Borders download station?

julia103 · 01-10-2011, 08:58 PM

I was in a Borders store yesterday, and noticed that the table displaying the different readers that they are selling also had a terminal labelled "e-book download station". Does anyone know how this works? I tried to ask a Borders employee, but since I didn't have a specific title that I wanted to but he sent me to look at the online catalog and never came back.

Dulin's Books · 01-10-2011, 09:05 PM

was it a big screen with a SD slot in the bezel below the display?

Dulin's Books · 01-10-2011, 09:08 PM

like the one shown here on the Mod Systems page?
http://www.modsystems.com/#

jsites · 01-11-2011, 01:56 PM

If it was a computer that looks much like the normal info-desk computers, basically it is a computer that all it runs is the Borders eBook store/software.

The computer, for whatever reason, is locked down and you'll need an employee to punch in the super-secret password to get access to the computer.

Then you would log in with your Borders eBook account, search for books you'd like to purchase, purchase them using a credit card or gift card. Then you would just plug your reader into the USB cable at the desk, and click the Synch button to copy the new books to the reader.

(I work at a Borders, and this is the set up that we have. Other stores might have something different.)

Bookworm_Girl · 01-11-2011, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsites

If it was a computer that looks much like the normal info-desk computers, basically it is a computer that all it runs is the Borders eBook store/software.
The computer, for whatever reason, is locked down and you'll need an employee to punch in the super-secret password to get access to the computer.
Then you would log in with your Borders eBook account, search for books you'd like to purchase, purchase them using a credit card or gift card. Then you would just plug your reader into the USB cable at the desk, and click the Synch button to copy the new books to the reader.
(I work at a Borders, and this is the set up that we have. Other stores might have something different.)

That's very interesting, jsites. I will have to see if they've added one of these stations to my local Borders. I am curious. Does it get much use in your store? What kind of user is it targeted to? I am just trying to understand why someone would use this machine in-store rather than just download and transfer from home.

queentess · 01-11-2011, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

That's very interesting, jsites. I will have to see if they've added one of these stations to my local Borders. I am curious. Does it get much use in your store? What kind of user is it targeted to? I am just trying to understand why someone would use this machine in-store rather than just download and transfer from home.

Targeted at people who don't own a home computer, or perhaps those who aren't tech savvy enough to download books and may require the help of a bookstore employee to do so.

jsites · 01-11-2011, 03:43 PM

Most of the use it gets so far has been from 1 of 3 types of people.

1: People who recently purchased an eReader, and aren't entirely sure how to purchase/download books for their reader.

2: People traveling who would like to purchase a book for a non-wifi device.

3: People interested in purchasing an eReader and want to find out how they would get books on the reader. we have an in-store account that we use to "purchase" the free ebooks from the site and load onto our demo units.

HarryT · 01-11-2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsites

Most of the use it gets so far has been from 1 of 3 types of people.

1: People who recently purchased an eReader, and aren't entirely sure how to purchase/download books for their reader.

2: People traveling who would like to purchase a book for a non-wifi device.

3: People interested in purchasing an eReader and want to find out how they would get books on the reader. we have an in-store account that we use to "purchase" the free ebooks from the site and load onto our demo units.

Or perhaps people who like to browse in a bookstore, but then buy an eBook rather than a paper book?

Steven Lake · 01-11-2011, 03:53 PM

Holy cripes! I like this! If they're actually doing stuff like this, that'll rock! It should, if nothing else, invigorate ebook sales. Especially if these get farmed out to a lot of other locations. Just walk in, get your coffee, select your ebook, pay, and leave. Very nice!

queentess · 01-11-2011, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lake

Holy cripes! I like this! If they're actually doing stuff like this, that'll rock! It should, if nothing else, invigorate ebook sales. Especially if these get farmed out to a lot of other locations. Just walk in, get your coffee, select your ebook, pay, and leave. Very nice!

Or stay in a comfy chair and keep buying more coffee and pastries

Bookworm_Girl · 01-11-2011, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsites

Most of the use it gets so far has been from 1 of 3 types of people.
1: People who recently purchased an eReader, and aren't entirely sure how to purchase/download books for their reader.
2: People traveling who would like to purchase a book for a non-wifi device.
3: People interested in purchasing an eReader and want to find out how they would get books on the reader. we have an in-store account that we use to "purchase" the free ebooks from the site and load onto our demo units.

Thanks! That makes sense. I can see how the demo and assistance features could be helpful. Perhaps it will help more people be less intimidated by non-wireless ereaders. The people I know that are not tech-savvy or don't have a computer at home have gone with a 3G ereader like the Kindle. Maybe I should stop by my store and see if they have changed their ereader area recently. In the past it has been unmanned and none of the sales people were really familiar with the products. Usually I am the only one in the cafe with an ereader. Most everyone else has laptops doing work or college studies. I will say though that the first ereader I purchased was the Sony PRS-500 at Borders in 2007 when I was traveling out of town. I just knew from the display that I had to have it!

Bookworm_Girl · 01-15-2011, 01:12 AM

So I went to my local Borders today to see if they had added one of these machines recently. Wow. What I disappointment, I'm sad to report. My Borders has gotten rid of their ereader demo displays! They also don't sell Sony's anymore! When I walked through the doors, they had a display of Kobo's in boxes right up front with a sign saying see more ereaders and accessories in our eArea - that sounded promising... Walked all over the store. Couldn't find this "eArea". Finally found a stand with a few covers, earbuds and USB cables. That was it for the eArea! I went to the info desk to speak to an employee. He confirmed the only ereader they have for hands-on demo was a Kobo that he pulled out of a drawer at the info desk to show me. They also had Aluretek and Cruz ereaders in boxes on the shelves behind the checkout registers. He directed me to another Borders 12 miles away if I wanted to test other ereader brands. If I had been a prospective buyer, then I think at that point I would have just gone to Barnes & Noble or Best Buy which are nearby rather than drive out of my way to another Borders. They had bookmarks and brochures at the registers advertising ereaders and ebooks. Still surprised they had no displays though!

01-10-2011, 08:58 PM	#1
julia103 Connoisseur Posts: 71 Karma: 212 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore MD Device: Sony PRS-505	Borders download station? I was in a Borders store yesterday, and noticed that the table displaying the different readers that they are selling also had a terminal labelled "e-book download station". Does anyone know how this works? I tried to ask a Borders employee, but since I didn't have a specific title that I wanted to but he sent me to look at the online catalog and never came back.

01-10-2011, 09:08 PM	#3
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	like the one shown here on the Mod Systems page? http://www.modsystems.com/# Last edited by Dulin's Books; 01-10-2011 at 09:11 PM.

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01-10-2011, 09:05 PM	#2
Dulin's Books Wizard Posts: 2,806 Karma: 13500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Portland, OR Device: Boox PB360 etc etc etc	was it a big screen with a SD slot in the bezel below the display?

01-11-2011, 01:56 PM	#4
jsites Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 154 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony Pocket PRS-350 Silver	If it was a computer that looks much like the normal info-desk computers, basically it is a computer that all it runs is the Borders eBook store/software. The computer, for whatever reason, is locked down and you'll need an employee to punch in the super-secret password to get access to the computer. Then you would log in with your Borders eBook account, search for books you'd like to purchase, purchase them using a credit card or gift card. Then you would just plug your reader into the USB cable at the desk, and click the Synch button to copy the new books to the reader. (I work at a Borders, and this is the set up that we have. Other stores might have something different.)

01-11-2011, 03:43 PM	#7
jsites Enthusiast Posts: 27 Karma: 154 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Sony Pocket PRS-350 Silver	Most of the use it gets so far has been from 1 of 3 types of people. 1: People who recently purchased an eReader, and aren't entirely sure how to purchase/download books for their reader. 2: People traveling who would like to purchase a book for a non-wifi device. 3: People interested in purchasing an eReader and want to find out how they would get books on the reader. we have an in-store account that we use to "purchase" the free ebooks from the site and load onto our demo units.

01-11-2011, 03:53 PM	#9
Steven Lake Sci-Fi Author Posts: 1,158 Karma: 14743509 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Michigan Device: PC (Calibre)	Holy cripes! I like this! If they're actually doing stuff like this, that'll rock! It should, if nothing else, invigorate ebook sales. Especially if these get farmed out to a lot of other locations. Just walk in, get your coffee, select your ebook, pay, and leave. Very nice!

01-15-2011, 01:12 AM	#12
Bookworm_Girl E-reader Enthusiast Posts: 4,873 Karma: 36536965 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southwest, USA Device: Kindle Oasis 3; Kobo Aura One; iPad Mini 5	So I went to my local Borders today to see if they had added one of these machines recently. Wow. What I disappointment, I'm sad to report. My Borders has gotten rid of their ereader demo displays! They also don't sell Sony's anymore! When I walked through the doors, they had a display of Kobo's in boxes right up front with a sign saying see more ereaders and accessories in our eArea - that sounded promising... Walked all over the store. Couldn't find this "eArea". Finally found a stand with a few covers, earbuds and USB cables. That was it for the eArea! I went to the info desk to speak to an employee. He confirmed the only ereader they have for hands-on demo was a Kobo that he pulled out of a drawer at the info desk to show me. They also had Aluretek and Cruz ereaders in boxes on the shelves behind the checkout registers. He directed me to another Borders 12 miles away if I wanted to test other ereader brands. If I had been a prospective buyer, then I think at that point I would have just gone to Barnes & Noble or Best Buy which are nearby rather than drive out of my way to another Borders. They had bookmarks and brochures at the registers advertising ereaders and ebooks. Still surprised they had no displays though!