Australia/NZ Borders, A&R and Whitcoulls go bust - Page 3

AprilHare · 02-18-2011, 03:54 AM

Actually, what would be helpful is if someone could come up with a list of A&R stores that weren't directly owned. I'll look around but if someone else has info it would be useful.
Those particular A&R stores deserve our custom!

amward · 02-18-2011, 04:05 AM

My local A&R said today they will be ok.
We have 3 bookshops in town, A&R, Dymocks (which I hardly ever use as the owner was extremely rude to me the first time I went in) and an indie. Tried to get a book from all of them today, none had it but would order, cost about $25, wait maybe 10 days or longer. Book depository $15.11, free shipping, will probably get here in the same time so you can guess what I did.
The cost of books in Oz is just ridiculous, $30 -$35 for a new release. Thank goodness we have libraries and the internet.

jehane · 02-18-2011, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabredog

More back and forth

http://www.news.com.au/business/onli...-1226008266298

This goes back to the Harvey Norman debate though, and I suspect that we would see very different numbers across goods types. A lot of people don't like to buy electronics overseas due to warranty and service issues, but with books that is simply not an issue. I think that for the 20% of people who buy 80% of books* the price, availability and convenience of online shopping overseas would be sufficient to drive a lot of traffic that way.

*Pareto principle estimate

jehane · 02-18-2011, 04:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meremark

......if you're lucky enough to have one! Spare a thought for those of us living outside the capitals where good old A&R is the ONLY option for paper books.

Hey, I spent three years living in a town with only a tiny indie bookshop! And the nearest chain was a 3-hour drive away. Of course, so was the nearest MacDonalds, so it wasn't all bad. ;P That's where I learned to love internet shopping.

Right now I am even more remote - I don't have access to any physical books other than what's already here. Postal service consists of: the ship I arrived on 3 months ago, the ship that is arriving next week, and the ship I go home on in about a month. So not even Amazon or Book Depository is viable. But that is why I have an e-reader.

Jehane, one-upmanship queen :P

CazMar · 02-18-2011, 04:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by viviena

For those who have gift cards from Borders or A&R:

Double trouble for holders of Borders' gift cards

I have a $20 gift card. I don't mind losing it, however, not if I have to shell out extra cash. I imagine since Christmas wasn't that long ago, that there's still a lot of people who haven't spent theirs. I've also heard that people with gift cards are teaming up with people making cash purchases, so if you're in this situation... it's better than nothing.

(Also, a small LOL at how security guards had to be called in at one of their stores.)

Lucky I had a heads up from this site and managed to spend most of my $150 Xmas gift card before the crash. Only $40 left and now I can't use it to buy online. Damned if I'll spend $80 on their crappy instore stock to get my $40 back. Of course - what happens to our DRM'd books? Mine were downloaded to Adobe DE but once the Kobo dies I guess that is it. I am NOT buying any DRM books again and will now buy all books from overseas. I've grown tired of supporting local Aussie book businesses over the years, they have been ripping us off, charging double and triple the price then blaming a 10% GST tax. Like the dinosaur they ate too much and died off when the easy prey vanished.

Blue Tyson · 02-18-2011, 07:21 AM

Yes, would definitely be converting any books you'd got through Borders fairly smartly, just in case.

AprilHare · 02-18-2011, 05:58 PM

Apparently we should be blaming internet sales for the REDgroup collapse: http://www.smh.com.au/business/dont-...218-1azgu.html

DarkRoast · 02-18-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CazMar

Of course - what happens to our DRM'd books? Mine were downloaded to Adobe DE but once the Kobo dies I guess that is it. I am NOT buying any DRM books again and will now buy all books from overseas.

What is likely to happen to the DRM books? If you've already downloaded all your purchases to your harddrive why would it matter? apart from not being able to download them from the store account library again, once it has gone. I wanna make sure I am not missing anything here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Tyson

Yes, would definitely be converting any books you'd got through Borders fairly smartly, just in case.

Converting to what? I REALLY wanna make sure I am not missing anything here.

AprilHare · 02-18-2011, 06:05 PM

DarkRoast, I believe he means stripping DRM by 'converting'. It frees it up for use in a Kindle, say.

Polyglot27 · 02-18-2011, 06:34 PM

When I moved to Australia in the mid-eighties I was appalled to learn that not only parallel imports were banned, booksellers were not allowed to import books from the US. A new work by an American author can only be sold in a bookshop if it has either an Australian or British edition. As it takes some time before the British or Australian edition comes out, if at all, researchers who wanted the latest books in their field had to ask their friends in the US (if they are lucky enough to have them) to send them privately. This was before the Internet, Amazon and eBay and the publishers got away with it.
To think that they can still keep this system going to the present day is beyond belief. The publishing industry have only themselves to blame.

CazMar · 02-18-2011, 06:51 PM

And another heads-up - I have just finished making sure all my Borders DRM books were safely loaded on TWO computers and then went to get copies of another 2-3 free books I have been reading - and an ominous sign pops up saying "site is down for maintenance" when you try to search for some of their books. So looks like everything is shutting down.

I worked in company liquidation for many years and I can tell you that any gift card holders have the proverbial snowball's chance in hell of getting their money back.

AprilHare · 02-19-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CazMar

And another heads-up - I have just finished making sure all my Borders DRM books were safely loaded on TWO computers and then went to get copies of another 2-3 free books I have been reading - and an ominous sign pops up saying "site is down for maintenance" when you try to search for some of their books. So looks like everything is shutting down.

Makes sense. Strangely though, I can't keep the free ebook I got that time. Never came in EPUB format anyways so it is of little matter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CazMar

I worked in company liquidation for many years and I can tell you that any gift card holders have the proverbial snowball's chance in hell of getting their money back.

This is why you should spend gift cards as early as possible. They shouldn't be kept like cash, because they're not.

sabredog · 02-20-2011, 03:45 AM

This seems to be a growing opinion.

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/...heir-own-fate/

amward · 02-20-2011, 05:00 AM

A friend of mine who had bought ebooks through Borders and had them on her computer was unable to transfer them to her ereader today. Got the message that she was not authorised to do it when she tried. A bit much when she's already paid for them.

iandix · 02-20-2011, 05:09 AM

going into administration does not mean they are closing down. (it still might) what will more than likely happen is they will close some stores and break up the company and sell it off. So we may still have book stores and who knows we might still have the ebook business going, just with new owners. Kobo is still going and still growing.

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02-18-2011, 03:54 AM	#31
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Actually, what would be helpful is if someone could come up with a list of A&R stores that weren't directly owned. I'll look around but if someone else has info it would be useful. Those particular A&R stores deserve our custom!

02-18-2011, 04:05 AM	#32
amward Wizard Posts: 1,299 Karma: 2081110 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SW Australia Device: Eco Eclipse, Sony PRS 350 (pink), Ipod Touch, Kindle Touch	My local A&R said today they will be ok. We have 3 bookshops in town, A&R, Dymocks (which I hardly ever use as the owner was extremely rude to me the first time I went in) and an indie. Tried to get a book from all of them today, none had it but would order, cost about $25, wait maybe 10 days or longer. Book depository $15.11, free shipping, will probably get here in the same time so you can guess what I did. The cost of books in Oz is just ridiculous, $30 -$35 for a new release. Thank goodness we have libraries and the internet.

02-18-2011, 07:21 AM	#36
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Yes, would definitely be converting any books you'd got through Borders fairly smartly, just in case.

02-18-2011, 05:58 PM	#37
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	Apparently we should be blaming internet sales for the REDgroup collapse: http://www.smh.com.au/business/dont-...218-1azgu.html

02-18-2011, 06:05 PM	#39
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	DarkRoast, I believe he means stripping DRM by 'converting'. It frees it up for use in a Kindle, say.

02-18-2011, 06:34 PM	#40
Polyglot27 Addict Posts: 231 Karma: 5588994 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Cybook Gen3, Archos 80 G9, Sony PRS-650, Sony T1, Asus MemoPad.	When I moved to Australia in the mid-eighties I was appalled to learn that not only parallel imports were banned, booksellers were not allowed to import books from the US. A new work by an American author can only be sold in a bookshop if it has either an Australian or British edition. As it takes some time before the British or Australian edition comes out, if at all, researchers who wanted the latest books in their field had to ask their friends in the US (if they are lucky enough to have them) to send them privately. This was before the Internet, Amazon and eBay and the publishers got away with it. To think that they can still keep this system going to the present day is beyond belief. The publishing industry have only themselves to blame.

02-18-2011, 06:51 PM	#41
CazMar Book Geek Posts: 596 Karma: 1499085 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Adelaide, Australia Device: Kobo Touch, Asus MemPad 7" tablet, Nexus 5, Asus 10" tablet	And another heads-up - I have just finished making sure all my Borders DRM books were safely loaded on TWO computers and then went to get copies of another 2-3 free books I have been reading - and an ominous sign pops up saying "site is down for maintenance" when you try to search for some of their books. So looks like everything is shutting down. I worked in company liquidation for many years and I can tell you that any gift card holders have the proverbial snowball's chance in hell of getting their money back.

02-20-2011, 03:45 AM	#43
sabredog Geographically Restricted Posts: 2,629 Karma: 14933353 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Perth, Australia Device: Sony PRS-T3, Kindle Voyage, iPad Air2, Nexus7v2	This seems to be a growing opinion. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/...heir-own-fate/

02-20-2011, 05:00 AM	#44
amward Wizard Posts: 1,299 Karma: 2081110 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SW Australia Device: Eco Eclipse, Sony PRS 350 (pink), Ipod Touch, Kindle Touch	A friend of mine who had bought ebooks through Borders and had them on her computer was unable to transfer them to her ereader today. Got the message that she was not authorised to do it when she tried. A bit much when she's already paid for them.

02-20-2011, 05:09 AM	#45
iandix Addict Posts: 295 Karma: 109308 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NSW Australia Device: nook touch a Nook 3g (rooted) and a nookcolor (rooted)	going into administration does not mean they are closing down. (it still might) what will more than likely happen is they will close some stores and break up the company and sell it off. So we may still have book stores and who knows we might still have the ebook business going, just with new owners. Kobo is still going and still growing.

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