The Bookseller.com

5th December 2008

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Borders trials on-demand service

08.01.08 Graeme Neill

Borders is introducing a new on demand service, which will allow customers to burn more than 1,500 items to CDs and DVDs instore. The "On Demand" service will be trialled in the chain's Oxford Street store from 4th February, with plans to roll it out if it proves successful.

Customers will have access to more than 1,500 software items including educational, business and entertainment products like games, music and video. Borders is hoping to introduce the ability to download films to DVDs as well as spoken word CDs in the coming months.

Customers can choose from items in an e-catalogue or an instore printed version. Once purchased from the console, the software is pressed onto a disc with a special inlay card and user manual. The entire process is planned to only take a few minutes.

The company behind the On Demand service, Tribeka, has agreements with more than 225 providers including the BBC, Dorling Kindersley, Lego, McAfee, Sage, and Britannica. Tribeka said the service meant that retailers could cut down on the levels of stock held, and that all of the products it sold from the console would always be available.

"Borders are excited to be associated with this ground-breaking initiative," said the retailer's commercial director David Kohn. As well as CD-Rom and DVD-Rom, the technology is designed to work with standard CD and DVD formats. "We believe it could transform radically both the experience and the economics of retailing entertainment product in store. We are already working with publishers on how we can extend the offer to include spoken word, and believe there is a great opportunity to breathe life back into this market."

Borders Graeme Neill on demand