The Bookseller.com

30th August 2008

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Borders gets an education

13.06.08 Graeme Neill

Borders is revamping its educational offer to devote more space to titles from pre-school learning up to A-Level, and will start selling educational toys.

The new Learning Zones are being trialled in four stores: Brent Cross and Oxford Street in London, Bournemouth and Preston. They will be rolled out across Borders’ 42-store portfolio next month.
“There has been some definite growth in this area, and we want to take advantage of this as well as help customers find the books they are looking for,” said Becky Stradwick, senior buyer for children’s books. “It’s a slightly complicated area for people to shop for books, so we wanted to make sure there was one clearly signposted area.”

Each zone will be located next to the children’s department. It will stock titles for pre-school learning—such as phonics books and flashcards—and provide study guides for pupils up to A-Level, and learning material for trainee teachers. Titles will be adjusted regionally to reflect different curricula, although adult learning books will continue to be stocked in the reference section.

Learning Zone books in the four trial stores have experienced “significant sales growth”, Stradwick said. “The educational market is growing against other sectors, and we wanted to reflect that in the space we devote to it,” she added.

Borders will also sell educational toys from the middle of July, stocked beside the children’s section. “We believe that education can be fun, and is crucial to the development of a child by encouraging hand-eye coordination, memory skills, strategic thinking, social interaction and exploration of the world we live in,” said Jaymini Green, sidelines buyer for the retailer.

BLOG: Back to school

Retail Childrens Borders Graeme Neill