B&N Stores Are Forbidden From Ordering Supplies Before the End of April – Is That Normal?
Many are watching Barnes & Noble right now. We’re waiting for the next shoe to drop after B&N’s cryptic report on its holiday revenue, and I think it just may have.
Over on TheLayoff.com several B&N employees have reported that B&N has a new policy forbidding them from ordering supplies before the end of the fiscal year.
They just told the entire company to stop ordering supplies immediately. Over three months left in the fiscal year. They even suggested we stop using bags if at all possible.
B&N’s last fiscal year ended late in April 2018, which means that we’re looking at six three months of B&N stores not being able to order supplies.
I’m trying to convince myself this is no big deal (apparently the same thing happened last year, but only for a few weeks) but seriously, six three months?
That’s not normal, is it?
Comments
Brian January 27, 2019 um 2:26 pm
Our 4th quarter is from February to April. Three months, not six. And our store has not received that directive about stop ordering. We may at some point, as we did last year. But not as of yet
Nate Hoffelder January 27, 2019 um 3:00 pm
Damn. I looked at the calendar wrong.
Don’t I look stupud.
Brian January 27, 2019 um 3:27 pm
You’re ok. It happens. Last year was the first year B&N starting curbing ordering before the end of the year. If they are starting to curb ordering now in a roll out derective, that is still worrisome.
Xaver Basora January 28, 2019 um 3:25 am
Nate,
No it’s abnormal. It points to a cash flow squeeze and the suppliers are starting to demand cash payments. I suspect Barnes and Nobel is working on a Chapter 11 restructuring.
xavier
DaveMich January 28, 2019 um 10:49 am
I suspect it’s at attempt to patch up holes in the FY report. If they’re headed to BK they wouldn’t care. If they’re looking to hang on another year, or sell after this report, or are compiling a YTD report for a suitor, even these small potatoes would get peeled. I personally think they will sell, even for a low price, than BK. Better optics.
Disgusting Dude January 28, 2019 um 12:13 pm
Don’t companies in good standing get 30-day net?
A 90-day moratorium suggests they aren’t.
Also if the moratorium isn’t new but it is longer then this year’s holiday results are worse than last year, despite all the salary-paring.
No, it does not suggest good news are coming.
Lapis Lazuli January 28, 2019 um 12:27 pm
Usually Barnes and Noble does not order anything because the stores are gearing up for inventory. A week or two before the inventory deadline when a company comes in to help count all the products they send a bunch of stuff back to publishers and stop ordering. Now they still will do special orders for a customer but the rest of it is to make inventory easier.
Les magasins Barnes & Noble ne peuvent plus passer de commande avant fin avril – BookSquad January 31, 2019 um 1:03 pm
[…] Il y a plus d’une semaine, des employés de la chaine de librairies ont signalé sur TheLayoff que la politique commerciale avait changé, interdisant de commander des fournitures avant la fin de l’exercice de l’entreprise, à la fin du mois d’avril. L’un des employés précise : « Ils ont simplement annoncé que les commandes de fournitures devaient cesser immédiatement. Plus que trois mois pour cette année fiscale. Ils ont même suggéré que nous arrêtions d’utiliser les sacs plastiques ». Les commentaires vont bon train entre suspicions de resserrement du budget, afin d’améliorer le rapport d’exercice, ou tout simplement une réduction des stocks en vue de facilité l’inventaire à venir. De quoi relancer les spéculations sur la dégradation de l’état financier de l’ancien géant. Source : The Digital Reader […]