Why Barnes & Noble is Selling Rugs

xg4bx · 10-25-2011, 12:21 PM

Last week, Barnes & Noble started selling items like rugs and cooking utensils on its website. ”If shoppers are buying cookbooks from bn.com, it’s natural to offer them cooking supplies at the same time; if shoppers are buying new baby books, it’s natural to offer them baby supplies as well,” said John Foley, B&N’s president of eCommerce. That sounds reasonable enough, but the reality behind the move is that B&N may have no choice but to try something, anything.

With its new online endeavor — which will include five new shopping categories: Home and Gift, Consumer Electronics, Arts and Crafts, Toys and Games and Baby — B&N is tiptoeing into the backyards of Amazon and eBay, the two online sellers that have virtually dominated Internet retailing for years.

Kavaler says that the move is necessary. ”Just books ain’t enough,” he says. And he’s mildly optimistic it can work: “[Barnes & Noble] isn’t doing anything particularly stupid,” Kavaler says. “And that’s all you can ask.”

Read more: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/10/24...#ixzz1boMFHJYV

MrsJoseph · 10-25-2011, 12:56 PM

Ahhhh, B&N wants to become Amazon.

I think B&N maybe too small (and not $$ solvent enough) to fish in those waters...

SCION · 10-25-2011, 12:59 PM

I guess with Borders out of the way they feel the need to be daring.

Apache · 10-25-2011, 01:09 PM

I hope their stores don't start looking like Books A Million Stores. More crap than books in the stores.

Apache

SeaKing · 10-25-2011, 01:09 PM

Hey, I like the attitude.
B&N can be on my team!

You wake up in the morning, and say

Why Not?

dbeman · 10-25-2011, 01:09 PM

I think it makes perfect sense for Barnes and Noble to cast their lines in these waters; Amazon is far from the only retailer on the internet that sells both books, electronics, clothing, housewares and toys all under the same virtual roof.

Phogg · 10-25-2011, 02:03 PM

Name's Ash. Houseware.

RainingLemur · 10-25-2011, 02:38 PM

To....pull them out from under people?

frahse · 10-25-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

To....pull them out from under people?

Nice.

kjk · 10-25-2011, 03:16 PM

I can understand B&N's desire to branch out and not become a one-product corporation, but that will be a challenging market to break into at this point.

TimW · 10-25-2011, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

To....pull them out from under people?

I don't think I can afford to have THAT rug pulled from under me...

JSWolf · 10-25-2011, 03:20 PM

It's a lot better to sell rugs online then in-store. The website is a good place to branch out.

MrsJoseph · 10-25-2011, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

It's a lot better to sell rugs online then in-store. The website is a good place to branch out.

Whaaa?? Where do you get that idea?

Home furnishings are horrible to buy online - unless you can check a B&M first. How can I check the hand of the fabric? How can I check the construction of the item? How do I make sure the fabrics used in the rug are as advertised? Is it loop, cut loop, pile? *shudder*

murraypaul · 10-25-2011, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

Whaaa?? Where do you get that idea?

Home furnishings are horrible to buy online - unless you can check a B&M first. How can I check the hand of the fabric? How can I check the construction of the item? How do I make sure the fabrics used in the rug are as advertised? Is it loop, cut loop, pile? *shudder*

He said better to sell online, not buy

The point is that they aren't having to dedicate floor space to it, buy in stock for all stores, etc... So it is a much lower-risk proposition for them to try.

soondai · 10-25-2011, 05:39 PM

I still want to know why they're not selling NC2s.

10-25-2011, 12:21 PM	#1
xg4bx Are you gonna eat that? Posts: 1,633 Karma: 23215128 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Phillipsburg, NJ Device: Kindle 3, Nook STG	Why Barnes & Noble is Selling Rugs Last week, Barnes & Noble started selling items like rugs and cooking utensils on its website. ”If shoppers are buying cookbooks from bn.com, it’s natural to offer them cooking supplies at the same time; if shoppers are buying new baby books, it’s natural to offer them baby supplies as well,” said John Foley, B&N’s president of eCommerce. That sounds reasonable enough, but the reality behind the move is that B&N may have no choice but to try something, anything. With its new online endeavor — which will include five new shopping categories: Home and Gift, Consumer Electronics, Arts and Crafts, Toys and Games and Baby — B&N is tiptoeing into the backyards of Amazon and eBay, the two online sellers that have virtually dominated Internet retailing for years. Kavaler says that the move is necessary. ”Just books ain’t enough,” he says. And he’s mildly optimistic it can work: “[Barnes & Noble] isn’t doing anything particularly stupid,” Kavaler says. “And that’s all you can ask.” Read more: http://moneyland.time.com/2011/10/24...#ixzz1boMFHJYV

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10-25-2011, 12:56 PM	#2
MrsJoseph Loves Ellipsis... Posts: 1,554 Karma: 7899232 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Kobo Wifi (broken), nook STR (returned), Kobo Touch, Sony T1	Ahhhh, B&N wants to become Amazon. I think B&N maybe too small (and not $$ solvent enough) to fish in those waters...

10-25-2011, 12:59 PM	#3
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6	I guess with Borders out of the way they feel the need to be daring.

10-25-2011, 01:09 PM	#4
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,132 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	I hope their stores don't start looking like Books A Million Stores. More crap than books in the stores. Apache

10-25-2011, 01:09 PM	#5
SeaKing Frequent Flier Posts: 1,282 Karma: 2058993297 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: KB kindle aboard, Galx Tab 7.0 Plus, trying out Droid 1 as mini-tab	Hey, I like the attitude. B&N can be on my team! You wake up in the morning, and say Why Not?

10-25-2011, 01:09 PM	#6
dbeman Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 511010 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: New Hampshire Device: nook ST	I think it makes perfect sense for Barnes and Noble to cast their lines in these waters; Amazon is far from the only retailer on the internet that sells both books, electronics, clothing, housewares and toys all under the same virtual roof.

10-25-2011, 02:03 PM	#7
Phogg PHD in Horribleness Posts: 2,320 Karma: 23599604 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: In the ironbound section, near avenue L Device: Just a whole bunch. I guess I am a collector now.	Name's Ash. Houseware.

10-25-2011, 02:38 PM	#8
RainingLemur Spork Connoisseur Posts: 2,355 Karma: 16780603 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	To....pull them out from under people?

10-25-2011, 03:16 PM	#10
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	I can understand B&N's desire to branch out and not become a one-product corporation, but that will be a challenging market to break into at this point.

10-25-2011, 03:20 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It's a lot better to sell rugs online then in-store. The website is a good place to branch out.

10-25-2011, 05:39 PM	#15
soondai Guru Posts: 672 Karma: 1109784 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Paperwhite	I still want to know why they're not selling NC2s.