Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. Personally, rave, I think that just might be why I like BN so much. I'm not big on e-books at all (I picked up a batch over the past few weeks, only because it was the only way I could get the books, as they're unavailable in print. E-books, for all the marvel they are, are dependent on tech to be viewable. If you've got a problem with your Kindle or iPhone or computer, you're SOL. Books don't break down, even when they fall apart. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here. -- If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script? -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
I made the comment to my wife a couple weeks ago that I'd be screwed if we had any sort of apocalypse (or lengthy power outage for that matter). After three moves in one year (and another one coming up in a few weeks), we got tired of lugging around dozens of boxes of books from state to state. After the last move, I donated more than a 1000 books to the local library, and replaced most of them with ebooks. I carry my library around in my pocket now, which is great but when the battery dies, it really sucks. I have mixed feelings about Barnes Noble. I was a regular at Oxford Books in Atlanta for many years, met my wife there, got married in the coffee shop. Not long after BN opened up in Buckhead, Oxford started careening toward bankruptcy, due to a combination of bad management, too much debt, and sudden intense competition from a national chain. BN killed off many many independent bookstores, and now ironically is being killed off by virtual competition. Not entirely sure how I feel about that, because I'd give a lot to be able to sit in the coffee shop at Oxford again chatting with the other regulars late into the night. From: Martin Baxter martinbaxt...@gmail.com Reply-To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:16:31 -0400 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. Personally, rave, I think that just might be why I like BN so much. I'm not big on e-books at all (I picked up a batch over the past few weeks, only because it was the only way I could get the books, as they're unavailable in print. E-books, for all the marvel they are, are dependent on tech to be viewable. If you've got a problem with your Kindle or iPhone or computer, you're SOL. Books don't break down, even when they fall apart. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-nobl e-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here. -- If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script? -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
I admit to missing that as well, Charles, sitting around and chatting. Didn't get to do it often, with the demands of work, though. On Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 8:28 AM, Charles Sheehan-Miles char...@sheehanmiles.net wrote: I made the comment to my wife a couple weeks ago that I'd be screwed if we had any sort of apocalypse (or lengthy power outage for that matter). After three moves in one year (and another one coming up in a few weeks), we got tired of lugging around dozens of boxes of books from state to state. After the last move, I donated more than a 1000 books to the local library, and replaced most of them with ebooks. I carry my library around in my pocket now, which is great… but when the battery dies, it really sucks. I have mixed feelings about Barnes Noble. I was a regular at Oxford Books in Atlanta for many years, met my wife there, got married in the coffee shop. Not long after BN opened up in Buckhead, Oxford started careening toward bankruptcy, due to a combination of bad management, too much debt, and sudden intense competition from a national chain. BN killed off many many independent bookstores, and now ironically is being killed off by virtual competition. Not entirely sure how I feel about that, because I'd give a lot to be able to sit in the coffee shop at Oxford again chatting with the other regulars late into the night. From: Martin Baxter martinbaxt...@gmail.com Reply-To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:16:31 -0400 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. Personally, rave, I think that just might be why I like BN so much. I'm not big on e-books at all (I picked up a batch over the past few weeks, only because it was the only way I could get the books, as they're unavailable in print. E-books, for all the marvel they are, are dependent on tech to be viewable. If you've got a problem with your Kindle or iPhone or computer, you're SOL. Books don't break down, even when they fall apart. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here. -- If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script? -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik -- If all the world's a stage and we are merely players, who the bloody hell wrote the script? -- Charles E Grant http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQUxw9aUVik
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
I agree with you and Charles. I miss Oxford--and it's comic book selling little sister, Oxford, Too--immensely. I still seek out small, independent coffee shops when I can. Places where I can sit on couches and talk to my wife and friends, places that don't feel corporate. It's unfortunately all but impossible to find small booksellers like that, but coffee shops like that fortunately abound. My wife loves to peruse magazines, and is always asking to go to the bookstore when we're out. I often demure, and she finally asked me about it, since i love reading so much. I had to explain that Borders and Barnes and Noble just weren't conducive to *comfortable* reading. They have big tables in cold, impersonal areas, or throw tables in chairs against the walls with little thought. People flock to them and mostly start typing away on their laptops while the coffee machines work in the background. Their reading areas never feel cozy or calm, never relax me, so I tend to pass for the opportunity. - Original Message - From: Martin Baxter martinbaxt...@gmail.com To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2010 9:55:30 AM Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust I admit to missing that as well, Charles, sitting around and chatting. Didn't get to do it often, with the demands of work, though. On Thu, Aug 19, 2010 at 8:28 AM, Charles Sheehan-Miles char...@sheehanmiles.net wrote: I made the comment to my wife a couple weeks ago that I'd be screwed if we had any sort of apocalypse (or lengthy power outage for that matter). After three moves in one year (and another one coming up in a few weeks), we got tired of lugging around dozens of boxes of books from state to state. After the last move, I donated more than a 1000 books to the local library, and replaced most of them with ebooks. I carry my library around in my pocket now, which is great… but when the battery dies, it really sucks. I have mixed feelings about Barnes Noble. I was a regular at Oxford Books in Atlanta for many years, met my wife there, got married in the coffee shop. Not long after BN opened up in Buckhead, Oxford started careening toward bankruptcy, due to a combination of bad management, too much debt, and sudden intense competition from a national chain. BN killed off many many independent bookstores, and now ironically is being killed off by virtual competition. Not entirely sure how I feel about that, because I'd give a lot to be able to sit in the coffee shop at Oxford again chatting with the other regulars late into the night. From: Martin Baxter martinbaxt...@gmail.com Reply-To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:16:31 -0400 To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. Personally, rave, I think that just might be why I like BN so much. I'm not big on e-books at all (I picked up a batch over the past few weeks, only because it was the only way I could get the books, as they're unavailable in print. E-books, for all the marvel they are, are dependent on tech to be viewable. If you've got a problem with your Kindle or iPhone or computer, you're SOL. Books don't break down, even when they fall apart. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 8:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied
[scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here.
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
What would have been a better choice for them is a merger with another player out there. Kind of feels like they gave up the ghost too soon. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 5:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here. Post your SciFiNoir Profile at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo! Groups Links -- Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
What Mr. Worf said. They were far too big to collapse that quickly. :( ~ Where love and magic meet ~ http://www.adriannebrennan.com Experience the magic of the Dark Moon series: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#darkmoon Dare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series: http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath The future of psychic sex - Dawn of the Seraphs (m/m): http://www.adriannebrennan.com/dawnoftheseraphs.html On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 9:07 PM, Mr. Worf hellomahog...@gmail.com wrote: What would have been a better choice for them is a merger with another player out there. Kind of feels like they gave up the ghost too soon. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 5:35 PM, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here. Post your SciFiNoir Profile at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/app/peoplemap2/entry/add?fmvn=mapYahoo! Groups Links -- Celebrating 10 years of bringing diversity to perversity! Mahogany at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mahogany_pleasures_of_darkness/
Re: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust
First off, being up for sale is not necessarily biting the dust. It looks grim but they aint corpsified just yet. Many possible options exist until the end is official. What's more important to note and the author of the article failed to realize is that the loss of barnes and noble will be devastating to the publishing industry in general. If Borders follows suit, and the total loss of Borders both more likely and more imminent if the failure rumors are true, I can't even begin to describe how terrible this will be. Assuming that BN and Borders together make up around 50% of the book billing in this country, the loss of revenues to publishers will be crippling to fatal to loads and loads of companies. ( I don't really know what they're combined market share is but I bet it's more than 50%.) If we lose two of the three biggest book retail outlets in this country, the book landscape will be different a lot sooner than we expected. Also, the e-reader market will lose a major player which is no bright spot.I am a manager at the biggest indy book store in the state of Texas and I can say with certainty this loss is not good for the book business. If you are a reader, whether you shop at a major chain or not, you are gonna be seriously negatively affected sooner than later. If you are a published author, get ready for the wordpocalypse. It's coming Bosco --- On Wed, 8/18/10, Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com wrote: From: Kelwyn ravena...@yahoo.com Subject: [scifinoir2] Barnes and Noble bites the dust To: scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 7:35 PM http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/110381/clearance-sale-barnes-noble-didnt-evolve-enough?mod=career-leadership How did Barnes Noble (NYSE: BKS - News) fall so far so fast? The giant bookstore chain, whose superstores once struck fear into the hearts of independent booksellers everywhere, put itself up for sale this month, rendering it the corporate equivalent of the remaindered books it sells at a discount. The company said it made the move because its shares are undervalued, but to me there was an air of desperation about it. The simple explanation for Barnes Noble's decline is the Internet, which spawned Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN - News), e-readers and digital books. But that didn't have to be the end for BN, which had a dominant market position and should have out-Amazoned Amazon, leveraging its brand and innovating when it began marketing and selling books online. I know exactly when BN lost me as a customer. Some years ago, to compete with Amazon, BN began offering free same-day delivery in Manhattan if you placed your order over the Internet by 11 a.m. I did so several times -- and not once did the books arrive when promised. Everything I have ordered from Amazon has arrived on time or earlier. Then came Amazon's game-changing Kindle, and instant delivery. Nothing I've read about BN's belated rival Nook has tempted me to try it. My hunch is that BN never really embraced the Internet or e-books, tied as it was to the old-fashioned world of physical books and stores. As BN focused on managing decline, a much more nimble Amazon could concentrate exclusively on the new world it was forming. BN needed to destroy its business model to prevail. Now it is probably too late. There is a lesson for all businesses here.
