Borders closing OKC store - Norman Spared

[Thunder]

Or why pay to go to the Movies, when you can watch it at home for free?

Or buy a book, when you can go to the library?

Library... Every time I've been there, they only have old books...nothing newly released.

[Larry OKC]

May want to ask the Librarian then, as they routinely add new books (but may be checked out)

[ljbab728]

They all read it online too, on their own time in the morning before work, during work, in the evening, etc. I usually read it on my phone if I'm not at my desk. The idea of sitting around and passing the newspaper around is old-fashioned and, for most people, obsolete. It's all about convenience and having the news always update on my phone so I can check it whenever and wherever I want is important. The only paper news I still read is Time Magazine, at Borders/B&N for free. If I get an iPad soon I will probably subscribe to the e-edition though, again for convenience.

I have no use for a TV Guide either because my TV's have cable boxes that automatically pull up the guide. I have the few shows I watch set to DVR and watch on my own time, not 8/7 Central...

It may be obsolete and old fashioned in your world but not for most people. Evidently everyone in your family is on their own time and don't spend any time together in the morning. And if you have time to check out the news on your computer or phone while you're at work you must not be as busy as I am. My family likes to get their news in the morning while relaxing and it can be focused on, not when we're on the run and busy with other things. I agree about the TV Guide. I have little use for that because it's something that can be changed or updated daily and I usually know basically what I'm going to be looking for. The TV Guide is a totally different issue than news, however. I won't argue with you about magazines because those rarely use immediate information.

[MikeOKC]

Hmmm. We're all different. Imagine that.

[ljbab728]

Hmmm. We're all different. Imagine that.

Agreed, Mike. That's why there will continue to be a place for the printed newspaper.

[Kerry]

The Oklahoman has one of the best iPad apps in the entire country. 7 Day trial on the iPad. If you look for it in the app store it's NOT the "NewsOK" app, it's "The Oklahoman". The Oklahoman app looks like a print edition - it's incredible. It's been getting national attention, too. Poynter, etc.

I have Android and there is a NEWSOK app for $0.99. I'm not sure what the 99 cents buys me since I can already use the mobile newsok site via my phones web browser.

[MikeOKC]

I have Android and there is a NEWSOK app for $0.99. I'm not sure what the 99 cents buys me since I can already use the mobile newsok site via my phones web browser.

You're right - it's worthless. It's the same as the iOS version and it's just basic plain text stuff that's exactly the same content as the mobile site.

On the other hand, I can't say enough about their iPad app. It's looks very, very print-like. Take a look (just pay attention to the actual product on the iPad and not the silly acting):

[bombermwc]

OK first off, the analogy to the movies isn't accurate. Apples and Oranges man. There are far too many resources online with much much much better journalism than the Jokelahoman. If I want to go check out Reuters, the AP, European agencies, etc. there are countless free resources. In fact, when I come into work each day, I read The Register (based in the UK) online. It's related to my field and helps keep me up to date on things. In fact, most periodicals in the computer industry have moved online and don't even offer their free print items anymore. That's right, they MAILED free subscriptions.

You cannot tell me that a newspaper can't make the online version work for them without paying a subscription either. If they couldn't, then things like Facebook and Google would not be the media empires they are now....all without charging their customers anything. It's ad-revenue folks. If your product isn't good enough to have you survive on what that service is producing, then you shouldn't be around anyway. I can't say I would feel any sense of loss if the Daily Dissapoitnment went away for good. The masses, in general, will not pay for a service that was once free.

[Larry OKC]

It's all personal preference and more immediate gratification. How is it not accurate? Why pay for something (entertainment) when there are plenty other forms of entertainment that are "free"? Just as there are plenty of entertainment choices that are free that are at least as good as what you are paying for in the theater (and often have to sit through commercials there too). In the case of movies and books, the more immediate comes thru paying full price for it, rather than waiting until it hits the rental, or free tv. Same with libraries. They probably don't have the newest books the day the are released. Probably wait until they get best seller status and their patrons request those materials (periodicals may be the exception). Right now I subscribe to the paper AND view the content on-line. Each has its pros/cons.

[bombermwc]

Except a movie doesn't become less "current" if you watch it the day it comes out or a year later. The news is a point in time item. If you don't get it today, it's old and out of date. You can't rely on a paper from a week ago to tell you what happened today. The story might get spoiled for you in a movie by knowing what's going to happen, but the news doesn't operate that way.

[Larry OKC]

Now I'm not sure what we are even disagreeing on. We both agree that there are free sources of up to date news information, right? So why would someone pay for something that is out-of-date when they can get it for free elsewhere? Again, personal preference. Some people like the look, feel of a real paper in their hands (even if it isn't absolutely up to date). To others it doesn't matter if it is on a screen or printed.

[BBatesokc]

Anyone been to the NW Expressway location. I keep getting emails announcing this great clearance sale, but haven't been by. Are they really marking stuff down cheap or just 5-15%?

[bluedogok]

My wife went to the one at (Austin) Southpark Meadows, it was at 20% last week. No coupons or such accepted at any of the stores that have closing sales.

[Larry OKC]

Anyone been to the NW Expressway location. I keep getting emails announcing this great clearance sale, but haven't been by. Are they really marking stuff down cheap or just 5-15%?

Not sure what the current banner states (will try to run by after I get off work and post)

The norm for these type of bankruptcy closing sales is to start off with (up to) 10% off and each succeeding week, the "up to" percentage increases. The advantage to getting in early is the selection will be greater and can probably find what you want (but not discounted very much, if at all...might actually be higher). If previous ones are indicators, the inventory is sold to the "liquidator" company and even though the signage, uniforms, badges etc still say the name of the former store, they are no longer employees of that store and are working for the liquidator now. Unless if it is a prepriced item from the manufacturer, the liquidator will often raise the prices back to "suggested" retail and then take the percentage off from it. They will deny it but I know for a fact it happened with K-Mart and one of the box box office supply places that closed their south side store. You could find the exact same item (regular price) at the location that was still open for cheaper than the percent off liquidation price.

It can work very well, when K-Mart did it (and everything was "up to" 10% off, the parking lot was near capacity). Perceived bargain.

Let the buyer beware.

[zuluwarrior0760]

No way these stores should be going out of business. Their comfy chairs are
always full and people are always piling around the magazine rack and
there's hardly any wait to get thru the cash register line. It seems just
perfect!

Before we know it, the libraries will start giving books away for free
and B&N will really be in big trouble

)

[BBatesokc]

All the remaining Borders Book Stores are now liquidating. Very sad to see this. Borders had been a regular Sunday afternoon haunt for the wife and I for years. Never been a big fan of B&N, but I guess we will have to check them out. Most recently we had been driving to the last store in the area (in Norman) to read and have a coffee. I'd wait for the 30-40% coupon via email and buy a book or two a month. Sad loss.

[OKCTalker]

Busines Model 1: Large retail space with scores of parking spaces in a busy commercial corridor, stocked wall-to-wall with books, beautiful tenant finish, fully climate-controlled with music and good lighting, and customers strolling the aisles. Refreshments provided by Starbucks. Employees are busy selling invididual books which are taken by customers.
Business Model 2: Large warehouse space with minimal employee parking in a remote industrial park, stocked floor-to-ceiling with books, minimal HVAC, lighting and space improvements, and forklifts roam the aisles. Refreshments provided by a bank of vending machines. Employees are busy filling individual orders for books which are mailed to customers.
Business Model 3: Server farms storing books in digital form, available for unassisted purchase, payment and immediate downloading to customers who read them on e-readers.

Which business model failed first? Is another business model failing?

(Sounds creepy in an Orwellian, "2001: A Space Odyssey"-sort of way, doesn't it?)

[jn1780]

Busines Model 1: Large retail space with scores of parking spaces in a busy commercial corridor, stocked wall-to-wall with books, beautiful tenant finish, fully climate-controlled with music and good lighting, and customers strolling the aisles. Refreshments provided by Starbucks. Employees are busy selling invididual books which are taken by customers.
Business Model 2: Large warehouse space with minimal employee parking in a remote industrial park, stocked floor-to-ceiling with books, minimal HVAC, lighting and space improvements, and forklifts roam the aisles. Refreshments provided by a bank of vending machines. Employees are busy filling individual orders for books which are mailed to customers.
Business Model 3: Server farms storing books in digital form, available for unassisted purchase, payment and immediate downloading to customers who read them on e-readers.

Which business model failed first? Is another business model failing?

(Sounds creepy in an Orwellian, "2001: A Space Odyssey"-sort of way, doesn't it?)

Business model 2.5: Selling physical books online through the internet for a lower price than B&N or Borders. The "warehouse" is your garage or small storage building and you have thousands of people doing the same thing.

This combined with business model 3 and 2(New books directly from Amazon) is what killed business model 1.

[betts]

And yet I remember when we lamented the fact that Borders and Barnes and Noble were eliminating local book stores like Bollinger's, which served local food. I refused to shop at either one until Bollinger's closed. I guess this is evolution at work in retail.

[Steve]

Those of you lamenting the loss of Borders should instead be celebrating the continued survival of Full Circle Books and Best of Books and patronizing them as much as possible.

[Questor]

I stopped by the Norman Borders last week. I was really surprised that with items as much as 40% off the items were still more expensive than they should be. I Red Laser'd several items and found that online shops were always cheaper, and nearby local shops like Best Buy often were too. It's no wonder they are going under... Their operating costs must be enormous. Guess they never modernized.

[Thunder]

Borders had been a regular Sunday afternoon haunt for the wife and I for years.

They sure did scare people away. :-O

[Bunty]

Sad. The wife and I often spent a Sunday afternoon drinking a coffee and reading books/magazines at the NW EXP location. Guess we'll go to Norman from now on.

If that is all you and other people did and didn't buy anything other than coffee, it's easy to understand why they're closing.

[Thunder]

If that is all you and other people did and didn't buy anything other than coffee, it's easy to understand why they're closing.

Yeah, I think it was intended to review the material in order to buy them. Its a shame how people take advantage of reading without paying....ultimately the one of the main causes of closing businesses.

[BBatesokc]

If that is all you and other people did and didn't buy anything other than coffee, it's easy to understand why they're closing.

Actually, I find it hard to see you understanding anything with a comment like that. Lets see, they put in a coffee bar and tons of seating and welcome people in to spend as much time as they want reading. Yeah, sounds like I learned a sneaky way to work the system. Didn't have anything to do with their prices being too high, expenses being too high and online ordering and ebook options - nope it was people coming in on Sundays to read and buy with a coupon.

I just ran a report on my Quickbooks..... from 2004-now I spend $1,673.71 on book purchases at Borders alone. How much did you spend keeping them afloat?