TGIF, WG2E-Land Peeps!
A few weeks ago – for the third time in my Indie Epublishing Career – I had yet another very disappointing experience with a Barnes & Noble Store regarding participating in a Book Signing Event…this time, for one of their on-site Writers’ Conference Stores (a conference, btw, that I VIP Sponsored).
For the record, I don’t normally even bother asking B&N Stores to do signings anymore, but I did, this time, because I was VIP Sponsoring this event and thought that because I was now one of their Top 100 Bestselling Authors that perhaps that might mean something.
Yep, I’m a dumb ass. 
Here’s the scoop from my conversation with one of their Community Relations (CR) Managers:
CR: “…but you just write Ebooks…I don’t understand what you could offer for our on-site conference store…”
These people just don’t have a clue how to reach readers or treat authors. It’s really quite sad for the entire B&N culture.
***Note: It’s no different down there than up here (at our Barnes and Noble stores along the fabulous shores of Lake Michigan). They have no clue that if it wasn’t for all of us Nook Authors, none of them would have jobs left. The fact that Nook kiosks now have all the prime real estate in the front of their stores must not have sunken in. They just don’t get it.
It’s Your Turn, WG2E-Land: What kinds of out of the box and out of the bookstore Ebook Signings are you doing?
The Best of Beyond Brick and Mortar Store Ebook Signing Wishes — D. D. Scott
P.S. No worries either on convincing them to let me sign. I don’t need their brick and mortar stores to sell to over 50,000 of their customers in the last 10 months. LOL! I just thought it would be out of the box, very forward thinking, and rather survivalist in nature for them to embrace the future for authors in an innovative way at conferences and their stores by having Indie Authors sign too (Indie Authors who happen to be their Top 100 B&N Bestsellers, in my case). I can do a “Book” Signing anywhere – cell phone stores and groceries are starting to catch-on, for example – by just being at a table with all of my materials and dazzling the crowds with fun, free, fabulous “stuff!”
OMG, what are they thinking?????
Not thinking at all, are they, my friend?! LOL!
Is it too early to drink wine? Ooooo…not across the pond! Happy Hour early today!!!
amazing dee dee, and shows why you’re succeeding with your gumption! and talent
I’m not sure why I thought it would be any different this time I asked about being included in a signing, Adan. Sometimes, I’m just too silly like that, right?! LOL!!!
just keep plugging -
one day they’ll say, smiling, signally for someone to bring you a more comfortable chair and coffee from their cafe, “Oh there you are! We were hoping you’d come by and do us the favor of being at our signing!”
I don’t think they’ll ever make it to that point, Adan…that’s the rather sad part.
They have no clue how to be relevant to readers or authors anymore. And they’re not interested in that connection either.
And you’re sooo right in that I’ll keep on plugging…everywhere else! LOL!
This is why book and motor bookstores are going the way of the black and white TV.
No common sense.
I have a few names for them, but this is a family blog.
I’m shaking my head as I read this. And then, I can just imagine what they would say at the local bookstores here in Malta. It’s probably not even worth approaching them… But one day they will all wake up and see the light.
Hopefully they’ll wake up before they’re on the unemployment line, Natalie…but I highly doubt it. The entire corporate culture is just that bad! Sad, isn’t it?!
They have no clue that it’s about reaching readers in new and innovative ways…and they’ve got an entire new group of authors who know just how to do that!!!
There seems to be a HUGE disconnect between their Nook people and their brick and mortar stores. It feels like an us against them…and wow…in this world, that’s just damn dumb!!!
And they are still left scratching their heads, trying to figure out why sales are slumping. It is this same lack of forward thinking that has the newspaper industry drying on the vine.
Wake up world, technology is your friend and it is here to stay. Get used to it and embrace it.
Simply amazing!
Thank you for the report D.D.
U betchya, Don!
I debated about posting this, but I figured it would help many of you and perhaps save you from wasting time. Plus, it makes for fabulous Happy Hour conversation!
I gave up on B&N a long time ago after I went to several stores in a 100-mile radius and was treated rudely. My mysteries are published by a small publishing company, not one of the big six. One manager told me to come back when I “made it big.” FAT CHANCE!
Got my wine glass raised to you, Susan! Cheers to that!
At this point, I feel even approaching them is a waste of time. I could be spending time with my readers who love to hang with me!
Barnes and Noble is very adamant right now to cut their nose off to spite their face. 1) They’ve discontinued their affiliate program with many of the TOP traffic and revenue generating blogs and websites out of the blue at the beginning of July, after a number of back and forths on just stopping affiliate monies on ebooks, then not, etc. This is key for indies because our main manner of advertising is through reader blogs and sites.
2) In many locations, they’ve stopped story time and other reader events that every time I’ve gone, have been well attended.
3) Rather than meet Amazon toe-to-toe, which let’s face it, they COULD have done in wooing authors simply by offering a small corner of shelf space in the back next to the bathroom, LOL, they gave up. They put together a Nook First program that’s wonky and by invitation only rather than drawing a line in the sand that authors can choose Nook or Amazon. Instead, they laid down. So Amazon said you have to choose us, and Nook shrugged its shoulders.
4) Their website sucks. They’re having an extreme crisis of retail identity (ooh no, our paper boks aren’t selling as well, but our Nook books are… I KNOW, let’s slash retail space for our Nook counters and places for people to use their Nook in store and instead cram the retail space up with toys and games and stationary, and calendars, and backpacks, and oh some back to school supplies, and art supplies, and on and on and on…..)
I love my Nook Touch. First ereader I’ve ever owned. My Kindle Ad supported is not holding up as well (though it went through heavy use for the last 6 months). My next purchase will be a Kobo. I give B&N probably 2 more years before the financial house of cards collapses.
You nailed it right here, Elizabeth:
“They’re having an extreme crisis of retail identity (ooh no, our paper boks aren’t selling as well, but our Nook books are… I KNOW, let’s slash retail space for our Nook counters and places for people to use their Nook in store and instead cram the retail space up with toys and games and stationary, and calendars, and backpacks, and oh some back to school supplies, and art supplies, and on and on and on…..)…”
Instead of embracing and expanding upon their Nook author base which is not only making them money but keeping them alive period, they’re trying to focus on everything but that! Interesting psychological study, actually! LOL! It’s called Avoidance!!!
Great comment Elizabeth. And D.D. is so right ” if it wasn’t for all of us Nook Authors, none of them would have jobs left.” B&N seem to be TRYING to put themselves out of business.
It certainly does appear that their actions do nothing but hasten their demise, Anne. Well said!
Elizabeth,
You took the words right out of my mouth and did it so much better than I could have.
B&N stores seem to becoming gift and toy stores. It’s very sad.
Mitzi
I hadn’t looked at like that, Mitzi, but you and Elizabeth are spot on there. You would think that they’d remember Borders tried that and yeah, that didn’t work so well either.
Not surprising, D.D. I have to say that there are some wonderful CSMs at B&N (and every other bookstore chain, too) and some real stinkers. In the last two years, I’ve seen a huge shift away from having any sort of author event at bookstores. It’s much harder to get into stores for signings now. I’ve shifted most of my publicity time to online activities.
You’re right, Sara, totally not surprising!
But…I’ll be honest, I have yet to meet a wonderful CSM. I’ve always found them to be snotty and not very accommodating or interested in welcoming authors or doing much to make a signing event (Tradi or otherwise) fun and exciting.
And you’re absolutely right too in that our time is better spent focusing on online activities.
You’re not alone – I’ve heard of many other authors trying to do B&N a favor and having them deny the money they’d make by allowing you in. A group of local writers where I live is selling paperbacks at the town Farmer’s Market. That’s out of the box for sure!
Luuuvvv the Farmer’s Market approach. Tamara! And you don’t need paper copies to do that! You could do a fabulous table with fun tchochtkes about your books and postcards like my “First One is On Me” cards that I’m now using everywhere!
Wow! Selling books at a farmer’s market. Now that’s a marketing idea worth trying out, especially since I love shopping for food at FM’s.
I’m with you, JF! Me and my DH go every Saturday to ours too!
I’ve done one farmers market and it was a bust.
Did you have a Free Ebook offering at the market, Liz? All Ebooks? Paper Copies too?
What idiots. Your ideas for your event sounded great, D.D.! This does not surprise me. I haven’t tried doing anything with brick & mortar stores since I switched from print to ebook, but my experiences with B&N online have been frustrating. They refused to allow reviews from my backlist print book to be put on the page of my re-issued Indie ebook. And twice when I had problems with their site, they offered no help. They just have not embraced Indies in the way Amazon has.
Idiots indeed, Alicia!
Their loss…definitely not mine! It would have cost me a small fortune anyway…and I can “meet and greet” all those same customers online, and I do that every day, not just in a couple hour block of time.
I’ve always had the mentality that if you can’t beat ‘em, find one helluva new and exciting way to go around ‘em!
A store turning down a free offer. Wow. I never would have thought.
I love the Farmers Market idea. Once I have a few more titles out, I’ll try that since I sold five of my books at the last yard sale I had.
That’s exactly it, Diane, these brick and mortar stores aren’t thinking at all!!!
I’m with you…I think Farmers Markets could be a really fun avenue to explore!!!
Publishers and mega-booksellers are still under the delusion they can act as gatekeepers for the readers. They’re still prevalent even in writers circles … the ‘trad-pub v. indie-pub’ snotty mentality. But the fact is, my readers are coming to me directly through my blogs and ‘free content’ experimentation I’m directing them to the easiest sites to download the e-book (or POD) version of my books, which is Smashwords, then Amazon, then CreateSpace Direct for the POD. I love my Nook, but hate the fact I have to go through their ‘cloud’ and can’t manage my own books on my own e-reader using Calibre or another book management software program, so the next upgrade will NOT be a Nook.
They’re like some gigantic brontosaurus … muddling through the swamp completely unaware there’s a big fat Amazon Tyrannosaurus Rex and a few hundred smaller Indie bookstore velociraptors stalking them.
It is a very snotty mentality indeed…for example, when the CR told me I wouldn’t want to attempt to drive to their store, I literally choked because I was laughing that hard. Talk about absurd and just rude as hell! LOL!
I luuuvvv what you said right here:
“But the fact is, my readers are coming to me directly through my blogs and ‘free content’ experimentation…”
That’s what these brick and mortar stores just don’t get…
It is all about the direct connection between authors and readers. If they don’t get their heads out of their asses and foster those kind of connections, they should turn out the lights and lock their doors now…’cause it ain’t gonna be long till they can’t afford to keep the lights on and their doors open.
“They’re like some gigantic brontosaurus … muddling through the swamp completely unaware there’s a big fat Amazon Tyrannosaurus Rex and a few hundred smaller Indie bookstore velociraptors stalking them.”
I love your comparison. I’m still laughing.
D.D. ~ Wow, how disappointing. I wish I could say that it surprised me, but most people do not like stepping a toe outside comfort zones, (especially when that comfort zone involves a job and a poor economy). I do adore your approach and hope that some smart Indie Book Store managers will embrace the idea.
xx, Lauren
It didn’t surprise me either, Lauren, except for the surprise of just how damn dumb they really are! LOL!!!
I do think Indie Book Stores could really thrive if they embrace technology and begin to foster the author-reader connections that the big stores refuse to explore and embrace.
Wow, D.D.! This one tops the stories I’ve heard about B&N’s lack of marketing savvy.
Here’s a thought…I wonder if an electronics store would be open to your idea…to demonstrate how easily ebooks can be read on a variety of devices? BestBuy for example, sells Kindle, Nook, etc. Team up with a store techie who explains the equipment pros and cons, then load up your ebook. (The store can keep loading up your ebook long after you’ve gone “home”.) And, what a plus for customers to meet the author!
Luuuvvv the BestBuy idea, Monica! Well done, my friend!!!
Although, I do think The Zon will eventually do them in too. But they are a great avenue till then.
Darwinism at it’s best, DeeDee. This is why *some* retailers (i.e. Amazon) are thriving and some (i.e., B&N) are dying. Don’t get me wrong. I would like to see B&N survive. Really, really like it. But if they’re going to point the gun at their own heads and put Amazon’s finger on the trigger…well…really…
Darwinism indeed, Vickie! Well said!!!
And Amazon’s finger on the trigger equates to 5-time Olympic Skeet-Shoot Champion Kimberly Rhode!!!
It’s the “you just write Ebooks” that slays me. WTF?
Guess they don’t even know they sell Ebooks. Redefines clueless.
I had quite a few WTF?! Moments in this experience, Ruth! LOL!
Redefining clueless is sooo on it, my friend!!!
I wish I had tape recorded the call too because you all would just die at the tone the guy used! It was so absurd, it ended up being kind of cartoon kinda funny! It would actually make a great skit for some writers’ conference! Hell, I should produce it on YouTube!
Hi DD! Sorry you had that bad experience.
I can say happily that the Barnes and Noble in West Nyack, NY is very receptive. The Hudson Valley Romance Writers had what the store called ‘The Very First Nook Signing”. The first time was the Sunday before Valentines Day.
About 10 of us came armed with cover flats, bookmarks, pens, etc – oh and chocolate!
The management also provide slips of paper with our book titles and ISBN#s so the customer could bring it up to the cash register to buy the Nook book and they would be emailed the link to download.
We created a buzz and management was so happy they had us back for Mother’s Day – but this time we did a day long event with 2 authors at a time.
I don’t know how many sales I ultimately made from these 2 events (not many since my Nook sales don’t even compare to Kindle) but I met some great readers (who probably own Kindles – LOL)
This is wonderful to hear, Liz, and thanks bunches for sharing it! It sounds like your West Nyack, NY store “gets it!”
It would be wonderful to come up with a list of Indie Epub-Friendly Stores…in fact, we could create a page here at The WG2E to give those superfab stores a nice shout-out!!!
From the bookstore’s perspective, they (the actual store) makes money on the sale of the paperback books. I’ve done signings at B&N and work my butt off to sell my paperbacks since my partner talks to the managers frequently in our local stores to see what it is ‘they’ want to benefit from me signing there. I know the progression of ebooks is big, and that it funds a lot of their bookstore profit, but each store runs like a retail outlet. Unfortunately, they couldn’t see the bigger picture that you could have potentially made their audience and customre base larger for that day.
Great point, LM.
But, at the same time, they aren’t making money on paper books anymore, they’re losing big-time money on paper books. On the other hand, they’re making big-time money on Ebooks. So, that’s where their focus needs to be, if they want to keep their stores open and stay out of the unemployment lines.
Even if they don’t see the bigger picture of Ebooks, there’s no reason whatsoever for that kind of ‘tude when it comes to an author doing a signing, volunteering their own time and paying for it (’cause we all know the stores do NOTHING for signings).
Sounds like they don’t get that ebooks and their authors and readers are what make them. Knowing you, DD, you will bounce back and come up with something more clever and fun to do than that. When my first romance enovella is out, I plan to do a blog party and ask readers a question related to the book and reward the best answer with a prize relevant to the story. When a spooky anthology I hope to be in comes out later, I might travel around to local libraries with copies and promote it with postcards and if anyone wants to buy it, I can say I have a copy, it is £, you can buy it now. Maybe also have fun spooky prizes for the launch I have planned for that.
Libraries are really getting into the Ebook Scene now, Julie! Great point and great idea to partner with them!!!
And fun prizes always draw in readers!
U Go, Girl!!!
The times they are a changing:) Fun post DD:)
I thought you’d all get a kick out of this and learn a bit too!
Definitely a YouTube production, DeeDee! I’ve been a regular at my BN in CT for years. All of the front line folks manning the counters were so excited a few years ago when I told them I was writing YA books. Last year when I told them I’d self-published, I got that mortified stare that makes your toes curl in your Nike’s. When I approached them to do a signing, I got the shuffle and hand-off to a glaring and as you put it, “snotty” CSM who said “We DON’T DO self-published authors.” When I politely persisted, she said that it was required that they work directly with the publisher to set up a signing and it was only allowed for authors who have books on their shelves. I was like, “I AM the publisher. How much more direct contact can you get?” I also pointed out that since my book is available for print and they are selling it in their online store, there shouldn’t be any problem getting it ONTO their shelves. I got a definitive “Not interested” and she walked away. Do they train these people to be rude as well as narrow-minded?
I hear your pain and feel it, my friend!
At two of our local B&N’s where I’ve also been a great customer over the years, the CSMs actually stuck their noses in the air and sniffed as if I was covered in poo…
I think talking down to people is one of their training modules.
I love your spirit! As far as I’m concerned, you’re the best forward thinker our eWorld has! I’
following YOU!!!
~Nancy Jill
Awe shucks, Nancy! Thanks sooo much!!!
Nothin’ beats Writers Helping Writers Reach Readers!
And, working with B&N ain’t one of those ways! Lesson learned! LOL!
D.D., nothing gets a business’s attention like showing them that their *competition* will benefit from their bone-headedness. Tell them “OK, tell you what. I’m going to set up the same event at (insert local bookstore name here) and I’ll let you know how it goes.” If you can get other authors to do the same, even better! Vote with your feet! Walk away and let others know you’re doing it. Heck, contact the newspaper and let them know you’re doing it.
Now, I’ve not done this with my books, but I have voted with my feet and encouraged others to do so on several occasions. It’s amazing how much sudden attention you’ll get from those you’re walking away from (playing hard to get). And if you don’t, you probably don’t want their attention anyway, if they’re that ignorant.
Well said, Forrest!
And that’s exactly what I’ll be doing…starting with the fact that B&N will pick up on this post in their Google Alerts…if they are even savvy enough to use Google Alerts or care who’s talking about ‘em and what they’re saying…
I think I’d have given them a D.D. alert by quietly walking away and spending the next 15 minutes “sharing” my experience with my fellow patrons and handing them a postcard anyway…and knowing me-giving a slightly louder than necessary soliloquy on my way out the door. I just can’t handle arrogant ignorance.
LOL! Atta Girl, Sharie! But I won’t be wasting time in any of their stores anymore. When I have been in the stores lately, everyone is in the cafe, reading from their Nooks (iPads or Kindles too), the rest of the store is bare. Did you know that in some stores now, they limit how long you can sit at a table in the cafe part and read, if you don’t have their food?
Arrogant ignorance is one of my pet peeves too! If you’re a total dumb ass (and I’m being funny snarky here), I’m good with that and will help you anyway I can. But if you’re an arrogant dumb ass, you’re not getting anything from me.
Wow….I’m really surprised by this because my local RWA has held two successful Nook Book signings at the Barnes and Noble in Pallisades Mall, New York. Maybe the PR people should talk. Here’s a link to a blog post I did on how it worked and the outcome:
http://wendysmarcus.com/the-results-of-my-nook-book-signing/
By allowing us to educate customers to the wonders of e-books during our signings, Barnes and Noble can increase sales of their nook! There was talk of putting Nooks on our tables next time.
I hear ya, Wendy, and sooo agree with you! Unfortunately, there are more B&N’s that are Indie Epub un-friendly than friendly.
We sooo need to create a list of the friendly ones, don’t ya think? And give them a big ‘ole shout-out here on The WG2E!!!
Here is a teenie suggestion. Contact your local libraries. I’m slightly prejudiced toward libraries as I work at the one in my small town. I have my two books available at my local library in print form and I’ve connected with other libraries in the area to be a guest speaker for library ‘book chats’. The local library, D.D. and all, is a great resource, too, and a chance to connect with readers. Libraries aren’t selling anything, so they usually welcome authors who want to do book tours and chats. And a book chat is a great opportunity to leave flyers and bookmarks behind, too. I believe Stacey Joy Netzel has also had a few book chats at the libraries in her area.
I’ve been partnering with my local library since day one of my Indie Epublishing adventure, Lily, and they’re beyond supportive. In fact, it’s my partnership with them and after speaking at one of their regional library conferences early this summer that I decided to create a one-stop Ebook Store for them to buy our Indie Epubbed Books.
Here’s the scoop on that:
http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/the-wg2e-and-the-rg2e-are-rockin-readerships-with-a-revolutionary-indie-epub-author-and-public-library-partnership
I love the Farmer’s Market idea.
My DH whose books are on Amazon will probably be signing at a local fleamarket where he has lots of contacts. His books are westerns and he’s a shootist (in competition), so we’re planning on hitting (with books, not a gun) some of those competitions.
We were also contemplating the local fair but it costs $150 and you can sell anything. We could give out information but I’m not sure if we would get a good return for the $150.
But this has generated some great ideas.
Mitzi
Art Festivals are a fabulous option too, Mitzi! I’ve done several of those and had great results! In fact, even when I don’t have my own booth, I always hand all the artisans my cards, and I’ve watched ‘em download my books on the spot!
Recent news I’ve read on the web indicates B&N is losing money on their online Ebook business (mainly due to discounting the Nook Ereader). Contrary to the popular opinion on WG2E, they’re making a profit in print sales (article at Digital Book World). The store might have seen your initiative as a threat to their print business, although they do sell Nooks in-store.
Also, they might have been worried they’d offend their traditional authors (who tend to be a little touchy when it comes to Ebooks and Indie authors)
B&N is a good sales source for many of us, often better than Amazon. We shouldn’t judge them too harshly.
Let me tell you a personal anecdote that might change your mind about just how good B&N is to authors, Doug:
I used to work in one of the Big Six’s Returns Centers. A few Christmas seasons ago, when the economy really began to tank again, B&N sent truckloads upon truckloads of unauthorized returns to the centers because the TRUTH is they were NOT doing well at all on print sales, and figured if they cleared their shelves for returns credits (because they had no credit left with publishers), they could then afford to stock some of the new books.
This is still the case today. They return books much faster than they used to and in much higher quantities than they previously did in order to get credit on those returns so they can buy new books, which means your shelf life there is now even shorter!
And quite frankly, no author deserves the kind of treatment I’ve received (as well as countless other authors too)! It doesn’t matter who publishes your books. Because the bottom line is readers don’t care who the hell publishes a book so why should the book store.
And you can’t EVER rely on industry sales figures for anything!!! These guys are owned by shareholders…and those numbers are finessed to show what they need them to show each quarter. I know ’cause I used to help figure those totals from the returns end to make it look more or less profitable, depending on whether or not those numbers were for authors or shareholders.
And how would I OFFEND traditional authors by treating readers beyond terrific?!
Quite honestly, the fact TradiPub Authors are “touchy” about Ebooks and Indie Authors bothers me just as much as B&N’s behavior!
And one more point…I AM a Top 100 Bestselling B&N Nook Author, Doug. Not Nook…but B&N Nook.
I’ve mentioned in many posts here on The WG2E, that I now sell more on B&N Nook most months than on Amazon.
So why would B&N treat their top sellers like that?!
Nook’s site very heavily lets everyone know it’s part of B&N so why doesn’t B&N support ALL of its authors they’re making money on?
You buy Nook Books from BN.com. You get paid by The Pubit Team at Barnes and Noble.
I sell more for them than 95% of the authors on their shelves…
D.D, you raise some excellent points, gleaned from experience. I was only suggesting moderation in our criticism. But the fact remains that the majority of people have never been exposed to Ebooks or if they have, disdain them, preferring print to the Ebook experience. This is reflected in the relative sales figures.
For myself, I prefer Ebooks and with the rare exception of print copies of my books for my own personal use, I see Ebooks as the future of publishing. None of my books are offer for print to the general public.
However the person you encountered may be ignorant of the impact of Ebooks and Independent Authors to the industry. He or she certainly didn’t give you the respect you deserved, but perhaps the person responsible was acting out of ignorance.
Wg2E has a large following and therefore has a duty to help eliminate the continuous rhetoric. As Indie publishers (and collectively smarter than the herd) we should lead the way toward an accommodation that encompasses all of the industry because our ultimate success depends upon it.
I tried to do just that, Doug, but, for the third time, B&N slammed the door.
Ignorance is never an excuse for rudeness and having less than an open mind.
I’m more than willing to bridge the gap between the old guard and the new…otherwise, why would I have stuck my neck out again? And why would I work so hard to be available on all publishing platforms and help fellow authors?
This isn’t rhetoric. Everything I say and do is based on facts. I NEVER act on rhetoric. And I also question every fact…
Cheers to you and thank you for providing wonderful discussion points! U rock!!!
I think asking to do an eBook signing is a wonderful idea! I just came from my local B&N in Racine, Wisconsin. The next time I’m there I’m going to ask the manager if they would consider holding one. All they can tell me is no, right? And then I’ll know which category my local B&N falls under.
Atta Girl, Bettye!
Please let us know your results, and I’ll begin to compile our WG2E Indie Epub Author-Friendly List of B&N Stores!
I’ve been an author for 35 years. A best selling author. Of astrology books (of all things). Every time I have gone to a Barnes & Noble bookstore to inquire about my books’ sales, I have been met with blank stares from gum-chewing employees who haven’t read a book since they tore apart one of those plastic-covered loth things their mommy threw into their crib to shut them up.
It’s like the guy who works at Best Buy or Ross Dress for Less, they have nothing to gain from being receptive to an author. They could care less about much beyond their shamefully piddling paycheck and whatever benefits they are not getting.
They are not “engagés” in the store’s future. They are not curious about authors and they don’t give three hoots how many books you sold for Nook.
“What’s a Nook?” they may ask. Explain and enthuse about how much money you were able to get in royalties and they will only feel more resentment about being under the yoke.
Employee apathy is rife. We could outsell The Bible and the gum-chewing indifference among B&N’s staff would proceed unabated.
Suzanne White
Cheers, Suzanne White
Thanks bunches for sharing your experiences with us, Suzanne. It’s just sad, isn’t it? What I fear is that with their current economic challenges, it will get worse instead of better.
Here’s a thought.
I get the impression that B&N retail is a separate profit center from B&N online. This is evidenced by the online price for a paper book is often less than what they charge in the store. Even if you order for pick up in store online, you’ll get charged the retail price, not the online price. Since I’m a B&N member, which means free shipping, I almost always order books online from them rather than buying them at the store. And this can be after I’ve looked at the book in the store. Basically, their bricks and mortar stores are in competition with their web site.
Which may explain the apparent cluelessness of the CRM. She can’t connect the dots on how all the great stuff you’re doing is going to profit the store. You’re thinking of B&N as one entity. I might be totally off-base on this, but it’s my impression.
I’m truly sad about the state of B&N and don’t hold out much hope for the survival of their retail stores. Like others have said, they’re trying to be profitable with things that are not books. That’s not going to appeal to their core customer (me!). I love my original Nook, but I worry about my investment in ebooks (with DRM) because I’m not sure B&N will survive long term.
You’ve made a great point here, Elisa:
“Basically, their bricks and mortar stores are in competition with their web site.”
This very well could be the case, and their just too narrow-minded to join forces instead of keeping it old world vs new world.
I’m not necessarily defending them, but…
I can understand the in-store employee reluctance to be helpful or innovative with ebook events. The more the ereader displays encroach upon the print displays, the likelihood that staff will be reduced. In many ways, the success of ebooks threatens all of their jobs.
From my experience working at Nook release functions (and editing the speakers’ scripts), by what they have informed the press and other “important” figures in attendance, it seemed to me that the Nook branch is fairly distinct from the B&N Bookseller (print) branch of the company. It seemed almost as if the Nook side wanted to keep themselves just independent enough that they could continue on should B&N fall too low… and vice versa. I also got a bit of the impression that the “print” branch had a grudge against the “ebook” branch… (see my reasoning in previous paragraph).
All that in mind… I think that if they integrated more, if they put their heads together, they good draw out the best aspects of both options and thrive. It’s sad to see reports like yours, DD. My husband used to work in management of a B&N during college and a little after, and he liked it in a lot of ways. He would’ve been the type to brainstorm ideas with you, to jump on the ideas you shared. Several of his co-workers would have too. Sad to think that such innovative, creative, and even fun opportunities are overlooked.
Don’t they realize that the more excitement and fun they have in the stores for events and features like you tried to implement would bring more people in the store… people who may, yes, buy ebooks, but who also may still buy print books as well.
I still buy both, myself. Though, the ratio is starting to lean more and more heavily on the ebook side of the spectrum.
Anyways, thanks for the post. Good to know what I would be up against should such an idea or opportunity ever came my way.
Especially, I like the market idea. I’ve thought about it a bit myself. Maybe start a “NY Indie Author Cooperative Booth” or something. Back when we lived in Florida, I was a city event planner, and among the 86+ city events I helped coordinate & operate, many were various forms of markets (artist markets, farmers markets, jewelry markets, craft markets, combo markets, holiday markets). We had a couple authors and poets participate, but they were only selling print copies and usually with individual author booths. I bet I could help organize a repetitive booth for a group of indie authors’ print & digital books (another opportunity for one of my super detailed spreadsheets too, lol). There are lots of places to do in in NYC. Even the famous indie bookstore “Strands” has tables at Central Park. And with the baby on the way, it may be an alternate income boost source for me (as well as other participating authors).
Anyways, something to think about…
Thanks for the post!
Sorry to hear about this DeeDee. Sounds like they lost out big time!
I can happily report that not all B&N stores are clueless. Last year, I attended a signing by four indie authors at a local B&N (Seattle area). They had Gemma Halliday, H.P. Mallory, J.R. Rain, and H.T. Knight there. B&N had printed up and provided “cover flats” for all of them to sign and also had a couple folks there to demonstrate Nooks to the folks that didn’t have one yet. There was a quite a good crowd and it was a really fun event. That B&N store seemed to get that having indie authors there was good for business!