B&N gets new CEO

[fjtorres]

http://fortune.com/2015/07/02/barnes-and-noble-ceo/

The largest U.S. bookstore chain said on Thursday that it had hired Sears Canada CEO Ron Boire to be its new chief executive starting September 8, touting his “extensive experience” in launching electronics products in his career, which included earlier senior jobs at Best Buy ( BBY 0.09% ) and Sony Electronics.

Boire—who has only been CEO of the faltering Sears Canada department store chain for 10 months (and the retailer’s third boss in just two years), following a nearly three-year stint as chief merchant of the struggling Sears and Kmart chains in the U.S—will have his hands full trying to revive Barnes & Noble’s Nook business.

More at the source.

He could hardly do worse than his predecessors, now could he?

[GA Russell]

1) Does this guy have a record of success somewhere?

2) Who is really in charge at B&N?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

1) Does this guy have a record of success somewhere?

2) Who is really in charge at B&N?

1- Apparently not. But he has experience keeping sinking retailers afloat. Or getting out while the getting is good. Your pick.

2- Turns out he is.

Fortune got it wrong: he is the new B&N CEO, not Nook alone.

(The thread will need a title change. Hint!)

Here's another more accurate report:

http://the-digital-reader.com/2015/0...da-as-new-ceo/

Nate thinks he might shut down Nook.

(So much for trusting FORTUNE.).

[GA Russell]

What I'm thinking is...Didn't Len Riggio sell a sizeable amount of shares? If not, I would say that he is still the man in charge, regardless of titles.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

What I'm thinking is...Didn't Len Riggio sell a sizeable amount of shares? If not, I would say that he is still the man in charge, regardless of titles.

Probably.
The more I see of B&N and Riggio's manuevers, the more I'm reminded of Adelphia.

[Fat Abe]

B&N's demise would not be good for the pbook or ebook business. Not that they are an thriving business, but evolution proves that the fewer the species, the more likely there will be no species at all. We need a few dinosaurs around to ... stop the world from becoming too efficient for its own good.

[Nate the great]

I fixed the title.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I fixed the title.

Thanks.
I was wondering if any of the moderators cared enough about B&N to fix it.
Nook news don't seem to be too interesting these days.
Too predictable?

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Thanks.
I was wondering if any of the moderators cared enough about B&N to fix it.
Nook news don't seem to be too interesting these days.
Too predictable?

I was waiting for the chorus to get through the second verse of "Nearer My God, to Thee" before changing it.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I was waiting for the chorus to get through the second verse of "Nearer My God, to Thee" before changing it.

Here, then:

3.
There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee

The end is getting ever closer.
It was a big 'berg.

[Apache]

B&N's customer service has gotten worse too. I purchased a new cover for my HD+ in April of the this year. The bottom right clasp is cracked. I called to have them replace it under warranty since it was only three months old. They informed that accessories are now only warrantied for 14 days. I had this happen to another cover a couple of years ago. That was after 5 months and they replaced that one. Another nail in their coffin as far as I am concerned.
Apache

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Apache

B&N's customer service has gotten worse too. I purchased a new cover for my HD+ in April of the this year. The bottom right clasp is cracked. I called to have them replace it under warranty since it was only three months old. They informed that accessories are now only warrantied for 14 days. I had this happen to another cover a couple of years ago. That was after 5 months and they replaced that one. Another nail in their coffin as far as I am concerned.
Apache

It sounds like they may be going the way of Borders.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

It sounds like they may be going the way of Borders.

No, I don't think so.
Borders was killed by the Publishers pushing it from chapter 11 to chapter 7.
If B&N landed in Chapter 11 (which isn't at all imminent) the BPHs would do whatever it took to prop them up.

What is looking more and more likely is a Nook closure.
Or a sale to a non-entity where it could die unnoticed.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

What is looking more and more likely is a Nook closure.
Or a sale to a non-entity where it could die unnoticed.

It's a shame the way the Nook line and their e-store has been so badly mismanaged.


Their first Nook had that neat color screen at the bottom. The Nook Simple touch was beautifully designed. Then they added a light to it. Then the Nook Glowlight came out and it seemed so underwhelming and locked down. That was the device where it felt like they were just playing catch-up to the Kindle.

Also, I think the move to tablets wasn't a good idea. They just didn't have the ecosystem or the savvy to be able to handle it. And it took their eye off of the e-readers and e-book store.

At least that's my "from the outside looking in" perspective. (I used to work there for fun, but left right as the Nook rolled out.)

[tomsem]

Amazon could buy Nook and just keep the store running. Much as great empires of the past would absorb their defeated enemies and extract tribute rather than decimating them.