I always loved RS when growing up. The problem they solved for me was simple. I needed a cable or other small esoteric part. They had it. I could get it that day and get to work.
The issue is they charged $20 for a cable that you could now buy from Amazon for $1. I know people who would buy the cable from RS for $20, order it on Amazon, wait the 7-9 days for it arrive. Then return the $20 cable to $RS.
Basically, their core purpose disappeared. Amazon has killed them much the same way they killed Border's.
It almost did. It on this quarter turned a profit, the first since 2010. And it is surviving by diversifying from books. It's also the last remaining national book retailer.
Someone has to be last I guess. And BN has done a few things to stay relevant. They have the Nook, which is a decently popular e-book platform. I think ultimately they will go under though, or at least close up their retail stores. The demographic that likes to shop for physical books at a bookstore is an aging one.
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I always loved RS when growing up. The problem they solved for me was simple. I needed a cable or other small esoteric part. They had it. I could get it that day and get to work.
The issue is they charged $20 for a cable that you could now buy from Amazon for $1. I know people who would buy the cable from RS for $20, order it on Amazon, wait the 7-9 days for it arrive. Then return the $20 cable to $RS.
Basically, their core purpose disappeared. Amazon has killed them much the same way they killed Border's.
What's stopped Amazon from killing Barnes and Noble?
It almost did. It on this quarter turned a profit, the first since 2010. And it is surviving by diversifying from books. It's also the last remaining national book retailer.
Someone has to be last I guess. And BN has done a few things to stay relevant. They have the Nook, which is a decently popular e-book platform. I think ultimately they will go under though, or at least close up their retail stores. The demographic that likes to shop for physical books at a bookstore is an aging one.