I was walking home the other day when I passed by the Borders store on the corner of State and Randolph. I went inside and there are signs everywhere that says the store was closing, that everything had a 25%-50% discount and that everything must go. When they say everything, they really mean EVERY THING… as in books, the shelves, the chairs, the lights… everything.
I went to the nearest Borders employee I could find and asked if they really did sell everything on the store.
“Yup! We need to get rid of all these.”
“Can I buy the EVERYTHING MUST GO sign?”, I asked.
“No.”
“Can I buy the escalator?”
“No.”
Then he gave me a frozen look that tells me he was not amused. I guess someone already bought his sense of humor.
I love Borders. It’s a special place for me. It’s a place where I can browse through a couple of books and gain ideas, insights and future projects. Whenever I run out of photo ideas, writing topics or if I just feel that life is not running at the same pace as it used to be, I get my jacket, go to Borders and set camp for a couple of hours and I always walk out of the store inspired, happy and enlightened.
With the whole bankruptcy thing, that atmosphere is gone. Now it’s just a plain store with old books. The chairs are no longer there. The books are all over the place. The shelves are no longer sorted. The café is closed. It was just sad.
“Yup! We need to get rid of all these.”
“Can I buy the EVERYTHING MUST GO sign?”, I asked.
“No.”
“Can I buy the escalator?”
“No.”
Then he gave me a frozen look that tells me he was not amused. I guess someone already bought his sense of humor.
I love Borders. It’s a special place for me. It’s a place where I can browse through a couple of books and gain ideas, insights and future projects. Whenever I run out of photo ideas, writing topics or if I just feel that life is not running at the same pace as it used to be, I get my jacket, go to Borders and set camp for a couple of hours and I always walk out of the store inspired, happy and enlightened.
With the whole bankruptcy thing, that atmosphere is gone. Now it’s just a plain store with old books. The chairs are no longer there. The books are all over the place. The shelves are no longer sorted. The café is closed. It was just sad.
Borders filed for bankruptcy back in February. They were deep in debt and they couldn’t find a willing investor who can save the company so they need to liquidate everything. So why did Borders fail?
1) They let Amazon run their online bookstore.
That’s like Shakey’s telling Pizza Hut that Pizza Hut can deliver all food orders to Shakey’s on their behalf. Sadly, I’m guilty of contributing to this problem (To Borders ha, not Shakey’s). When I shop at Borders, I browse the books and list the ones that I like. I go home, go to Amazon.com, read the book reviews and purchase the books I want online. I’ll get a more updated edition of the book, it will be brand new plus the prices are lower at Amazon. Apparently, there are millions like me and this had a devastating effect to Borders’ sales.
2) The third floor.
Go to Borders and you’ll find the bestsellers on the first floor. Go to the second floor and you find the tech, philosophy, arts, religion and other specialty books. Go to the third floor and you’ll find an area dedicated to CD’s and DVD’s. Who still buys these things?! Everything has gone digital – books, music and movies and I can have it on my iPod in less than a minute for a lower price.
(By the way, I’m not sure if other Borders store outside Chicago has a different floor setup. If it’s different, well, you get the idea).
3) The Kobo.
2) The third floor.
Go to Borders and you’ll find the bestsellers on the first floor. Go to the second floor and you find the tech, philosophy, arts, religion and other specialty books. Go to the third floor and you’ll find an area dedicated to CD’s and DVD’s. Who still buys these things?! Everything has gone digital – books, music and movies and I can have it on my iPod in less than a minute for a lower price.
(By the way, I’m not sure if other Borders store outside Chicago has a different floor setup. If it’s different, well, you get the idea).
3) The Kobo.
The what?! It appeared on the market 3 years after the Kindle and 2 years after the Nook. It was Borders’ eBook reader, which came out too late and too dull. It was nowhere in the class of the Kindle or the Nook and its so-so reviews basically doomed Borders.
Basically, Borders was killed by the competition because they didn’t adapt to the changing market fast enough. I guess that’s the business world for you.
I left the store without any purchase and no new ideas. I know Borders will remain open probably until the end of the month but as far as I’m concerned, it’s already long gone.
*sniff*
Basically, Borders was killed by the competition because they didn’t adapt to the changing market fast enough. I guess that’s the business world for you.
I left the store without any purchase and no new ideas. I know Borders will remain open probably until the end of the month but as far as I’m concerned, it’s already long gone.
*sniff*
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