Borders Responds re Hersh's Book
Reported by Marie Therese - September 14, 2004 -
Borders Group Inc. e-mailed a response regarding my posting about Seymour Hersh's new book "Chain of Command" (below). I appreciate Borders taking the time to clear this up and am herewith posting their letter. I can verify that the books are available - I bought mine today. On Sunday I did try to contact Borders headquarters, but they were closed. My posting was based on information given to me by clerks as well as managers at Borders, Barnes & Noble and three local independent stores. I decided to write the posting because on Sunday I could not get a straight answer to a simple question: "When will this book be in your store?"
Tuesday, September 14, 2004 9:34 AM
Dear Editors at News Hounds -
Contrary to the September 12 posting on your News Hounds website by Marie Therese, I assure you and your readers that all Borders Books & Music stores and all Waldenbooks stores will have copies of Seymour Hersh's new book "Chain of Command: The Road from 9/11 to Abu Ghraib" on shelves and available to our customers today.
Copies of "Chain of Command" purchased by our merchandising staff were shipped directly from Harper Collins to arrive in our stores today. Unfortunately, our in-store systems do not register orders shipped directly to our stores from publishers, and therefore the clerks your reporter spoke with made the incorrect assumption that we would not have the title in stock. In fact, we communicated to all our Borders and Waldenbooks stores last week and reiterated today that the title would arrive directly from the publisher today and that copies of
"Chain of Command" should be placed immediately on the sales floor.
Borders is absolutely apolitical. We take no stance whatsoever, and for over 30 years have stressed that we are committed to the customers' right to choose what to read and what to buy. Our stores are highly regarded for featuring a very deep and diverse selection of titles in hundreds of subject areas--including politics--representing a wide range of thought.
I hope that you will share this information with your readers and, in the future, take the time to contact me our one of my colleagues at Borders Group headquarters when our practices come into question so we may have the opportunity to dispel any confusion.
Many thanks -
Jenie Dahlmann
Manager, Field Marketing
Borders Group
(734) 477-1655
jdahlman@bordersgroupinc.com
