I know it was losing money, but does anyone really expect the main company to survive any better when it loses the only unit that was bringing it forward into the digital age? Link: Barnes and Noble Spins off Nook tablets
I was surprised when I believe it was Microsoft made an investment in the company. It just really seemed to tide them over for a period of time, but I'm not surprised they're still falling. Giant book store chains seem to be taking a beating, e-readers are being overlooked for tablets with more functions and features, and of course the juggernaut Amazon just runs the show on all these and does it better. If you put Barnes and Noble and Amazon in a ring who would come out on top?
I personally am surprised it spun of the nook tablets, I personally believe that is the only future it had. The convenience of digital books and devices is noticeably more then the convenience of paper books and that I believe because of this their company will eventually die or become a lot smaller.
I thought Amazon would have taken it over. The Nook can hardly compete with the Amazon tablet. Their website's books and other product cost so much more than Amazon. I am sorry to see them on the ropes.
One of my favorite hobbies is going to the bookstore, looking around, finding something to read, and sitting down with the book and a Diet Coke or two. I buy something sometimes, but certainly not always. And I've bought many books, DVDs, CDs, etc off Amazon over the years much cheaper. And of course now we can access music, e-books, and video on demand various ways. I think the coffee / food shops these places have in them also help them survive. But I agree that their futures don't exactly look great in this day and age.
If you have ever been to a Barnes and Noble, you would know that it is a wonderful place. You can look around, read some interesting stuff on anything you want, and have a quiet place to do whatever you need to do. The experience of being at a bookstore really counts a lot. With that said, I'm not sure if the company can survive in this increasingly digital age but I'm sure it will be around for the time being.
I was really pissed off some 8-9 years ago when my nearest shopping mall lost both its last music store (Sam Goody) and only book store (Borders / Waldenbooks).
Does anyone know why Amazon can charge less than Barnes and Noble for books when they both usually have the same items?
Oh goodness I was having a conversation with a friend about this exact same subject. Barnes and Noble has lost major steam. Amazon really up their game and have become quite dominant in the online retail market. This is my problem with Barnes and Noble. They appear to revolt against the changing tide of technology and want drives consumer interest. This is my perception but I can't help but notice how B&N are not adding any excitement to their service. I don't expect them to survive within the next 5 years unless they find an innovative marketing plan to boost their presence in the online retail market. Right now the outlook is very bleak.
CNBC aired a special on Amazon last night. They repeated the broadcast over at least a couple of times, and are showing it again tonight. Very interesting. And their business tactics are brutal - ripping off the products of companies who sell through them and undercutting their prices are just one of their tricks. And they are apparently brutal on their workforce as well - they don't sound like a company most would want to work for. Bezos is apparently a real psycho businessman. Of course watching all of this made me feel better about the small long position I continue to have in their stock.
