More bad news for B&N

[Steerpike]

Nook had $316 million in revenue in the third quarter, down 26% compared to the same period last year and lost $190 million versus $83 million the previous year (in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — EBIDTA). The company attributes the setback to poor holiday sales. On a positive note, digital content sales were up 6.8% for the quarter despite the soft device sales. - See more at: Revenues and Profits Down at Barnes & Noble in Third Quarter, Nook Division to Cut Costs | Digital Book World

I don't have a Nook, but I'd like to see more healthy competitors in the space than less. Do you guys think a Microsoft partnership is going to help?

Revenues and Profits Down at Barnes & Noble in Third Quarter, Nook Division to Cut Costs | Digital Book World

 

[Devor]

Yeah, I saw that Microsoft will own a 17% share of Nook.

When the Nook goes under, it means that Microsoft will be in a good position to merge the Nook's marketplace into your basic Windows 8 tablets and use the customer base to make a bid at competing with Amazon, Google and Apple for ebooks.

We can't believe Microsoft really wants to save the Nook tablet, can we?

 

[Steerpike]

We can't believe Microsoft really wants to save the Nook tablet, can we?

No. I can see them keeping the brand, I suppose, but transitioning it to a Win 8 device as you said.

 

[Zero Angel]

I can see a Windows Nook

I will miss my BN Cafe though!

 

[Asterisk]

I bought a Nook HD and it was the best purchase I've ever made. I use it every day for much MUCH more than reading. It's sad to see that Nooks aren't doing so well. I love them much more than any Apple product, personally. Hang in there, Nook... I'll buy a hundred of you if that's what it takes to save you

 

[Steerpike]

I have a Nexus tablet I use in similar ways. I think it will do the same things as the Nook, but I like the stock Android OS.

 

[Ankari]

B&N should take a page out of Google's playbook: build an environment in an existing OS. The should pour all of their efforts into making an exceptional ebook/marketplace software on the foundation of Android/Windows 8/Blackberry. Become the ideal ebook reader for all platforms.

Some ideas:

Audiobooks. Why doesn't B&N sell them?

Shelves/folders. Why do I have to have a rolling wall of icons? I should be able to organize my books the way I want to.

Social media integration. I want to share excerpts with my social media presence.

Copy/Paste: Why can't I do this officially? (there is a workaround).

Send To: Kindle allows for it, why doesn't Nook?

Also, they should consider buying a user book review site like Booklikes. Amazon did this with Goodreads. Keep up with the competition.

 

[AnneL]

Audiobooks -- My novel is available as an audiobook at B&N, but the price is significantly higher than either Amazon or iTunes. If this is typical, that doesn't seem viable for anything except maybe hugely popular authors. I am not an e-book reader yet, so I have no decent thoughts on that, but I agree with Steerpike that we need competition. Poets & Writers did an interview back in January with lit agent David Gernert, and he said:

"Q. Does that experience make you want to offer any grand predictions for the future of our business?
A. Just pray that Barnes & Noble stays healthy.

Q. Otherwise it’s all over?
A. No, it will never be all over. But if B&N doesn’t stay healthy, the publishing industry will change phenomenally. Bookstores are incredibly important—not just as retail outlets, but as places where people go and commune with other like-minded individuals, many of them strangers, and talk about big ideas and compare notes on what they’ve been reading and what’s going on in the world. That is a tremendously important and valuable part of our culture. It’s much bigger than just selling books. I find it appalling that our society is turning a blind eye—maybe through just a lack of awareness—to the fact that the number of bookstores in this country is declining all the time. It’s really serious."

So while I generally support my local indie, I am trying to support B&N too, because a lot of places don't have any other bookstore.

 

[Devor]

I went to a bookstore today. A just-opened, brand-new, independent bookstore, and I picked up a few Dr. Seuss books for the kids. I like to read fiction on the kindle and non-fiction in paperback, but they didn't have any of the non-fiction that I was looking for.

If you asked Amazon who their competition was, I think they would say Apple, Google and Microsoft, maybe Walmart, and laugh if you mentioned B&N.

 

[Steerpike]

A lot of independent stores partner with Kobo, so you can buy for an ereader and still support the independent store.

 

[Devor]

A lot of independent stores partner with Kobo, so you can buy for an ereader and still support the independent store.

Hey, thanks for that, apparently they do. I don't know if I'll buy through that option or not, but it's good to know about and I'll look into it.

 

[Steerpike]

Hey, thanks for that, apparently they do. I don't know if I'll buy through that option or not, but it's good to know about and I'll look into it.

No problem. One reason I bought a Kobo device is because my local independent store partners with them, and I wanted to be able to support the store.

 

[The Blue Lotus]

They closed the B&N in my town, Now if I want to buy a book it must be at Walmart or Target. Otherwise, I have to drive 20 miles to the nearest bookstore (B&N)
It is sad.

 

[Devor]

I'm in Manhattan (sorta) and they're closing all over the place. I used to know of about five B&Ns, and now I only know of one.