Where Will Borders Shoppers Go?

That's an actual headline from the July 20 issue of Publishers Lunch. Seriously. As if Borders were the only bookstore in the entire world ...

The article stated as follows (and I'm quoting it in italics):

Among our many rich features reserved for paying subscribers is a new set of exclusive consumer surveys with Bowker PubTrack Consumer on issues of particular trade interest. The first study, which we ran in early June, queried the roughly 10 percent of surveyed book buyers who indicated buying a book from Borders in April about where they would expect to show if their local Borders was no longer available to them. Strategically hypothetical at the time, unfortunately that data is even more relevant now. We reran the full study in yesterday's Lunch Deluxe and, following some press attention and discussion in the trade of the results, we are sharing a portion of it below. (As ever, the full information--as well as all of our additional daily Deluxe stories--is archived at PublishersMarketplace.com for members.)

"Strategically hypothetical" -- talk about your euphemisms. :) And, yeah, I'd say the data has become "even more relevant now." Although, I question the necessity of conducting a study at all, frankly.

The good news for the trade is that more of those primary Borders customers expect to continue to patronize other physical bookstores than one might expect. If a Borders is not available to them, just over half of the group says they would find another bookstore, and 27.6 percent say their book purchases would move online. Only 8.3 percent expect that they would buy fewer books if the chain goes out of business, and another 20 percent expect to borrow more books from the library.

So ... if  when Borders closes, readers will go to other bookstores. Wow, what a concept! Or they could order their books online. Or they could go to the library. What geniuses these readers are at coming up with other ways to buy books.

And WTF is wrong with the 8.3 percent who "would buy fewer books"? Don't they know other retailers carry books in stock now? Grocery stores? Wal-Marts? Costcos? For Pete's sake ...


Or they could even download their books on e-readers. For some reason, the survey didn't mention that part. Maybe they forgot about that.


Separately, a surprisingly loyal 14.7 percent say they would move their business to Borders.com, assuming such a site survives. That response alone could indicate a reason for others to consider bidding on the website--similar to Pearson's acquisition of the Borders and Angus & Robertson websites in Australia. (Another 7 percent says their book buying would not change, so it's not clear what they would do.) As you would expect, the anticipated change in book acquisition behavior was smaller for those people who don't see Borders as their primary bookstore.

Okay, whatever ... honestly, did you really need a study to tell you this? You guys are funnier than The Onion.

According to one blogger, "The demise of Borders, though widely expected, is sending shockwaves through the publishing industry that authors will undoubtedly be feeling in their wallets, as the Wall Street Journal reports." But if you read the article, it doesn't say that anywhere. In fact, I don't feel a thing in my wallet.

I think the worst of this will be felt by publishers, sales reps, Borders employees and people directly involved in the print publishing sales chain. Unfortunately, I suspect Borders employees will bear the brunt of these closings worst of all. Not the authors. Not the shrewd ones. ;)

Most of my income comes from ebook sales. So, I'm really sorry, Borders. I wish it could have worked out better for you. Honest! I'll miss you! Really!

But there are other places to buy books. There really are. And don't forget the ebooks ...

Which reminds me, you might want to do this quick while you can! :)