Barnes & Noble, the well-known booksellers, have been around for centuries, providing customers with access to physical books. Recently, Barnes & Noble have been working on reinventing themselves, in an effort to keep up with the fast-paced world of digital technology. However, this transformation is not including their e-reader products.
In a time where physical bookstores have been seeing signs of decline, Barnes & Noble have been shifting their focus away from traditional brick-and-mortar business models. They have become more aggressive in their expansion of stores-within-a-store concepts, such as the Nook Cafés in some of their retail locations. These locations offer consumers a “physical social media experience”, allowing them to interact and shop at the same time. Customers are able to order a meal, while browsing the wide selection of physical books, as well as the Nook e-readers.
Another sign of Barnes & Noble’s shift away from traditional bookstores, has been the release of their membership program. Similar to Amazon Prime, Barnes & Noble’s membership program allows customers to purchase items at a discounted rate, with free shipping, special discounts and more. This program has helps to facilitate Barnes & Noble’s commitment to a more digital-based world.
Despite all of the changes that Barnes & Noble have been making, there is one area that has seemingly gone untouched – their e-readers. Despite being a leader in the e-reader landscape for some time, Barnes & Noble have not made any moves to update their current lineup. Instead, they have chosen to use their resources and energy to focus on other aspects of their business.
Overall, it is clear that Barnes & Noble have been reinventing themselves, in an effort to keep up with the fast-paced world of digital technology. However, there is one area where they are standing steadfast – their e-reader products. They have resisted making any changes to this area, instead choosing to focus their efforts on creating a more digital-based world. While the decision to not upgrade their e-reader products is likely to be a controversial one, Barnes & Noble are holding firm in their commitment to providing the same tried and true physical book experience, that customers have come to know and love.