Bookstore Ownership

The idea of business ownership has some common threads, no matter what type of business is owned. A need to express one's own identity within a business for instance, this is not something which is often omitted from business ownership. This is also true of Barnes and Noble, a company who is owned by shareholders, because it is a publicly traded entity. According to information provided by Barnesandnoble.com (2015), the company provides the world's largest Internet bookstore, and also an incredible in person retail experience. Due to this fact, Barnes and Noble operates on a scale most bookstores do not, because they have to oversee an international operation such as Google. Overseeing such a massive operation necessitates a willingness to adapt in terms of marketing, pricing, utilizing new technologies, and the ability to anticipate the needs of the consumer.

Barnes and Noble is a book store that takes their consumer experience seriously, which is why they populate their stores with both furniture and coffee shops in order to ensure that people are comfortable while they read and shop. Those who operate the bookstore and interact with customers are adept at locating and recommending books to their customers, and if they do not have the books needed, they will order them. Barnes and Noble also makes it possible to purchase music and video within their stores, making them a kind of one stop shop for media of all different types. The Nook is Barnes and Noble's eReader, which allows consumers to take the bookstore with them anywhere they want to go, and to purchase books from anywhere they have wifi access to the Internet. Having this kind of access to books means that Barnes and Noble is selling their books in ways which virtually eliminate the cost of having to keep stock on hand, or from having to employ as many people. This bookstore is one that has plans to take full advantage of the emerging opportunities in the digital marketplace.

Those who utilize the services of Barnes and Noble represent a large cross section of different consumers, young and old, male and female, and those from cultures located all over the world. Their business strategy via online ordering systems, whether they are digital books or physical books being bought digitally, have opened up a whole new world in terms of the customers which purchase items from Barnes and Noble. The customers at this book store are students, professionals, parents, and any number of other types of people. Anyone who enjoys reading can (typically) find what they are looking for when they look at what Barnes and Noble has to offer. Customer reviews often help those who are looking at books determine whether or not the book they are considering for a purchase is really what they are after. And much like the help which can be found in a store, there are options online which allow Barnes and Noble customers the opportunity to ask about products.

Those who decide to purchase books and other media from Barnes and Noble regularly have access to their rewards program, and other incentives to continue purchasing from them on a regular basis. Students looking to purchase textbooks can find what they need through Barnes and Noble, although it is not always the best option due to their prices often being higher than other outlets. People who choose to frequent these stores are often looking for something very specific they cannot find anywhere else, or are looking for the now somewhat elusive retail experience. As retail stores take their business online more and more, stores like Barnes and Noble might start to be the minority instead of the majority, and those of their customers who use their Nook eReader can attest to this fact. Having quick access to most of the books sold by Barnes and Noble, and being able to put them on to their tablet without having to spend time or money traveling to a retail location, is constantly changing the customer base of the company; because, someone who has never been to a retail book store can now buy books online.

Reference

Barnes and Noble About Us (2015). In Barnes and Noble. Retrieved from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/help/cds2.asp?PID=8184