That's a good trick, Borders

Just like everyone else, I made a mad dash to the local Borders store to pick up on discounted YA books. I have a library of YA, composed of my obsessive-compulsive Amazon pre-order trigger finger, with mostly books released in the last two or three years. My bookcases are six shelves high, eight feet tall, and I have seven of them. They're almost filled up.

But, like anyone amassing YA literature, I saw Borders' liquidation sale announcements and danced the great dance. Who wouldn't want to pick up the newest, hottest YA books and add it to a growing library? Heck, liquidation prices would get me deals better than Amazon, and my "buy it, buy it, buy it" sense had already passed into insane territory there.

So, I hopped into my car, and traveled on over to Borders, thinking to myself -- Man, I'm going to have six or seven huge bags of books, where am I going to put them all, there's no room in the trunk but maybe I could shove 'em all next to the reptile incubator in my back seat...

Upon arriving at Borders, I thought -- WOW! There are a LOT of people here! The parking lot buzzed with traffic. It resembled the Christmas shopping rush, where cars circle around, searching for any parking space. People streamed in and out of the store, toting bags filled with books. It was a book lover's dream!

I managed to snag a parking spot somewhere half down the line. Cars behind me glared, and glared, and glared, as they wanted it instead. Pleased, I locked my car (no steal incubator plz) and dashed for the doorway, dodging other customers and envying the massive bags they clutched.

And so I entered the store - and there are tons of massive red and yellow signs screaming LIQUIDATION SALE! GOING OUT OF BUSINESS! EVERYTHING UP TO 40% OFF!

Amazon's typical discount for a YA hardcover is around 30%. My heart flew!

I glanced around the store, noticing as people flocked from one display to another. The checkout line weaved through many aisles, reminding me of the Breaking Dawn release in that very Borders, where hundreds of teens showed up to get their hands on the new Meyer book. I didn't look forward to waiting in that line... but man, it'd be worth it!!

Then, in the midst of all the excitement, all the people...

Something hinted to a darker ending.

Over some displays were small signs stating "10% off."

I thought to myself, ah, that must be an anomaly. Amazon could easily beat a 10% discount on these books. All those people wouldn't be in line if there weren't massive deals.

So I headed on over to the YA/Teen section.

Que. Massive. Deflate.

Shoulders fell. A sigh escaped my lips.

20% off. That's what Borders was advertising their YA lit at. Let's make no joke, Amazon could beat that price any day. I pulled out my Smartphone, still clinging to the idea that I'd leave this store of wonderful memories with many books in hand. Even one bag would be acceptable! Barcodes were read... (well, some of them were, Borders has this lovely tendency to put their price over the barcode) ... and much weeping commenced.

Amazon still beat them out, by 10-20% in discount.

This is counting the fact that I have an additional 10% discount, being a Borders Rewards Plus+ Member.

In dismay, I wandered about the store, looking at the various discount percentages. Something had to be worth the gas money I'd spent to drive over. But alas - 10%. 10%. 20%. The Smartphone examined more barcodes. Amazon beat out the prices each time - I even scanned a Bargain Book and found Amazon had beaten that price.

And yet, so many shoppers waited in that line with product in their arms, shining faces showing their glory at finding such a fantastic bargain.

Well played, Borders. Well played. You know the human compulsion toward MASSIVE GIGANTIC LIQUIDATION SALE well.

I went home and cried. Or, rather, logged into my Amazon account and scoured Listmania. Many books were bought that day, but they were not bought at Borders.