Thursday, January 05, 2012

Seven Advantages Barnes & Noble Has in the Bookseller Wars

Posted by on 1/03/12 - digital book world

By Thad McIlroy, The Future of Publishing, @ThadMcIlroy
Editor’s note: Today we will present advantages that Barnes & Noble has in the bookseller wars. Next week we will present Barnes & Noble’s weaknesses in the bookseller wars. See second editor’s note below.
With over 1,200 college and retail bookstores across 50 states, Barnes & Noble is the No. 1 bricks-and-mortar book retailer in America. After nearly a century in bookselling, the company is currently staffed with 35,000 employees. Barnes & Noble stores average 25,000 square feet and carry up to 200,000 titles along with a wide selection of music, DVDs, magazines and toys and games, all according to the company’s website. Additionally, Barnes & Noble Cafés pour 60 million beverages, bake six million cookies and scones, and grill three million sandwiches annually.
As the last man standing in the 30-year war of the chain bookstores it has 40 million customers with a stake in its future.
In Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble faces a tough competitor. If business is war, Jeff Bezos is a battle-tested and decorated general. As popular as the Nook eReader is, the Kindle is much more so. As cheap as Barnes & Noble might price its books, Amazon often undercuts them. If Barnes & Noble stakes out a new market, Amazon follows the charge, guns blazing. Barnes & Noble declined to comment for this article (see second editor’s note below).
Given the state of the company and of its competition, what are the advantages it has in the bookseller wars?

Read more at DigitalBookWorld.com: Seven Advantages Barnes & Noble Has in the Bookseller Wars | Digital Book World http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/seven-advantages-barnes-noble-has-in-the-bookseller-wars/#ixzz1iUl5Syjf

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