Barnes & Noble posts another loss, not as bad as expected
Jeremy Hobson: We’ll get a look at quarterly earnings this morning from the big box bookseller that is
still in existence. That would be Barnes & Noble — and it is expected to post a loss. The company has had some success with its Nook e-reader, and it’s losing a competitor because of the demise of Borders.
But as Marketplace’s Alisa Roth reports, Barnes and Noble is still struggling.
Alisa Roth: Analysts are expecting today’s earnings report won’t be pretty. Losses of almost a dollar a share, and falling same-store sales.
The news isn’t all bad, though; thanks to its Nook e-reader, Barnes & Noble now has more than a quarter of the e-book business.
Michael Norris: The Nook would never, ever, ever be where it is today without the Barnes & Noble employees and without the physical store experience.
Michael Norris follows the book business at Simba Information. He says proof that physical stores matter is the fact that Amazon is now selling the Kindle through retailers like Best Buy.
Media consultant Lorraine Shanley says Barnes & Noble is struggling with the same challenge as any other company making the shift to a digital world.
Lorraine Shanley: Which is how do you use retail to drive sales, whether those sales are at the retail level or at the e-tail level?
It might get some help on that front next month. When Borders finally closes down, Barnes & Noble could pick up some additional foot traffic.
In New York, I’m Alisa Roth for Marketplace.
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