I admit to being a reader. I love books and I love bookstores. But I am also a fan of digital and the desire to always be connected. As consumers transition from print to digital, change is inevitable. Still, it doesn't mean that print will entirely go away or that bookstores can't continue to thrive. You can't stop change and B&N seem to understand that it is better to row with the stream then bump up against it.
So their digital makeover continues to help B&N to face that change and work with it to achieve better results. "Barnes & Noble Inc. said Tuesday its fiscal first-quarter loss narrowed as sales of its Nook e-book reader and e-books helped offset lower physical book sales." Is there work to do? Of course. These are still digital pennies (or perhaps nickels), but they are the future. And while store sales are down, competition is lessened with the loss of Borders. Add more merchandise into the stores and more reasons to bring in your Nook for a free coffee, and you can encourage more purchases.
It may not be an easy transition, but B&N is working with change, not trying to fight it. And that is a good thing.
No comments:
Post a Comment