Online Bookstores Contrasting Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders

Amazon  Online superstore  Bookstore is still accessible, but not focus  Homepage contains wide array of items  Kindle is the focus, showcasing growing importance of e-books  Whole site serves as front-end for outside retailers  Still has the most advanced features for book buying: recommendation engine, look inside, used book sales, and packaging of related books  Online superstore  Bookstore is still accessible, but not focus  Homepage contains wide array of items  Kindle is the focus, showcasing growing importance of e-books  Whole site serves as front-end for outside retailers  Still has the most advanced features for book buying: recommendation engine, look inside, used book sales, and packaging of related books

Borders  More cluttered interface  BordersMedia author presentations recreate “bookstore experience” but may not drive sales  Inconsistent ability to access sections like Perks  No related book recommendations. Does have “look inside” and “search inside” driven by Google  Weak tie-ins with physical stores  Clunky interface for individual books  More cluttered interface  BordersMedia author presentations recreate “bookstore experience” but may not drive sales  Inconsistent ability to access sections like Perks  No related book recommendations. Does have “look inside” and “search inside” driven by Google  Weak tie-ins with physical stores  Clunky interface for individual books

Barnes & Noble  Clean, well-organized homepage  Leverages physical stores: ability to reserve books and pick them up in 60 minutes  Great book-buying experience: concise, focused, positive presentation gathering together synopses, reviews, and features  Ability to buy used books  No ability to look inside books  Clean, well-organized homepage  Leverages physical stores: ability to reserve books and pick them up in 60 minutes  Great book-buying experience: concise, focused, positive presentation gathering together synopses, reviews, and features  Ability to buy used books  No ability to look inside books