Comments | iworkatborders: Borders asset sale to B&N delayed due to customer privacy concerns

ron_newman in iworkatborders

Borders asset sale to B&N delayed due to customer privacy concerns

Sep 23, 2011 00:08

Reuters: Borders' IP sale to Barnes & Noble on hold(Reuters) - Borders Group Inc's plan to sell customer information to former rival Barnes & Noble Inc hit a snag on Thursday when a judge raised questions about the company's privacy policy ( Read more... )

Comments 8

ext_686960 September 23 2011, 06:43:28 UTC

So, how far will they "allow" BR members to be given the consent option? When we were doing the paper/sticker deal? The "sign-up sheet?"

ron_newman September 23 2011, 12:14:56 UTC

The Bloomberg News article about this quotes the bankruptcy judge asking this of Borders' lawyers:

"Does Borders have the ability to e-mail blast to all customers in its database, essentially giving them the right to opt out of any sale or transfer?"

That strikes me as a reasonable solution to this issue, if there's anyone left at Borders to send out such a final spam. I doubt most Borders customers would mind becoming B&N customers, but this would give those who do the opportunity to refuse.

Borders never directly sent email booksatborders September 23 2011, 16:02:48 UTC

All of the Borders Rewards customer emails were sent by a private company who Borders hired to manage the email marketing.

I don't see why not.. ext_686960 September 23 2011, 17:27:06 UTC

We were given the option to opt out of Borders Reward Perks when it converted to whatever (O- online something?) last month, and I haven't seen an email from it since.

anonymous September 23 2011, 15:27:08 UTC

I thought according to BR's privacy policy our information was private and never going to be sold?

ron_newman September 23 2011, 15:30:38 UTC

the policy includes:

"Disclosures in connection with acquisitions or divestitures. Circumstances may arise where for strategic or other business reasons Borders decides to sell, buy, merge or otherwise reorganize its own or other businesses. Such a transaction may involve the disclosure of personal and other information to prospective or actual purchasers, or receiving it from sellers. It is Borders' practice to seek appropriate protection for information in these types of transactions. In the event that Borders or all of its assets are acquired in such a transaction, customer information would be one of the transferred assets."

it's a done deal anonymous September 26 2011, 23:45:36 UTC

the sale has been approved:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-09-26/borders-to-sell-intellectual-property-to-barnes-noble.html

Re: it's a done deal ron_newman September 27 2011, 03:21:16 UTC

Thanks. I don't know why that didn't automatically become a link. It's worth a new post, which I'll make shortly.