Amazon Stores?

William Ackerman, a billionaire with a majority share in Borders, is hoping Amazon will buy up Borders's bricks and mortars and move in.

"Amazon could buy the company for about $400 million to get those locations that would take more than $1 billion to build," he told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in New York. "You have to think of it like how Apple has retail stores across the country."

   

One reason that might persuade Amazon is that the company may soon lose its state tax advantage across the nation. Some 18 states are ramping up to require e-commerce businesses to collect sales tax, and about 1,100 online retailers have already volunteered to collect them.

I'm not sure how this would work since Amazon sells a lot more than just books these days. But I do know that I buy fairly frequently from Amazon online, but would have virtually no interest in going to a physical Amazon store. What appeals to me about Amazon is I can quickly and easily find any book (or CD) I want and purchase it within seconds. I pretty much go to a bricks and mortar store for opposite reasons.

Comments

[richard james]

You made Ackerman's case in your last sentence- If Amazon get a physical presence, then they get all of the rest of the customers too, at least all of the purchases they make off-line for the "opposite reasons" that you suggest. I split my purchases fairly evenly between Amazon and Borders- going to Borders when I want to kill some time or pick up something non-specific. By buying the stores, Amazon get all of my custom, which must add up to something extrapolated to all of the buyers with similar habits to me.

[Dolen]

I've found that out here (Seattle), Barnes & Noble is more strategically located than Borders. But I must say that everytime I purchase something from a brick-and-mortar (unless it's an indy), I immediately think that I could've gotten it cheaper at Amazon online.

[Dami]

I don't know if it would apply to overseas orders as well, but I would sure hate to pay any state tax...
I would really like if Amazon would either enter my home market as well, or remove the restrictions on the types of items shipped and offer similar discounts in shipping fees as to domestic consumers (obviously at a higher treshold to allow for higher costs).

I share Dolen's attitude, I go I choose my books in physical bookstores and then order them online. If the price would be the same in both, it might result in me buying more books.