DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Is this local and community-influenced strategy something all chain retailers need to consider? Would Barnes & Noble be more successful if they focused on hosting more regular in-store events that genuinely invite more customers and unique experiences?
Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments, featured on RetailWire’s Braintrust:
As a teenager, going to our community library, whether to browse and take out a few books, or to join others in group discussion was always a very positive experience. A librarian who truly took an interest in helping teenagers through group discussion made a big difference in the lives of kids, me included. If B&N can somehow capture that same feeling, one that gives patrons a sense of belonging, a sense of community – then the selling of books becomes a more natural experience that one cannot always get when ordering from Amazon. I love my kindle and through membership of the New York Public Library, I have access to millions of books, but I still love to wander through B&N and other book stores, and hope they never go away. Should other chains follow suit? Yes, just as Deli’s cater to a local crowd, why not chains?
Read the entire article at Retail Wire:
The New Barnes & Noble Is Your Hipster Next Door
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