Borders UK calls in Administrators

olly300

lostinrates wrote: »

Books did seem to get dramamtically more expensive somewhere along the line. Did tax change..something in my mind is yelling that...

Books are zero rated for VAT.

lostinrates wrote: »

i bought a novel from new one day this week and hadn't looked at the price to the till. £12.99...I was ..amazed.

I think its sad, I'm guessing more books are bought at christmas than any other time of year?

Hence the prices go up for about 2 months whether it's online or in store.

lostinrates wrote: »

and book vouchers. Which might not have been able to have been honoured if this ust hung on through christmas.

Never had book vouchers.

One thing that is a problem for the Borders store near me that it's in a really awkward place, and not near enough to the university or college. So it misses the footfall of most of the general public and students.

I do like book stores if I'm searching for a book for a particular person and haven't got a clue what to buy but know what they like, however Waterstones tends to get my money as they are in better locations even though their stores tend to be smaller.

edgex

olly300 wrote: »

Books are zero rated for VAT.


Hence the prices go up for about 2 months whether it's online or in store.



Never had book vouchers.

One thing that is a problem for the Borders store near me that it's in a really awkward place, and not near enough to the university or college. So it misses the footfall of most of the general public and students.

I do like book stores if I'm searching for a book for a particular person and haven't got a clue what to buy but know what they like, however Waterstones tends to get my money as they are in better locations even though their stores tend to be smaller.

im in Birmingham, & we have 2 Waterstones, a WHSmiths with a largish book section, & then a Borders
the Borders sells books, magazines & cd's, so its not just competing with bookshops, but also HMV a few shops up from it



its interesting how many US firms completely misjudge the UK marketplace.

neverdespairgirl

Radiantsoul wrote: »

A shame as Borders are great stores to hang out, and buying books online is not the same as browsing for books.

I agree with you about book shops being great, but I never warmed to Borders. Too gimmicky and bright lights.

worldtraveller

I've been in the Borders shop in Enderby, Leicestershire a few times and the thing that always struck me was that there were more people in the coffee shop than actually browsing books. How many of those people in the coffee shop were in the store just for a drink/snack, I have no idea, but, if the number of browser's were anything to go by, probably most. The other thing were the many tables of sale items at 30%; 50% 75% off. I don't know what the margin is on books, but I would have thought that you would need a pretty high turnover to cover the rent of a prime building like the one that they have there. Maybe the coffee shop was a profit centre? Books, CD's, DVD's & computer games though, which takes up the vast majority of the floor area? Yes, I have actually bought a book there, RRP £50, for £12.50.

C_Mababejive

Borders is a great store to browse...but to my shame..i must admit that that is mostly all i do. I browse,buy occasionally or see a book i want in there then buy it on the net cheaper or used on amazon/ebay.

Guess im not alone?

Maybe borders should have recognised this?

vivatifosi

The reality is that the high street sadly doesn't need book stores. If people want to browse rather than buy, there is a substitute in the form of a good library. Borrowings at libraries are up since the recession, so add that to being squeezed by online book sales and the growth of e-readers and the writing really is on the wall except for niche formats or stores able to diversify or with a particularly loyal following.

avantra

edgex wrote: »

not surprised at all, they simply were not big enough to compete in the UK books market. WHSmiths must have had bigger book sales than them!
wernt they seperated from the US operation a few years ago?

I buy books online and often finds that WHS comes the cheapest in book prices comparison sites, if you go and collect the book yourself it's even cheaper.

Great shop Borders but really it is too opulent for these dark days of economic depression. :eek: you know: wake up, coffee smell etc' etc'

lemonjelly

edgex wrote: »

im in Birmingham, & we have 2 Waterstones, a WHSmiths with a largish book section, & then a Borders
the Borders sells books, magazines & cd's, so its not just competing with bookshops, but also HMV a few shops up from it



its interesting how many US firms completely misjudge the UK marketplace.

I've always found Borders to be a little overpriced imo. That said, when you're looking for some of those harder to find/niche market books, I feel Borders is mor likely for you to find it. In a way, some of the stores have become too large, & aren't organised too well, so you can't find what you're looking for. That is where it loses out to online. Conversely, with online, though you can find exactly what you want (if you know what it is), you're less likely to stumble across something which grabs you.

I also think the proliferation of these "Booksale/The works" type stores, which sell books at knockdown prices has contributed to some changes in the book market.

vivatifosi wrote: »

The reality is that the high street sadly doesn't need book stores. If people want to browse rather than buy, there is a substitute in the form of a good library. Borrowings at libraries are up since the recession, so add that to being squeezed by online book sales and the growth of e-readers and the writing really is on the wall except for niche formats or stores able to diversify or with a particularly loyal following.

I think we do need book stores, but would still like to say HURRAH! at a bit of good news. I always feel libraries are underused, & get a warm glow hearing that more people are accessing them.:j

Generali

FWIW, Borders in Aus is very good. Great selection of books, some nice eclectic stuff and often you can get a (mediocre) cup of coffee.

lostinrates

I was thinking, its all very well for people to rave about the impersonality of places like Borders, but in Charing Cross rd, which book shop is busiest? Its been a long time since I was there, but used to browse in the book shops a lot while DH was browsing in Denmark St and Borders was packed, foyles was reasonable, and the dwindling independants were calm and quiet.