Borders Books'”retail convergence strategy,” which focuses on providing customers with a consistentexperience whether shopping online or in Borders stores, earned it a spot on a list of the year's 100 most innovative companies. The recently releases list is co-produced by InformationWeek magazine and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.
A key initiative in the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based bookseller's strategy is called “Title Sleuth,” an interactive self-help computer station in stores with which customers can search, find and map any book, music and video title in the store. Through Title Sleuth, customers also have access to the more than three million titles in the Borders Group Fulfillment Center database. Online, customers have the same opportunity to view an in-store event, a hallmark of Borders Books and Music stores, by watching a streaming video through Borders Vision.
“Retail convergence is about creating a consistent brand experience among all channels,” said Mary Jean Raab, Border Books'senior vp, retail direct and convergence. “We know customers find this important.”
Borders was ranked Number 60 on the “Innovation 100: The Customer,” list, which also recognized 3Com Corp., Compaq Computer Corp., Nabisco, Inc., Intel Corp. and WorldCom, Inc.
In addition, the retailer's web site – Borders.com – was recently rated as the best online bookstore, in terms of online experience, by WebCriteria, Inc., a specialist in analyzing customer experience.
Borders Books operates more than 335 large-format book and music stores around the country and in Puerto Rico.