Communication technologies allowed the three booksellers to manage their businesses in a more effective and efficient way. Indeed, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Borders have used Blogs, Twitter, and advisement banners. These are a few ways of using technology to meet the demands of their customers. More specifically, Blogs, Twitter and Kiosk have enabled these companies to inform their customers of all the latest products and services being offered today.
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders are B2C that allow consumers to shop at anytime on the vendor's site regardless of the business hours or location (particularly if that store is not in the remote area one lives). B2C transactions benefit the consumer, in that they can purchase goods and services from the comfort of their home, office or virtually anywhere there is internet access. They no longer have to rush to stores before closing time. Further, companies like Borders, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble can personalize customer’s experience with these stores to the point that the store knows customers’ needs as well as interests and they can inform their customers of all the latest products and services being offered that very likely will interest them.
For instance, Amazon Watcher is an application that allows customers to monitor their availability at the Amazon’s stores. Amazon also uses Blogs to provide products updates to its customers.
Barnes & Noble uses IREX technology to communicate with its user. The IREX technology provides “solutions for reading written digital content with the ease and comfort of print on paper. This is combined with the interactivity, flexibility and updating functionality provided by digital information” (TMC Net, 2009, ¶ 5).
Conversely, Borders communicates with its users by Borders Perks. Borders Rewards Perks is a personalized discount program available to Borders customers. The program offers exclusive savings on the brands and services from well-known names such as Target (Borders, 2009).