed to be able to watch the movie whenever I want (barring power outages or damage to the disc). Same deal with books.

 

[Shikarnov]

I'm not a technical person, so perhaps someone can explain this to me. How do you actually browse a book to see if you want it for an e-book? Or even just ordering a real book via the internet?
Are we supposed to just look at the title and little one or two sentence synopsis and make a decision? Talk about judging a book by its cover.

On the kindle you can get samples of the book and download them. It's usually a decent number of pages.

I got four whole chapters of the latest Enterprise novel as a Kindle sample.

And to the OP, I find it amazing that anybody can think that ebooks mean the death of literature. If anything, I find that ebooks open new avenues to the classics. Long out of print works are coming back because production and dustribution costs are nearly non-existent. And many of the most cherished stories ever written are now available for free (again, due in part to super low production and distribution costs) or for a dollar or two.

I've always wanted to have a complete library of Shakespeare's works, but could never justify the costs unless I found some books in the used bargain bins. Now I have a copy of everything, in pristine condition that will last forever, for free.

Moreover, I find digital formats to be superior overall. I can highlight with ease, look up words with a single tap on them without losing my place, I can place notes on every page, and search my whole library for content in seconds. And since I backup online, if my house burns down, I won't spend years rebuilding my collection.

Also, just FYI: there are several free ebook sites out there if you're good with Google. So you're by no means limited to Amazon's or Apple's stores. Check out http://manybooks.net for one such example.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

There has never been a Barnes and Noble in my city, nor a Borders. I did go into a Borders shop while I was visiting my sister in Adelaide but I didn't buy anything.

I don't think there is a Barnes & Noble in Australia. From looking at their website, reminds me of an Angus & Robinson, or Dymocks (who I noticed don't have more stores in Newcastle).
Here Borders is owned by A&R.

I still prefer traditional books, but am thinking about an e-reader sometime in the future.

 

[Professor Zoom]

^

The fact remains that to get a Borders rewards card is free, but you must pay money for a B&N one. I'd rather get for free what others have to pay for, given the choice.

But by paying a LITTLE, I get MUCH more than I have spent in return. It PAYS for itself VERY quickly. Especially around this time of year.

If you don't by much in the store or online, then yeah. But for me, a MUCH better deal than the Borders rewards card.

 

[Star Wolf]

Sad, but I love my e-reader and have no use for actual books anymore.

Seconded.

I get all my books on my iPad now. Never looked back.

Then one day while reading on your iPad your battery dies for good....

I don't really read that much, but I have made a concious decision to read more. That bieng said, I wouldn't worry, maybe this will be a return to small local book stores. Barnes & Nobles is cool, but just like Walmart, they destroy the mom and pop stores.E-Books suck anyway, I hate not having a physical book in my hand. There's enough people like you and myself(to a lesser degree) that will keep physical books alive. I doubt it will ever go away completely. If there is a huge natural disaster or "fall of Rome" moment someone will have re-educate the population. We need people like you to hold onto thier books. It'll be ok. I can't lie though, I do love my iphone and PS3.

I have seen those movies. It is were the hero is able to find make up and dental care and sets out to protect the books from becoming toilet paper and kindling