But maybe retailers can wn, but using the advantage of place. More retailers need to figure out why their physical stores exist and then really make them environments to immerse and engage their audience. Like what Border's is doing here. Wish more retailers started thinking about their experience from a different POV.
In the increasingly brutal book wars, Borders Group Inc. is learning what coffeehouses long have known: Encourage shoppers to think of you as a home away from home and they'll spend more, maybe even become regulars. (Emphasis mine)To spur that feeling, Borders quietly unveiled a program late last month that invites book club groups to convene at its cafe spaces instead of in club members' homes. The step is geared toward helping the money-losing bookstore chain drum up sales and reshape itself into a local gathering place instead of a faceless superstore.
The superstore book chains also hurt themselves by replacing booksellers with cashiers, a move that sent avid readers to independents, he said. (Emphasis mine)
"The chains need to figure out why they have a reason to exist," Norris said. "They are caught in the middle. You have the Internet on one hand, where people can access whatever books they want, and on the other hand you have disengaged people who happen to buy a book if they are walking through Target or Wal-Mart. Then you have passionate independent booksellers placing the book into your hands."
Book clubs at Borders: Borders invites book club groups to convene at the store - chicagotribune.com.