08-31-2010, 05:49 AM | #1 |
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Another tale of Barnes and Nobles woes
Basically, everyone says they come in to read books and magazines for free. Then they wonder why the store is closing:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/ny...arnes.html?hpw |
08-31-2010, 06:23 AM | #2 | |
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08-31-2010, 06:55 AM | #3 |
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Not that this might mean it's the truth, but maybe some insight that B&N is giving to some of their employees
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...88#post1084988 |
08-31-2010, 10:24 AM | #4 | ||||||
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08-31-2010, 10:36 AM | #5 | |
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Luqman Last edited by luqmaninbmore; 08-31-2010 at 10:42 AM. |
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08-31-2010, 12:19 PM | #6 |
Is that a sandwich?
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I couldnt even imagine what their lease would be across the street from Lincoln Center.
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08-31-2010, 04:48 PM | #7 |
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They aren't closing because of a handful of freeloaders. People have been wasting time in bookstores for decades now.
They're closing because a) people are buying more and more books and ebooks online, b) we're in a major recession that is killing consumer spending, and last but certainly not least, c) their lease was up and they were facing a huge increase. |
08-31-2010, 04:58 PM | #8 | ||
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Used bookstores may stick around for awhile, but as fewer and fewer paper books get made, the less there will be for the used stores to sell, no? |
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08-31-2010, 04:58 PM | #9 |
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It's funny to see the cycle. First they are the Big Bad Bookstore putting the independents out of business, and now they are the Friendly Neighborhood Bookstore that is being closed by competition from Amazon.
It's almost as if people have lost their sense of cause and effect. You cannot simultaneously bemoan the loss of your neighborhood B&N and go there to browse and then buy your books online. Are we becoming a nation of moochers? Do we not realize that someone has to pay for the stuff we mooch, and that there is a tipping point beyond which there are too many moochers and not enough payers to keep the content alive? Somebody has to feed the dog that feeds the fleas. |
08-31-2010, 05:12 PM | #10 |
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I want a book that's published by B&N, and only sold at the physical bookstore; it's not available in the online catalog. Last time I went to my local B&N store, they didn't have it. I wandered all over the store trying to figure out where it would be, before giving up and waiting in line for ten minutes at the info counter to find out it's not in stock. They didn't know when they'd get it in ("we get shipments on Tuesdays") and they don't have a way to specifically order it.
Shrug. It'll eventually show up used at Amazon. I'd much rather buy it new, because I really want to support the author... but the first editions are available used for a couple of dollars, and the author's said the revised version isn't that different. I'm not surprised the brick-and-mortar stores are dying. |
08-31-2010, 05:44 PM | #11 |
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Eh. I live in a town of about 10,000 and we have at least six bookstores. Many of them are "bookstores and" - coffeshop, restaurant, B&B - but what we *don't* have is a big chain retail bookstore.
Which is probably why we have so many bookstores. Hey, I've spent plenty of time in Borders when I lived in the big city, but as the chain stores start dying, and since I live somewhere where the nearest one is over an hour away, I have to say I'm not going to be sad to see the big chains die. They killed bookstores, really. It's just karma. |
08-31-2010, 06:24 PM | #12 |
Is that a sandwich?
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Of course, if a large chain bookstore doesnt have your book in stock doesnt mean a small independent one will. Probably even less of a chance.
I also noticed since joining MR that new/used independent bookstores are more prevalent in certain areas of the country. Some areas like mine have few-to-none. So the big box store is all we have. The indies cant afford the leases. For laughs I googled used bookstores and the closest one was 35 miles away one way. Last edited by Fbone; 08-31-2010 at 09:31 PM. |
08-31-2010, 06:37 PM | #13 |
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I think it's more like c, a, b ... the recession isn't enough to close this location ... and signalling publicly so far in advance might also be a way to put pressure on the landlord. It sounds like a great flagship-like location ... and a great place to showcase the Nook.
Last edited by SensualPoet; 08-31-2010 at 06:40 PM. Reason: trimmed quote |
08-31-2010, 11:45 PM | #14 | |
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Now these people are choosing to patronize Amazon over the b&m stores. This is America and we generally get what the majority wants. It's a bit of a curse, when you think about it, the tyranny of the majority, but there it is. When the majority choose cheap Chinese-made goods over pricier goods manufactured in America, can they really complain about losing jobs to cheap overseas manufacturers? As I say, it's as if we've lost our ability to perceive cause and effect. Last edited by J. Strnad; 09-01-2010 at 12:25 AM. |
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08-31-2010, 11:58 PM | #15 |
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