Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M • Hacker News Board

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#31

Post by sokoloff » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:08 PM UTC

AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #23

legitster wrote: post #15

So, before we doom and gloom about B&N, it's important to remember that independent bookstores are doing great! https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/why-independent-bookstores-haved-... So why is Barnes and Nobles struggling? A couple of important points: Their inventory and footprint IS HUGE. Large inventory with low turnover is a margin-killer in retail. And I doubt they make much money off the books in their shelves - real…

>I suspect they will switch over to a more curated model (like AmazonBooks) - basically only new and select books. Smaller store, less footprint, and less product to buy and eat costs on. And then they can compete on costs more. That's understandable, but a bit of a bummer. Part of the joy of B&N is being able to just go and browse --finding something you didn't know you were looking for. With it downsized, I imagine…

Why would I want to come back to the store that couldn’t provide me the product on the first visit?

If my book is going to be shipped, it’s almost surely going to be shipped to my house, whether by B&N or by Amazon...

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#32

Post by dwighttk » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:10 PM UTC

Hopefully their first step is to replace their website with one that is useable to purchase books. Oof and that app which is a watered down version of the site that runs slower.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#33

Post by tnorthcutt » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:11 PM UTC

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock.

I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it.

I walked out without the book and ordered it from Amazon on my phone in the parking lot.

I still can't fathom the decision-making that led to that pricing strategy.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#34

Post by amluto » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:12 PM UTC

Maybe they’ll make the Nook better.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#35

Post by Scoundreller » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:13 PM UTC

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

People are usually prepared to pay a bit more to get something right away vs. in a few days.

It works out great (usually) for the impatient, but terribly for the patient that are aware of their options.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#36

Post by ummonk » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:14 PM UTC

Scoundreller wrote: post #35

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

People are usually prepared to pay a bit more to get something right away vs. in a few days. It works out great (usually) for the impatient, but terribly for the patient that are aware of their options.

The problem is that as a lazy person, waiting a day or two for something to be delivered straight to my doorstep is less effort than having to go to a store to pick something up.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#37

Post by abdullahkhalids » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:15 PM UTC

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

What's confusing? Shipping a book from a warehouse is cheaper and maintaining a website is cheaper than setting up and selling from a physical store. If I order a book online, I don't want to subsidize the walk in customers.

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#38

Post by Rebelgecko » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:16 PM UTC

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

Maybe you ended up ordering on Amazon on principle, but FWIW you can order from B&N online and do in-store pickup

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#39

Post by nraynaud » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

abdullahkhalids wrote: post #37

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

What's confusing? Shipping a book from a warehouse is cheaper and maintaining a website is cheaper than setting up and selling from a physical store. If I order a book online, I don't want to subsidize the walk in customers.

the value of the book doesn't change depending on its distribution channel

Re: Barnes & Noble Set To Be Sold To Elliott Management For About $683M

#40

Post by vvanders » Fri, Jun 07, 2019, 10:17 PM UTC

abdullahkhalids wrote: post #37

tnorthcutt wrote: post #33

Last year I wanted to buy Thinking in Bets (great book, btw). I was feeling impatient, so I looked it up on Barnes and Noble's website, and saw that a store where I was had it in stock. I went in to purchase it, and the price in store was a couple bucks higher than the listed price online. I asked the clerk about it, and he kind of shrugged and said he couldn't do anything about it. I walked out without the book and…

What's confusing? Shipping a book from a warehouse is cheaper and maintaining a website is cheaper than setting up and selling from a physical store. If I order a book online, I don't want to subsidize the walk in customers.

It's deceptive, if you're going to advertise a price make it clear that the price is online only.