Borders Web Site Now Live
-- Publishers Weekly, 5/27/2008 7:47:00 AM
After seven years of outsourcing its e-commerce function to Amazon, Borders relaunched its Borders.com Web site today under its own control. The site contains many of the same features that the retailer had been beta testing for several months, including The Magic Shelf home page which allows browsers to scan 20 rows of books, face out, and click on any title to get more information on the book, few some text or to buy the title. According to Kevin Ertell, Borders v-p of e-business, the Magic Shelf is designed “to make customers feel they’re browsing one of the front tables at one of our stores.”
Borders.com will have a total of 2 million books/DVDs/music in its inventory. In addition, in an agreement with Alibris, Borders will now offer about 60 million used books for sale. The site also features a link to its cobranded e-bookstore with Sony and has the ability to download digital audio either in DRM or DRM-free formats. Ertell said price on all items will be “competitive” with other e-tailers.
Ertell believes one of the strengths of the revamped Borders.com will be the cross-channel marketing opportunities it provides the company. Borders Reward members can earn and redeem their Borders Bucks and coupons online, while in-store kiosks will permit shoppers to check inventory and order any title not in-stock. Shoppers have the option of having the book shipped to the store or directly to their home. Orders sent to the store will be shipped free and all orders over $25 will include standard free shipping. Baker & Taylor is handling all fulfillment for the new site.
