Slog Comments
Barnes & Noble to Close Up to 20 Stores a Year for a Decade
1
If there's still a B&N in 10 years, as far as still operating brick and mortar locations is concerned, it will be an impressive feat.
2
As far as stores go, B&N has always sucked.
Poor customer service, poor in most respects, only carry the sanitized type best seller, etc.
They would have closed long ago, if they had any decent competition.
The suck, suck, suck.
Plus, in case you haven't noticed, Paulie, the vast majority of Ameritards don't read.....
Poor customer service, poor in most respects, only carry the sanitized type best seller, etc.
They would have closed long ago, if they had any decent competition.
The suck, suck, suck.
Plus, in case you haven't noticed, Paulie, the vast majority of Ameritards don't read.....
3
Consumer-level bookstores in 20 years will be as Easy Street, Silver Platters, and Sonic Boom are today to record shops. I'd really love to see a legitimate root cause analysis of what led to this. Oddball mega destination stores like the Strand or Powells will remain because of what they are.
Technical bookstores and textbook stores will hold out longer, but probably only through online delivery.
Technical bookstores and textbook stores will hold out longer, but probably only through online delivery.
4
Too bad. And as to B&N always sucking I call bullshit. The store at University Village used to be pretty good up until about a couple of years before they shut down. They had a good selection of non-fiction and the fiction wasn't bad.
The downtown store has always blown chunks and compared to Borders couldn't hold a candle.
The downtown store has always blown chunks and compared to Borders couldn't hold a candle.
5
When you buy books, you have to store books somewhere - or you have the chore of re-selling them. I think that's a huge part of what has happened to the book industry...plus the fact that few wanted to spend $30+ on new fiction. But I, for one, used to be an avid book buyer. I had so many books that whenever I had to move (which became about every two years or less), I'd have to box and re-box and unpack time and again tens of boxes. It was like having hundreds of old, heavy, space-hungry LPs. Unless you have a permanent residence (like a house big enough for a library) that you'll be in 10 or 20 years, moving that stuff around just gets old. Very old. And expensive.
That's why I stopped buying books from Borders or B&N or even Amazon. I just don't think we are as static as we were even 20 years ago. We can't be even if we want to be. Job situation changes. Apartments go condo. Relationships end. Only the financially secure - the really financially secure - can afford to settle and have books. So, that cuts down on the size of the market, right? Also, many people thought that B&N over-expanded anyway.
That's why I stopped buying books from Borders or B&N or even Amazon. I just don't think we are as static as we were even 20 years ago. We can't be even if we want to be. Job situation changes. Apartments go condo. Relationships end. Only the financially secure - the really financially secure - can afford to settle and have books. So, that cuts down on the size of the market, right? Also, many people thought that B&N over-expanded anyway.
6
Yesterday I was looking up a book called Abundance on Amazon and while searching I kept getting directed to a book with that title but selling for $2.50, which seemed unlikely since it was a new release and hence not ready for bargain pricing.
Then I noticed that the cheaper book was a synopsis of the real book!!
So here is Amazon cannibalizing itself to reach people who will not sit still for a whole book but might pop $3 for a quick scan of the major points...less than a book, more than a blog post!
Then I noticed that the cheaper book was a synopsis of the real book!!
So here is Amazon cannibalizing itself to reach people who will not sit still for a whole book but might pop $3 for a quick scan of the major points...less than a book, more than a blog post!
7
Barnes and Noble sucks. Everything is overpriced and so damn . . . . hyperallergenic. I wish we could have more giant-ass Powells everywhere.
Actually I have really been behind the move Amazon recently made to connect with my local library. When I look up a book on their website it automatically checks my library for the same book and lets me know if it's available there. I still buy some books and now I spend more time on Amazon looking.
Actually I have really been behind the move Amazon recently made to connect with my local library. When I look up a book on their website it automatically checks my library for the same book and lets me know if it's available there. I still buy some books and now I spend more time on Amazon looking.
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