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Grex > Music2 > #291: Music retail again: SKR Uptown (Classical) & Downtown to close |  |
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| 25 new of 194 responses total. |
swa
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response 123 of 194:
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Feb 3 21:50 UTC 2001 |
I'd already left Ann Arbor by the time Schoolkids closed, but on the
occasions I was back in town I generally gravitated toward Schoolkids-
in-exile rather than the expanded SKR store. Still, this is saddening.
Anyone know when it was that Borders expanded? I too used to really
like going there, and don't really anymore...
It's strange now, living in a smaller town where there aren't a lot of
chain stores. I find that I don't really miss them, and am glad to be
able to shop in the independent places in town, but at times it seems
like my little corner of the world is cut off from the rest of America.
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scott
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response 124 of 194:
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Feb 8 02:43 UTC 2001 |
Just to throw an anecdote against the "Borders is now crap" tide:
A couple weeks ago I was in Borders looking for Astor Piazzolla CDs. The guy
at the info counter was a classic, wearing a beard and a beret and in his 40's
or so. He dug around in the racks and under the racks, finally finding that
the labels on the racks were off a bit. Definitely knew what and where to
look, which was encouraging.
Not all the true Borders employees are gone, it seems.
On the other hand, I don't feel that confident about the people in the
computer section. It's interesting that while Borders has had computer
terminals for lookups for many years (I remember them from high school visits,
back in the early 80's), only recently have the things become available to
customers to use.
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tpryan
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response 125 of 194:
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Feb 8 04:15 UTC 2001 |
Borders is leading the way in this "Turn the tube around" technology.
The realization that many customers are computer/keyboard & mouse savy has
brought about the new Title Sleuth stations.
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ashke
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response 126 of 194:
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Feb 8 04:18 UTC 2001 |
Which is a shame in my opinion, because you have employee's who don't have
to do it, and you put the responsibility on the customer. Just like in
libraries. Anyone with young kids in school, do they still learn the card
catalogue?
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brighn
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response 127 of 194:
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Feb 8 04:33 UTC 2001 |
What's the point of learning the card catalog? In a few years, that will be
like learning to use a slide rule.
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happyboy
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response 128 of 194:
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Feb 8 12:03 UTC 2001 |
what's wrong with the customer taking responsibility?
i like the title sleuth...and if you want *great and
knowledgable special helpers* to work at borders then
they should pay a liveable wage.
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slynne
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response 129 of 194:
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Feb 8 14:57 UTC 2001 |
Actually it doesnt put the responsibility on the customers, it just
gives them another option. I have never had any trouble getting a staff
at a Borders to help me find a book.
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slynne
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response 130 of 194:
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Feb 8 14:59 UTC 2001 |
But Barry is right of course, if you want *really* good special helpers
at a bookstore, the company would have to pay them more which means that
you and everyone else would have to pay more for books. I think American
consumers as a group have generally chosen price over service.
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brighn
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response 131 of 194:
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Feb 8 16:20 UTC 2001 |
No, dammit, we want low prices AND service.
Actually, we tend to prioritize thus: Brand, quality, service, price.
Otherwise CostCo and Sam's Club would be packed, and Kroger's would be empty.
Granted, there's a subculture who emphasize price over service, but mostly
because they ain't got no money.
Also, brand is most important, which is the major explanation of why Harmony
House is still in business... they prices are high, their service is mediocre,
and their quality is slightly above average.
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slynne
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response 132 of 194:
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Feb 8 18:33 UTC 2001 |
So what do you suppose makes Wal-Mart the biggest retailer in the US?
Their service or quality? Places like Costco and Sam's Club are only
cheaper for certain people. For other people, the prices are lower at
Krogers. All that Wal-Mart's brand name does for them is tell shoppers
that if they come in, no matter where they are in the US, they will get
crappy service at a low price which is just what many American consumers
want.
Anyhow, you can keep dreaming about your low prices and good service. It
does happen sometimes. Just recently I went to Roy's Squeeze Inn on
Michigan Ave for some cheap grub and was very impressed by the service I
got.
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brighn
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response 133 of 194:
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Feb 8 20:52 UTC 2001 |
Oh, I don't know. Maybe yo're right. But my version looked so much better on
paper.
*shrug*
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ashke
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response 134 of 194:
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Feb 8 21:28 UTC 2001 |
Wal-Mart is in the smaller cities. you won't see Sam's or Costco in Plainwell
Michigan (bonus points if you know where this is, other than me) and in other
larger cities too. They claim all markets not just the ones likely to give
them a profit.
From what I remember of the exam at the "old" borders to get a job, they're
HARD. They looked for a particular calibur of employee. Perhaps that has
changed.
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slynne
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response 135 of 194:
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Feb 8 21:40 UTC 2001 |
It has. One advantage of non-corporate stores have in the labor market
is that a lot of people would rather work in them. They often can pay
the going equilibrium wage and get a higher caliber of employee. Once
Borders became corporate, they lost that advantage and abandoned the
test most likely because they were having trouble hiring people.
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ashke
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response 136 of 194:
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Feb 8 21:49 UTC 2001 |
wha? I'm not getting your inference. It was still that way when I worked
at thier corp office. that was 97.
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slynne
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response 137 of 194:
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Feb 8 22:11 UTC 2001 |
I dont know the reason they stopped giving the test but I am pretty sure
that unless they wanted to pay the clerks at teh downtown Borders store
more than what they are paying say the clerks at Waldenbooks, they had
to ditch the test. I am sure a lot of that is because of the
disadvantages of working in a corporate environment.
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ea
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response 138 of 194:
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Feb 9 00:24 UTC 2001 |
Sams is owned by WalMart. Which adds nothing to the discussion, I just
felt like pointing it out.
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brighn
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response 139 of 194:
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Feb 9 03:29 UTC 2001 |
Find, lead to drift. Why can't you ever stay on topic, like me?
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anderyn
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response 140 of 194:
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Feb 9 13:16 UTC 2001 |
Well, I know the guy in the black beret at Borders Downtown (not by name, but
he's very nice, and helps when I ask him, but he's not very good at folk
music...), but it still really bugs me that the Borders Downtown has a
*smaller* Celtic/British music section than the Borders at Arborland! There's
no reason that a mall store should have a better and bigger selection than
the flagship store, is there? The clerks at Borders Arborland seem a bit less
than knowledgable, but they DO try to answer questions and look things up.
It's rapidly becoming true that I go there when I want to buy music. This is
scary to me.
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slynne
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response 141 of 194:
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Feb 9 15:17 UTC 2001 |
Yes, there is a reason why a mall store would have a bigger and better
selection than the flagship store. Obviously they have found that Celtic
/British music sells better at Arborland.
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happyboy
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response 142 of 194:
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Feb 9 16:46 UTC 2001 |
hahahahaha....DUH!!!
:P~~~
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orinoco
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response 143 of 194:
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Feb 9 18:13 UTC 2001 |
Also, regardless of why it happens, it's nice to have different locations with
different emphases. One of the Standard Complaints against corporate
bookshops is that you see the exact same selection everywhere.
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ashke
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response 144 of 194:
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Feb 9 19:03 UTC 2001 |
I am split. I don't consider the downtown sstore to be the first anymore,
becuase while they increased in size, I think it lost some of the charm it
had in the old location. But the reason I'll check out Arborland now, rather
than going downtown, parking. period.
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slynne
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response 145 of 194:
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Feb 9 19:07 UTC 2001 |
Actually parking isnt so bad at the downtown store because one can park
in the garage on Maynard and have the parking validated. I usually end
up going to the Arborland store or Waldenbooks in Briarwood although for
different reasons. I like Arborland because it is closer to Ypsi.
Briarwood is close to work and I can have them special order a book for
me if I dont need it right away and because I have access to the
Waldenbooks SPO system at work, I can track it too. I suppose I could
even just order the book myself but I dont want to mess up whatever
system they have. heh.
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scg
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response 146 of 194:
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Feb 9 19:55 UTC 2001 |
I like the downtown store because I don't have to park (or drive) to get there
when I'm in Ann Arbor.
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keesan
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response 147 of 194:
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Feb 9 20:58 UTC 2001 |
I like them because they are open after the public library closes.
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