Forum - View topicNEWS: Bookstores Struggle, Blockbuster Nears Bankruptcy
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Aura Ichadora
 Posts: 2290 Location: In front of my computer |
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I'd love to support Barnes and Nobel more if the nearest store wasn't a half-hour away north or south (I can't drive yet, so I have to rely on parents for transportation). My town doesn't have a bookstore, despite constant asking for one - we've ran several articles over the years in our paper about wanting a bookstore and how we've had prime locations for one - so it's very difficult for me to support something I can only go to whenever I'm rarely in the direction of the store.
It also doesn't help that, when I'm in the same town as Barnes and Nobel for classes at my college campus, it's also ten minutes on the other side of town and with rush hour traffic and construction/detours, and home duties, it doesn't make it any easier to get over there. Sometimes it just makes it easier to order online, even though I really do want to support the store. |
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Revolutionary
 Posts: 601 Location: Too Far South |
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Oh gosh, I didn't know this... (although it could be assumed about Blockbuster) Barnes & Noble and Borders are practically the only bookstores we have where I live. I really hope they don't close. D:
I personally prefer to go purchase things at the physical bookstores. It's awesome that we have so much available on the internet, but finding it at a physical store and not having to go through all of the hassle of ordering it online and getting it shipped is preferable to me. Like others have said, both bookstores are always really crowded around here. Just went to one (Barnes & Noble) a few weeks ago while my family was at a different store and it was really busy in there. |
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Parsifal24
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As far as Blockbuster going under I'm not surprised Netflix has taken away most of its demographic and the cost of renting a movie at Blockbuster v.s. the monthly Netflix fee is a big difference. $8.99 amonth v.s. 5-6 dollars for one rental it's just more economical to go with Netflix or Red Box. As far as Borders and Barnes and Noble I get almost all my Manga from Barnes and Noble online their store in town or through one of their used book store affiliates.
If they where to go under I guess there's always Amazon or some online retailer but times are hard all over so who knows what could happen in the ensuing months.N |
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scchan
 Posts: 143 Location: Exeter, UK |
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It is awful. Border employees need their salary to support their family, and many people are losing money for being Border's share holder. I wish I know what I can do. I did bought books from Borders recently - a copy of "Catch-22", what irony. 
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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My daughter's just started a netflix account for her ps3
I was never a big movie renter, but I like being in the mood to see it today, browse & pick & don't like watching anything on my computer. But I don't think I've rented anything in the last year or maybe 2. I don't like the whole digital book stuff but I can see that's where we're going so if I want to continue reading, I don't doubt I'll have to accept digital books. In the long run it makes the most sense. However, the issue with apparently not really owning it is a put off (that they can take it away at will). If I buy a book, it's mine. I don't leave it in the store's library to read only when I use their device to read it. |
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PetrifiedJello
Posts: 3782 |
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If they wanted to survive, they shouldn't have expanded their franchises to ridiculous growth impossible to support on a good day. 3 Borders within a 10 mile radius? Idiocy. Blockbuster, however, is a little different. When they were barred from buying DVDs and forced into royalty payments to the movie industry, its fate was sealed. Blockbuster couldn't go digital thanks to those pesky contracts it signed. Netflix is in the same boat, which is why it allowed for the 28 day delay with Warner Bros. They're trying to go digital, but it's difficult when the studios demand the blood of virgins as payment. Bookstores have been in decline for years, mostly due to online offerings. It was just impossible to serve all of those stores with the customer base it has. A "busy" bookstore does not equate to a profitable bookstore.
They are changing with the times... they're becoming extinct. Nothing can stop the chain reaction now. If these retailers were smart, they'd shut down now and spread the capital to the remaining employees. Better this than have no capital left over, like Blockbuster. |
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Mr. sickVisionz
 Posts: 2173 |
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I'm surprised that there are multiple big name book retailers in the Amazon age. I think only one of the huge ones can survive.
You're old if you think it's a pain to connect a laptop to a TV. All it takes is an HDMI cord and pressing the source/input button on your remote control. |
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scchan
Posts: 143 Location: Exeter, UK |
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I can accept digital books, but I think a more pressing question is people reading less and watching less movie now then it is say 20 years ago. Did I forget to remind you there are more TV channels, gadzillian of websites to browse nowadays? (Sarcasm) |
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EricDent
 Posts: 997 Location: Georgetown, TX |
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The thing about Redbox that people don't seem to get is that they
have a very limited selection of titles. Mostly just the newest releases, however certain studios have put a "hold" on places like Redbox & Netflix so they don't actually have certain movies on the day they come out on DVD. With places like Blockbuster, you not only could go inside the store and actually look at the cover to the DVD/Blu-Ray (Which IIRC Red Box does not have Blu-Ray, and Netflix you have to specifically join that part of). As for Borders, I kind of expected this to happen eventually. The nearest store is like 20 miles away, and there are 2 B&N closer. |
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spoony
 Posts: 117 Location: Illinois, US |
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Am I the only one who still enjoys browsing shelves? I've discovered tons of good books and movies just by walking through the store and picking up what catches my eye. Buying online just isn't the same as pulling a book off a store shelf and then reading the first few pages in the car because I'm too excited to wait until I get home. =P
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decepticons2
 Posts: 56 |
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I know Blockbuster in Canada is slightly different. They have four stores in my area within fifteen minute drive. My wife and i don't rent any movies anymore. Went from 200+ gold member to haven't been in a store in years. She would prefer to watch random crap on youtube. My preference is online which are more prevalent and subscribing to sites like Crunchyroll.
I am not sure about your book chain stores but Indigo/Chapters has no real selection. Before I stopped going every book I wanted had to be ordered and paid for upfront with no guarantee that they could get it. Kind of fishy policy if you ask me. So might as well order it from amazon. I do stop in at the privately owned book store occasionally, better service, knowledge, and customer care. All box stores should be closed and sales moved to centralized warehouse and pick up depots. Instead of paying ten mindless fools who don't know where anything is lets only pay one. |
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SonicRenegade84
 Posts: 630 Location: Atlantis! |
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About time Blockbuster went under. BB has been overcharging their vids for so long that I stopped going years ago.
Good news is, if they're anything like Hollywood Video here in TX, then I can buy off their dvd's for next to nothing, and they have some good stuff i'd like to pick up. Bad news is, I have alot of memories with BB  .
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SonicRenegade84
Posts: 630 Location: Atlantis! |
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I see what you mean. There's a store called Hastings over here that is the same way, but they also sell used stuff and that's why I go there all the time. Especially for manga. |
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LKK
 Posts: 426 Location: Virginia, USA |
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In my area, Barnes and Noble doubles as the local colleges' official bookstores. I can name at least four colleges that have bookstore contracts with B&N. If this is true nationwide, it's easy to understand how B&N can be doing better than Borders. When thousands of students buy their textbooks from one retailer, that's a huge chunk of change. |
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Emerje
 Posts: 7360 Location: Maine |
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The B&N Member's card depends on how you use it. If you're buying only in store then you'd have to buy a bunch of new releases or ton of regular releases for it to start saving you money (BTW, the card can be shared by anyone living in your household). However, if you use it online it'll pay for itself in a couple purchases just in the free shipping alone, plus the extra online discount AND bonus coupons that range from an additional 15%-40% on top of the discount price. I'm more than happy to pay the membership fee when it starts saving me money so quickly.
Yeah, they're all in there reading the books they aren't buying. 
I keep forgetting Blockbuster is still around, there's never been one around me and I think the last time I saw one was 10 years ago visiting someone out of town. All of the video rental chains around me closed earlier this year, but I haven't actually used one in about 6 years. I rely on Redbox, cable VOD, Xbox Live, and Playstation Network for my rentals these days. Most pathetic thing I saw was the local Hollywood Video still renting out videos while it was liquidating its inventory and fixtures. I'm guessing a lot of those weren't returned. Emerje Last edited by Emerje on Thu Aug 12, 2010 2:11 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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