# Barnes and Noble: Post all news and comments about the B&N sale here



## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership

A lesson in adaptability...and the consequences of denying the need for it.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

archer said:


> http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership
> 
> A lesson in adaptability...and the consequences of denying the need for it.


WOW maybe we should get really organized here and prepare for all those gazillions of readers that will be buying a Kindle this year. I know I am.


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## Carolyn Kephart (Feb 23, 2009)

From that article: "My hunch is that B&N never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As B&N focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. B&N needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late."

But...what about PubIt I guess it'll never fly, now. 

Disappointed,

CK


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## David &#039;Half-Orc&#039; Dalglish (Feb 1, 2010)

M.R. Mathias said:


> WOW maybe we should get really organized here and prepare for all those gazillions of readers that will be buying a Kindle this year. I know I am.


Please don't derail this thread.

And the Nook...I don't know. I think it is an okay device, but it too often it feels like B&N is playing catchup with Amazon. Same with Pubit...would they have done this if the DTP hadn't been so successful? I highly doubt it.

David Dalglish


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

M.R. Mathias said:


> WOW maybe we should get really organized here and prepare for all those gazillions of readers that will be buying a Kindle this year. I know I am.


This again?


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

This makes me sad. I know we must lie in the bed we have made, but I love the brick-and-mortar stores and I would see them flourish again...perhaps with a shiny new business model that embraces e-books. 

Time will tell. Adaptation or extinction?


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## David McAfee (Apr 15, 2010)

archer said:


> This makes me sad. I know we must lie in the bed we have made, but I love the brick-and-mortar stores and I would see them flourish again...perhaps with a shiny new business model that embraces e-books.
> 
> Time will tell. Adaptation or extinction?


I don't think the brick and mortars will go away, but I do think the big chains may be in for a rough ride. The indie stores should have an easier time.


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## sjc (Oct 29, 2008)

http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership


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## Wisteria Clematis (Oct 29, 2008)

It's a sad thing to see any book store go under, even a mega-store like B&N. I wonder how much the Nook will be supported in the future?


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## Steven L. Hawk (Jul 10, 2010)

There are a couple of tidbits I find specially interesting in the article:

1. *"Could B&N's decline pave the way for the return of the independent bookseller?" * Interesting observation as I have been contemplating a visit to the local independent booksellers in town. I think they would be more amenable to a local author dropping by than B&N would be. An independent book store and a local independent author can offer each other support and provide the foundation for a mutually beneficial relationship.

2. *"I enjoy the community of other people who love books. I like talking to someone both before buying a book and after reading it. I think independent bookstores may be able to provide these services even while selling over the Internet." * I wonder if Mr. Stewart knows about places like this board? It's as much a community as any and would seem to offer him the fellowship he wants -- it's certainly full of folks who love books!

Great article. Thanks for sharing!

Steve


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

Archer said -"A lesson in *adaptability*...and the *consequences* of *denying* the *need* for it."

To all who posted at me. My point is clearly made here. I will procede no farther... or is it further?


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## r0b0d0c (Feb 16, 2009)

Sure wouldn't be a good time to buy a Nook....


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## Debra L Martin (Apr 8, 2010)

I will be sad if B&N actually goes away.  I love spending an afternoon sitting in one of their comfy chairs, browsing through books and having a latte.  It's one of my favorite things to do.

My only consolation is that there is a new independent book store/cafe opening up soon in my little town.  I'm so thrilled and can't wait for them to open their doors so I can start supporting them.

Deb


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## D. Nathan Hilliard (Jun 5, 2010)

I think the brick and morter stores will go to the brink of extinction, then return with a print on demand machine on premises. Book resellers will remain...or may actually be the ones to invest in those machines.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

It is up for sale.  It hasn't gone under.


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## luvmy4brats (Nov 9, 2008)

This isn't new news. They put themselves up for sale last week. Just because they're up for sale doesn't mean that they've gone under.


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## CoolMom1960 (Mar 16, 2009)

Harsh comments from both the writer and the posters.  I go to the mega type store B&N and Borders etc. around the holidays for the fun stuff they carry.  But if I truly want something unique I go to my local independent bookseller.


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## Steven L. Hawk (Jul 10, 2010)

M.R. Mathias said:


> I will procede no farther... or is it further?


Look no further. Excerpt from "The Grammar Girl" website:

_"Further" Versus "Farther"
The quick and dirty tip is to use "farther" for physical distance and "further" for metaphorical, or figurative, distance. It's easy to remember because "farther" has the word "far" in it, and"far" obviously relates to physical distance._

Therefore, the correct usage in your post would be "further".


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## Gerund (Aug 8, 2010)

r0b0d0c said:


> Sure wouldn't be a good time to buy a Nook....


Then again, this means they'll be mighty cheap for awhile, and since they're on WiFi instead of a proprietary network, you'll be able to add books to the device until the technology physically fails.

Support might not be great, but if they liquidate them, you can't expect too much from a ~$60 ereader.


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## Tom Diego (Jun 30, 2010)

Old news.

This is just one of the articles posted last week about B&N and the fight going on for control of the company.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

Steven L. Hawk said:


> Look no further. Excerpt from "The Grammar Girl" website:
> 
> _"Further" Versus "Farther"
> The quick and dirty tip is to use "farther" for physical distance and "further" for metaphorical, or figurative, distance. It's easy to remember because "farther" has the word "far" in it, and"far" obviously relates to physical distance._
> ...


Thanks for the FYI! Go grammar girl!


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

CoolMom1960 said:


> Harsh comments from both the writer and the posters. I go to the mega type store B&N and Borders etc. around the holidays for the fun stuff they carry. But if I truly want something unique I go to my local independent bookseller.


I just went back and read some of the comments to the article. They had everything from spam to right v. left politics. One guy started out with this:

"Ok so I used to go to the book store. I liked reading. I dont read anymore because frankly I got tired of it."


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Locally here there's a B&N and a Borders within a couple blocks of each other.  I do prefer Borders.  I hope it survives these economic times.  I'd be very very sad if it was gone.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

D. Nathan Hilliard said:


> I think the brick and morter stores will go to the brink of extinction, then return with a print on demand machine on premises. Book resellers will remain...or may actually be the ones to invest in those machines.


They will be like vending machines. And at a phone booth type kiosk in the mall. Visa and MC accepted. Only crisp bills please. Or better yet they will sell them to consumers who just flat out refuse to buy a reading device.


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## Archer (Apr 25, 2009)

Those machines already exist. I saw one demo'd at BEA in New York last year.
They needed a bit of debugging...I was less than impressed with the quality.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

The article, especially the headline, are misleading.  But it doesn't say that B&N is going under, because they aren't.  It's an opinion article -- writer talks about ipad and that he used to think that it would make kindle obsolete, but that he doesn't think so now.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

mlewis78 said:


> The article, especially the headline, are misleading. But it doesn't say that B&N is going under, because they aren't. It's an opinion article -- writer talks about ipad and that he used to think that it would make kindle obsolete, but that he doesn't think so now.


Its all changing. We are in the midst of a literary format revolution. How exciting is it to be a writer in these times? I think its great. I think that Amazon will prevail, and eventualy force the other "ebook readers" to conform to their formats.... just MHO


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## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

While I don't have a B&N in the town I'm currently living in, I buy more books from them online than I normally do from Amazon, mainly because everyone I know sends me gift cards from B&N, since they know how much I read. I also make a point to visit a B&N when I'm in Fort Worth, so it bothers me that they might be collapsing


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Companies go up for sale all the time.  It's just a matter of who buys it and whether they support the stores and keep them open.

I don't want Amazon to have ALL the business.  I love Amazon, but competition is good and choices are good.


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## Guest (Aug 18, 2010)

cliffball said:


> While I don't have a B&N in the town I'm currently living in, I buy more books from them online than I normally do from Amazon, mainly because everyone I know sends me gift cards from B&N, since they know how much I read. I also make a point to visit a B&N when I'm in Fort Worth, so it bothers me that they might be collapsing


The Bookstore down the road from me is called "Books-a-milliion" they have an internet friendly coffee shop called "Joe Mugs" built in. They (Bookstores in general) wont dissapear. Print books will be around forever. After all, black and white isn't that far removed from 1's and 0's. Both are simply forms of media storage.


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## Tom Diego (Jun 30, 2010)

Sandpiper said:


> Locally here there's a B&N and a Borders within a couple blocks of each other. I do prefer Borders. I hope it survives these economic times. I'd be very very sad if it was gone.


By all reports that I've read, Borders is in worse shape than B&N. Talk about Borders entering Chapter 11 has been rampant.


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## Skydog (Mar 16, 2009)

B&N lost me years ago for several reasons, most notably their lack of customer service. At two different locations, students & other young people were allowed to completely takeover the store, using it as a social hangout, library and sleeping facility all day long. Zero revenue. They monopolized all chairs, tables and couches, where they could be found shoeless with various limbs strewn over the furniture; others left their unattended laptops on the tables while they were off somewhere else. For those of us who _actually_ intended to spend money, there was a No Vacancy sign. All I cared to do was sit for a few minutes, glance at a prospective purchase and move on. The environment was not condusive to a pleasant shopping experience.

I approached more than one manager with my complaint(s) and the only reaction was a shrug of the shoulders. Not the way to conduct business and they certainly lost mine.

If their demise is on the horizon, good-bye, B&N - you will not be missed.


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## Wannabe (Nov 6, 2008)

I was just at my local B&N yesterday. I hadn't visited there in quite some time and I must say, I'd missed the place. I just love a bookstore. Sad to hear they are having trouble.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Skydog said:


> B&N lost me years ago for several reasons, most notably their lack of customer service. At two different locations, students & other young people were allowed to completely takeover the store, using it as a social hangout, library and sleeping facility all day long. Zero revenue. They monopolized all chairs, tables and couches, where they could be found shoeless with various limbs strewn over the furniture; others left their unattended laptops on the tables while they were off somewhere else. For those of us who _actually_ intended to spend money, there was a No Vacancy sign. All I cared to do was sit for a few minutes, glance at a prospective purchase and move on. The environment was not condusive to a pleasant shopping experience.
> 
> I approached more than one manager with my complaint(s) and the only reaction was a shrug of the shoulders. Not the way to conduct business and they certainly lost mine.
> 
> If their demise is on the horizon, good-bye, B&N - you will not be missed.


How about turning into an aisle to find it blocked by people sitting there and reading? It's a bookstore folks, NOT a library. Either buy it or leave.


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## tubemonkey (Aug 10, 2010)

r0b0d0c said:


> Sure wouldn't be a good time to buy a Nook....


If they lower the price, I'm getting one. I need library books on my reader.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I didn't know what a truly NEW book looked like until I started ordering them from Amazon.  

In Borders and B&N the people sitting in front of the book display are very annoying.  It was particularly bad in B&N in the travel books section.  I'm talking about 10-12 years ago.


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## muggle (Feb 25, 2009)

I'm saddened by B&N's possible demise.  As a youngster, I remember a visit to the store was a real treat...it was sparklingly new and modern with a great selection of books, magazines and snacks from the cafe...but it just can't compete with the Kindle.


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## Skydog (Mar 16, 2009)

scarlet said:


> How about turning into an aisle to find it blocked by people sitting there and reading? It's a bookstore folks, NOT a library. Either buy it or leave.


Precisely.


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## Skydog (Mar 16, 2009)

mlewis78 said:


> I didn't know what a truly NEW book looked like until I started ordering them from Amazon.
> 
> In Borders and B&N the people sitting in front of the book display are very annoying. It was particularly bad in B&N in the travel books section. I'm talking about 10-12 years ago.


Yes - sad but true. And how about the magazine section? 

The dumming down of our culture...


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## Tom Diego (Jun 30, 2010)

Skydog said:


> The dumming down of our culture...


I'm sure you meant "dumbing". Ironic.


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## Cujo (Feb 23, 2010)

Tom Diego said:


> I'm sure you meant "dumbing". Ironic.


 Best laugh I've had all day!! (no offense Skydog)


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## LibbyD (Apr 28, 2009)

Am I the only one who remembers Border's and Barnes and Noble from the days before they were megachains?  Borders was simply a great bookstore in a college town (Ann Arbor, Michigan) and B&N was a venerable bookstore in Manhattan.  I spent many, many happy hours in both and as a result I have no negative feelings about them at all.  (That's because I wear blinders and don't see what they have become -- I only see what they once were.)


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## love2read (Nov 23, 2008)

tubemonkey said:



> If they lower the price, I'm getting one. I need library books on my reader.


Same here, if the price goes lower I'll buy the WiFi version for library books.


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## Mac Jones (May 7, 2009)

Ha!

He apparently thought the iPad would supplant the Kindle. (I have an iPad and it's a dog; big, heavy and unwieldy).

So now he say's: "Oh well, maybe there is a place for Kindle after all. Outside?"

Next he will say: "Forget everything i've said, the Kindle is better, maybe"  

(perhaps he should add: "And do yourself a favor and don't read my articles, cuz I'm confused")


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## pidgeon92 (Oct 27, 2008)

As this topic is probably of interest to most readers, all threads have been consolidated here. Thanks for understanding.


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## tubemonkey (Aug 10, 2010)

Mac Jones said:


> (perhaps he should add: "And do yourself a favor and don't read my articles, cuz I'm confused")


There ya go - exactly!

I'm getting tired of reading articles where ereaders are being compared with tablets. They're not the same. They rely on different display technology and are clearly designed for different uses. If an iPad is an ereader, then so is my netbook. For that matter, it's better; since it's half the cost and has far more functionality.

I've tried reading on my netbook. It's great for magazines, newspapers, and other content with short articles; but not for lengthy reading sessions. Trying to read a novel was an eye killer for me. What a painful exercise. Dedicated ereaders like the Kindle don't cause eye strain and are far more portable and lighter than tablets and netbooks.


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## Guest (Aug 19, 2010)

Half-Orc said:


> Please don't derail this thread.
> 
> David Dalglish


Read the text in the OP of this thread topic and then decide if I was actually affirming 'Archers' OP or if you just like provoking me? This thread was about the consequences of not adapting David. My post was dead on topic. Jeeeeesh!


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## tubemonkey (Aug 10, 2010)

M.R. Mathias said:


> Read the text in the OP of this thread topic and then decide if I was actually affirming 'Archers' OP or if you just like provoking me? This thread was about the consequences of not adapting David. My post was dead on topic. Jeeeeesh!


I was scratching my head over his remark. Your post is on topic.


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## laurie_lu (May 10, 2010)

Hmmmmm.... I wonder if the Nooks will be going on sale for a really cheap price?  Then I may buy one for reading free library ebooks on.


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## Thea J (Jul 7, 2010)

Funny, I was just in B&N yesterday and the one here in my town seemed fairly bustling. I'm a former Borders bookseller and I was fairly impressed by the changes they've made. I also had the nice young man at the kiosk by the door give me his Nook sales pitch. If they're going down in flames, they're also tap dancing like mad to keep things looking lively.

I also asked the nice young man to check and see if my books are available for the Nook. A Shunned Man was, and he downloaded it from Smashwords. He seemed moderately impressed by my author status and said nice things about my formatting prowess, so I walked out feeling pleased with life and with B&N.


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## Cliff Ball (Apr 10, 2010)

M.R. Mathias said:


> The Bookstore down the road from me is called "Books-a-milliion" they have an internet friendly coffee shop called "Joe Mugs" built in. They (Bookstores in general) wont dissapear. Print books will be around forever. After all, black and white isn't that far removed from 1's and 0's. Both are simply forms of media storage.


I really dislike the Books a Million here. I think their customer service is horrible, all they do is hock stuff while you're a captive audience waiting to pay for the book, and their books are too expensive. I told one cashier I didn't want to hear it, that that was why I prefer buying books online, and he still kept trying to tell me that I could save a whole 10% on books with whatever store discount card they have, he just wouldn't listen. All 10% does is pay for sales tax, so I'm kind of whatever about it. I have no problem with B&N when I go into one, they seem friendly enough and they aren't trying to push something on me.


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## horse_girl (Apr 9, 2010)

As someone else pointed out, they aren't "going under". BN feels their stock is undervalued and put themselves up for sale. They have a power struggle at the upper levels going on too. The article linked in the OP is an opinion piece and is inaccurate in some facts.

IMHO, this does not mean BN is closing it's doors. It only means they need to re-organize their business and adapt to new technologies, which is part of the internal power struggle that's going on between some of the largest shareholders in the company.

BN is the only book store we have where I live. It does good business, so I doubt they're struggling over all. They just need to change a few things.


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## D. Nathan Hilliard (Jun 5, 2010)

I would be a little leery of investing in a Nook right now.


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## P.A. Woodburn (May 22, 2010)

I really like Barnes and Noble. I love their big comfortable chairs, and the coffee shop, and I can sit outside with my dog. I hope Barnes and Noble doesn't change too much. I still buy regular books at times. I would really hate it if our Barnes and Noble closed.
Ann


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

Just saw this in the Times about the B&N closest to me closing in January:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/nyregion/31barnes.html?_r=1&ISMR_HP_LO_MST_FB

They are usually very busy. Article describes people not buying but using the store.


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## Sean Sweeney (Apr 17, 2010)

D. Nathan Hilliard said:


> I would be a little leery of investing in a Nook right now.


That's what I thought when I read the story.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

This may be a real estate problem more than anything else, unless we start hearing about other B&N stores closing.  It says that they are looking for other upper west side locations (although they have one at Bway & 82nd).  I hope that they find something near Columbus Circle.


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