Borders Tests More Covers, Fewer Books

Borders is betting you do judge a book by its cover, the Wall Street Journal reports. In hopes of catching more customers’ eyes, the nation’s second-largest book retailer will dramatically increase the number of face-out books it displays. The move, aimed at countering stagnant sales and distracted customers (elections, Olympics, Internet shopping), will gobble up shelf space, cutting titles by 5% to 10%.

The face-out plan saw individual title sales in a prototype store 9% higher than other locations. But some fear trimming titles could give Barnes & Noble a greater advantage; it already outpaces Borders by at least 30,000 titles in an average store. Borders says a new website, to launch in May, will cater to customers seeking greater selection. (More book stories.)