Why is Barnes & Noble so expensive? (Everything is known!)
Nothing beats a day with a cup of coffee in the bookstore.
But the other day I was at Barnes and Noble wondering why the prices are so high compared to other online retailers. So I looked into it and this is what I found…
Why is Barnes & Noble so expensive?
Barnes & Noble offers brick-and-mortar stores where shoppers can enjoy a real-time, non-virtual book buying experience. The cost of delivering this experience is higher than the online warehouse selection and buying process.
This article describes the Barnes & Noble bookstore experience: why it’s expensive, why it’s different, and what it’s worth.
Are Barnes & Noble good prices?
Whether Barnes & Noble offers reasonable prices depends on what you’re looking for, when you need it, and where you live.
For example, B&N charges reasonable prices for new books. But when Amazon or other online giants discounted the same books, Barnes & Noble didn’t respond with a price war. This is because they can’t afford it.
In addition to maintaining the actual store and warehouse, B&N also pays staff to manage and work. In addition to selling books (and coffee), they must also take care of and respond to employees’ needs and questions.
In turn, store employees should pay close attention to customer needs and meet their near- and long-term reading interests.
Some books are more expensive than others. This is unique to the publishing industry, not something chain bookstores can influence. So if you want an expensive publication, a hot sale and/or a book that is rare and hard to find, it will cost more.
Other books are exclusive to Barnes & Noble publications, such as the B&N Leatherbound Classics collection. These prices are very reasonable. However, if you’re dying to own one of these very unique decor books, and you don’t live in the U.S., you’ll be paying a fortune for the book and the international shipping that goes with it.
Do Barnes & Noble prices match?
Barnes & Noble believes they always offer very competitive prices on their items, many of which are unique to their brands and stores.
This means Barnes & Noble is already delivering the best value for its customers. Therefore, they cannot meet the requirement to match the price of a single product of a competitor seller such as Amazon.
Barnes & Noble states this price matching policy on its website.
Will Barnes & Noble be discounting?
Barnes & Noble offers regular and seasonal discounts to online shoppers, no matter where they live. If you have a B&N membership, you’ll get even more discounts. If you only shop in-store, the discounts offered there vary from store to store.
However, customers noticed that B&N often online The price of a book will be lower than its store price. One shopper said the store won’t offer a price that matches that because they might not know it.
Barnes & Noble stores are now managed individually rather than centrally. Encourage them to stock and sell at their own discretion.
So the shopper pointed out the difference between online and in-store pricing, and the staff checked it out and immediately matched him with the online price.
What are the benefits of a Barnes & Noble membership?
Barnes & Noble offers two membership types: Standard B&N Membership and B&N Kids Club.
Standard membership ($25 per year) will give you:
- Year-round members-only offer, valid both online and in-store.
- Free shipping on all orders, no minimum purchases
- 40% off hardcover bestsellers
- 10% off everything in store, including magazines and all cafe supplies
- Get special deals and sign up for events first – before everyone else
- Special gift for birthday (via email)
- 10% off the regular price of all NOOK equipment and accessories
B&N Kids Club (free membership) offers:
- 30% off any children’s book or toy
- Earn $5 for every $100 you spend on kids’ products online and in stores
- a birthday cake
How do I get a Barnes & Noble membership?
Joining the B&N Members Club is easy.Just visit their website and find Member page. This page lists all membership rewards and includes a sidebar, terms and conditions links, and FAQs.
If you scroll down, you will see a “Join Now” button and you must accept the terms and conditions. Note that there are exclusions that apply to some membership features.
If you click Join, you must create an account or log in (if you already have one). From there, you just follow the prompts to complete your membership.
Want to learn more about Barnes and Noble? Check out our related posts:
generalize
Shopping at Barnes & Noble isn’t a cheap basement experience. You don’t leave with a bag of books for a small sum of money.
B&N is a company now focused on providing customers with a highly satisfying and memorable book buying experience.
The experience isn’t cheap, but hopefully it’s worth it!
