Barnes & Noble destined to follow Borders?

[marmar]

(MarketWatch) Barnes & Noble’s BKS stock plunged 17% on Friday, approaching single digits, even after John Malone’s Liberty Media presented a $204 million investment. Read full story.

The prospects of the nation’s biggest book seller clearly remain troublesome to Wall Street investors – and offer a wake-up call to any other companies that have had a hard time dealing with the upheaval that’s being caused by the e-commerce revolution.

Barnes & Noble is in a tough spot. It is being squeezed by such well-heeled rivals as Google GOOG, Amazon AMZN and Apple AAPL at a time when the industry is rushing toward electronic sales. Barnes & Noble must prove that its inroads into the e-commerce business can fend off its foes and keep customers coming back.

That’s a very tough read for Wall Street.

–- Jon Friedman


http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2011/08/19/barnes-noble-ouch/

[hlthe2b]

1. The big box bookstores ran most of the local shops out of business...

That said, now that B&N is about the only physical bookstore present in many areas of the country, I really don't want to see them fold up as well.

Why do we never learn? We let Walmart close down the downtown shops and even bankrupt the malls in many areas across the country. Now some of them are closing, leaving "nice" empty ugly scourges across the county, where there once was historical architecture and variety. But, once they are gone, can anyone imagine a likely (or at least rapid) return of local businesses?

sigh...

[Cleita]

3. I was one of the small local shops that closed my doors

back in 1980 when the big box Crown Books crowded me and a few others out of business. Maybe if they go, the little neighborhood books shops may come back.

[RamboLiberal]

6. I doubt that

Far easier to find any book new or used online. The used market on Amazon though has benefitted some booksellers. Though now thanks to the damn pricing bots that is less lucrative.

[RamboLiberal]

4. Another factor is the rise of the ebook market

And the internet as well has opened up the market to ordering any hardcover or paperback new or used online.

[hlthe2b]

8. Yes... they will probably go the way of CD-DVD-Record stores

and I still bemoan their loss. It seems soon there will be no where to go just to relax and "peruse"--whether a book, magazine or music and we will only extend the isolationism in our society..:shrug:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

13. Rasputin Music, less than a block from the former Tower in Campbell...

...the old Tower Records is now a discount pet food store.

But Rasputin still stands...one of the few places left in Silicon Valley where you can go in and browse through tons of used and new CDs, DVDs, and vinyl.

Yes, I can buy most of this stuff online.

But there is just something so relaxing about hanging out in these places, taking my sweet time browsing, seeing oddities I'd buy and some I'd never buy but enjoying the entire experience.

[marmar]

14. Agreed.....I love spending hours in Rasputin or Amoeba when I'm in the Bay Area.....

...... which is really the last bastion of exceptional used CD/record stores.

[Sportsguy]

2. Damn, I Hope this Isn't True!

Hoping.

[alfredo]

5. There was a rumor that Apple was going to buy them, but

then there's a new Apple rumor every day.

[CleanGreenFuture]

12. I hate to see this. I did not know it, but my partner took me out for

dinner the other night and she asked if I wanted to go to the bookstore after. I live a ways from it so it's always nice to pop in while I'm in that area, so of course it was an enthusiastic "Yes!". BUT, as we proceeded to the restaurant, we passed the location of the Borders. CLOSED!

I was shocked! Of course I knew they were closing their stores but that store was open a month ago and no one there indicated to me that that particular store would be closing so quickly. Borders was saying some stores will remain open as long as year's end. I guess my local store found out and closed all in about three week's time.

I was very disappointed, to say the least. During dinner, it was suggested that maybe small mom & pop stores will come back now. My answer was that I hope they do. And, I'm confident they will because publishers still need retails outlets.

On the other hand, publishers are facing their own dilemma. But that a whole 'nother discussion, lol.

[TwilightGardener]

17. Funny, my husband and I do that too--stop at the bookstore after a dinner out.

Sometimes we'll get coffee too, and just wander around looking at anything that catches our interest. My kids liked doing that, too--we would let them pick out one book each whenever we went. Going to be sad to see them all go under.

[white_wolf]

7. I guess I'm old fashioned when it comes to books.

I'll read E-books, but I prefer actual books. The comic book industry may follow suit. DC is putting all their books up online at reduced costs, so a lot of brick and mortar comic book stores are worried about it, especially if Marvel and Dark Horse follow suit.

[hlthe2b]

10. wow... comic book collectors will bemoan that...

I don't happen to be one, but I know how passionate these folks are...

[white_wolf]

11. I just read them,I don't collect. I prefer trade paperbacks that have like 5 issues in one over the

single issues, in fact. Trades are worthless to collectors, but I feel like I'm getting a better deal and they look better on my shelf next my actual books. You are right though, collectors will not like this at all.

[geardaddy]

9. Luckily we have a great one-off bookstore here

that does gangbuster business in store as well as online.

http://magersandquinn.com/

[Peacetrain]

15. If you are ever in Iowa City.. the best bookstore in the world.. Prairie Lights

[MisterP]

16. BN hasn't been run by asylum escapees 2008-11...