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(1) I really don't have a reason to dislike Barnes and Noble, they're fine people. I just can't like shopping there because of the obvious. I am generally ambivalent with no desire to shop there. There is no obvious reason that I can provide that will encourage others to agree that B&N are horrible people.
(a) A few years ago B&N discontinued carrying Cliffs Notes in order to promote their own proprietary brand SparkNotes. We get requests from customers who do not understand that we do not carry SparkNotes and 'No Fear Shakespeare' for the same reason the World of Coca Cola doesn't sell Mountain Dew products.
(b) B&N incorrectly shelves books if the author has a complicated surname. For instance, Gabriel Garcia Marquez will be found shelved under "Marquez" at B&N instead of the correct "Garcia Marquez." Please also note Alexander McCall Smith.
(c) The customers inform me that B&N employees are less likely to show you the location of a book. Which is ironic because I find myself and others performing likewise.
(2) There are two websites. The official Borders website is bordersstores.com and is not an e-commerce site. The borders.com website is not owned or operated by Borders and is Amazon.
(a) Our company is not attempting to use an online site as a primary source of income.
(b) The Borders / Amazon site exists to provide the customer with an opportunity to shop online if they desire to.
(c) The BordersStores site exists to bring customers into the store, which should be the main intent of a website for a retail store.
(3) From what I've seen of our locations, neither companies own the property.
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