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All I have to say is... "OUCH!" I definitely do not think that this merger would benefit consumers in the very least, all it will do is put more capital in the shareholder's pockets that have joint stoacks in each; i.e., no competition between the two any more. Now, as to why I don't think it is a good idea... first and foremost is that any time two very large companies merge, the consumer looses out by the lack of competition and the, now single, company can set prices as they please, giving the consumer a lack of recourse where previosly they had one. I'm not totally discounting smaller mom-and-pop joints, but we all know that larger companies can afford to purchase more in bulk, thereby offering better discounts/incentives. Yet another reason I do not like the taste of this merger is that in the past I knew if I couldn't find it at Borders, I could go down the street to B&N and possibly find it there. Also, each company tended to have a bit varied selection and one would offer more of a specific subject matter than the other.
Just my two-cents. While the Reader was referenced, i don't feel that the merger will help spread the device any more than it already has, since many of the chains are located close to each other and something would have to give; i.e., seeing some close, esp. those that are right across the street from each other.
I did like the analagy that Dick Tracy envisioned, with the purchase swipe idea; however, why not put this better and say you're browsing an eBook store on your phone, find a book, pay nominal fee, d/l & save to the SD card in phone, and transfer this to your Reader? This would totally cut out the middle-man. Of course, the main reason I wallk into a physical bookstore is to simply browse and flip a few pages to see what's new; I can't see myself doing this if everything is digital (unless they have some type of eReader you can pickup in-store and carry w/ you to check out actual content.
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