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Originally Posted by Sirtel
B&N has just never cared enough about their Nook or e-book division in general. They're the only major player in e-book business who don't sell internationally, for example. That alone is telling. They just don't really care. Ebooks and Nooks are an afterthought for them.
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At one time (just two or three years ago... maybe four?) Nooks were the first thing you saw when you entered a Barnes & Noble store. They had had a huge sign over an elaborate display counter where a support person could sit and, at first (at least), there was someone there all the time to offer support if you had questions or if you were having trouble with your Nook. I think they still let you read any book with your Nook inside the store (not positive, but they used to do that). So, in the U.S. anyhow, Barnes & Noble committed a lot of resources to the Nook (past tense now).
When things started going downhill (it wasn't just the Nook department) I guess the wheels came off the Nook support (I think they got rid of their in-house developers and went to contractors). I remember at one time B&N sued Microsoft and then the suit was settled when Microsoft invested in the Nook division (which they later sold off). There was talk (at least a couple times) about spinning off the Nook division. Honestly when the Ellis outfit bought B&N I figured the Nooks were toast. Maybe Covid isolation made the Nook viable again?
I've run into the same issues when asking about the Nook at my local B&N. It's basically one long shrug -- if they've heard of it at all. And yet the CEO (can't place his name right now) says that Nooks are important part of the company ("more coming")... there seems to be a huge disconnect between those words and what's happening on the ground though.