For Borders, a Scramble to be Lean

Trachtenberg/Spector, WSJ: "In a bid to boost to its digital prospects, [Borders President Mike] Edwards said Kobo Inc., the Toronto-based e-book retailer in which Borders holds a stake, will begin sharing some of the proceeds of every Kobo e-book sold in the U.S. The move, said Mr. Edwards, will enable Borders to more effectively compete on the digital front with companies such as Amazon.com Inc., Barnes & Noble Inc. and Apple Inc. In turn, Borders, Ann Arbor, Mich., will put all of its online and in-store marketing and promotional muscle behind the Kobo brand. Mr. Edwards said that in addition to selling Kobo e-readers, Borders also will continue to sell readers from other makers." This is still a death watch. The restructuring = chemotherapy, delaying the inevitable while also prolonging the agony.