By Andria Cheng
Barnes & Noble Inc. may find it difficult to compete with
the likes of Amazon.com Inc. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on price, but
it has something its bigger rivals don't have--deep relationships
with authors and publishers.
And it is hoping to use that to its advantage in the key Black
Friday sales war this weekend. More than 100 authors, from George
W. Bush and Hillary Clinton to EL James and Dan Brown, have signed
at least 5,000 copies of their books. In total, 500,000 signed
copies targeting all ages will be offered for sale at the company's
650-plus stores from Friday to Sunday, the traditional kickoff of
the holiday season.
"It certainly is an in-store traffic driver," said Mary
Amicucci, the company's vice president of adult trade and
children's books, in an interview. Authors weren't paid for the
effort, she said.
The idea was first mooted in February, when her team was
discussing the lessons from last holiday season and working on a
game plan for this holiday, Ms. Amicucci said. Barnes & Noble
made the first request to the publishing community in April and
broadened its scope after a "hugely enthusiastic" response.
"We learned if we create something unexpected, that'll be a key
driver," Ms. Amicucci said.
Driving traffic and sales to stores, which still account for the
bulk of the company's business, is crucial as same-store sales,
excluding Nook-related sales, have declined for seven straight
quarters, and are expected to drop again in the next two quarters,
Retail Metrics data showed. Barnes & Noble is planning to spin
out its money-losing Nook business next year.
"It's a good idea and a way to differentiate themselves," said
Retail Metrics President Ken Perkins. "But I'm not sure it will
move the needle in a meaningful way."
Ms. Amicucci declined to detail other plans for the season, but
said one key initiative is to make the company a destination for
gifts of all kinds. Its list of 10 "most inspired" gifts includes a
craft beer kit and a USB turntable. The company is placing classic
book titles and contemporary books on the same tables, to reflect
the perspective of the gift giver. That is instead of the
traditional display by genres, she said.
"We do intensive analysis and use marketing intelligence, plus
what our customers are telling us," she said. "Our report card is
sales."
Barnes & Noble declined to comment on the size of its
nonbook business. Toys and games sales have outpaced the company
average, and helped stem a decline in book sales and traffic.
Write to Andria Cheng at andria.cheng@marketwatch.com
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