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B&N- WSJ.com
Barnes & Noble chairman and biggest shareholder is considering purchasing consumer stores and the Barnes & Noble website but is not interested in picking up Nook Media LLC. What does the split mean for Barnes & Noble?
The article points out that the company’s market capitalization was $2.2 billion in 2001 and is now only about $809 million. Consumers are increasingly turning to digital forms of book-buying and reading- whether they purchase tangible books from Amazon or buy books for their e-readers and tablets, the physical bookstore landscape is facing a steep decline. The company’s physical bookstores, however, remain profitable for the company with only 20 stores not turning a profit currently. Whether or not the company’s stores can continue to be profitable remains to be seen and rests heavily on consumers’ views of e-readers and online book-buying.
Great article. I recently read an article concerning e-books that suggested it could just be a fad. Despite the convenience of online shopping it seems like people still prefer to shop in a store where they can interact with other people, or sit in a comfortable environment to preview a book they might be interested in purchasing. Barnes and Noble's partnership with Starbucks works great together. It not only serves as a book store but friends can meet at B&N stores and talk about books they are reading over a hot cup of coffee. I think this model will be around for the foreseeable future.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. There is something very neat about holding a book before you buy it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you and I hope we are all right. I can't say it enough how much I love to read from an actual book. Going into a bookstore and walking down the aisles is something that shopping online for a book will ever never be able to replace. The bookstore itself is a place where people can go to meet up especially the ones with Starbucks as you mentioned Bob. I hope this e-reader fad ends soon!
ReplyDeleteI agree also. Although I own an e-reader, I still prefer to read an actual book. And I find it very comforting and relaxing to sit at the cafe in a Barnes and Noble, sipping a latte and previewing a book that I am considering buying.
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