Borders needs more financing

Huffington post link.

"http://www.freep.com/article/20110422/BUSINESS06/104220345/Borders-seeking-additional-money"

A little humor on the decline of Borders

Had thus FUD:
"But authors are panicking, because books will be carried in 200 fewer Borders stores, and there are fears that they might skip mid-list titles and only invest in names they know they can sell."

Authors panicking? Is that what the AAP14 are calling authors self-publishing? ;)

B&N is entering their cash drain
part of the year. Heck, we just exited their most profitable time of the year and nook investment took their cash flow negative. :( Not that I disagree with them investing in the Nook... I just do not see the turn around for a few years.


It doesn't make me happy that bookstores are hurting, but there seems to be no slowing of smartphones, tablets, and ereaders. Three coworkers were giving Kindles as Easter presents to older relatives who have read out their local library's large type section.

I liked the 'pull' stage to ereaders for that was discussing the fun aspects of reading. Now I suspect as many new ereaders are due to negatives or "push:"
1. Inability to find large type books.
2. Local bookstore closing
3. Fewer new authors being picked up in print
4. Publishers targeting 80% sell through (which means some stores run out).


We still have pull:
1. More reading due to the convenience of having the ebook there (in particular on smartphones).
2. More variety (you either wanted this or didn't care).
3. More books per year from favorite authors. (What was with the 1 book per year from the AAP14?!?)


The bookstore scene has changed faster than the bulk of predictions. It makes some predictions amusing.

Got Popcorn?
Neil