B&N should sell off their stores and focus on their website
So B&N are thinking about putting the company up for sale and try to go private. From the press release:
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), the world’s largest bookseller, today announced that its Board of Directors intends to evaluate strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the company, in order to increase stockholder value. The Board came to this decision based on the price of Barnes & Noble shares in the marketplace, which the Board believes are now significantly undervalued.
There’s a lot of talk about who should buy the company, and I’ve decided to take the radical position: no one. I think B&N should rebrand themselves as a web retailer. The income generated by the stores has gone down for the last 3 years in a row. Only the website is doing well. I think they should give up on the brick and mortar presence entirely.
What do they have to lose?
Comments
Dan August 3, 2010 um 9:43 pm
However that would be bad news for the Nook, since their whole strategy to this point has been focused around in-store extras and getting to try out the Nook in person.
Nate the great August 3, 2010 um 9:45 pm
But the Nook is also in Best Buy and it could be sold in other stores.
Mike Cane August 4, 2010 um 7:06 am
Would the Best Buy staff really give a damn about presenting the Nook properly or in style, as B&N stores do? I doubt it!
Nate the great August 4, 2010 um 7:12 am
Best Buy corporate certainly give a damn. The Nook has a very nice display at my local BB.