u/otter_759

I know the backstory for Barnes & Noble’s revival with the Waterstones guy turning things around, and while I think it is great that they have been able to open so many stores in recent years instead of closing or going bankrupt, I am truly perplexed by why it is doing so well.

The books cost near or at list price both in the store and online, so it’s not like it is offering savings compared to, say, an independent bookstore down the street. And with Amazon offering fast shipping within a couple of days (or even same day or within hours), it is much more expensive. For instance, a new hardcover of Yesteryear is $14.99 on Amazon, half the price of the $30 it costs at B&N in the store.

Is it catering to impulse purchases? A new one opened near me, and while I go to browse, I can’t stomach paying $20 for a paperback or $30+ for a hardcover.

Are any of you regular B&N customers and willing to share why you shop there instead of an independent bookstore if the prices are comparable vs. Amazon where it is much cheaper?

EDIT: I am sorry but I tried to keep up with the comments but I am going to have to mute this post because I wasn’t expecting more than a thousand comments in four hours! I can’t keep up. Thank you all for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you taking the time to reply! It seems like most of the reasons boil down to the experience, being able to avoid Amazon, lack of an independent store nearby or better selection, and that B&N is great for kids’ toys and gifts!

I have an upcoming international flight and am going to stock up on some treats beforehand instead of getting ripped off at the airport. What is your favorite candy to eat on a long flight? I may add it to my shopping list!

Is there anything better than picking up a book by a new-to-you author, really enjoying it, and then seeing that this author already has 20+ other books available for you to also read right away?

I am just finishing up Across the Vanishing Sky by Catherine Cowles and am thrilled to see that she has several completed series out already along with a few standalones ready for me to binge read. I am in instant gratification heaven and happy I don’t have to wait several months or a year or more to read another book by her.

What are some of your favorite authors who already have several books published? (Let’s say ~10+)

Can we please discuss how to best wash bathing suits since it is a summer? Mine all say to handwash, which I believe is due to the elastic, but I never feel like handwashing gets things quite as clean as machine washing.

Do you have any tips for effective products and strategies? (I swim in a lake instead of in a pool, so chlorine isn’t a factor.)

I am comfortable going to the movies for a matinee on my own, but not an evening showing.

I am comfortable getting takeout from a restaurant, but not dining at the restaurant alone.

I am comfortable running in a race on my own, but not attending a sporting event like a basketball game on my own.

I signed up for a cooking class but it ended up making me feel awkward because you share a table with others and everyone came with other people they know except for me. I wish I had known that that type of activity typically attracts groups instead of solo people. 😕

What are some activities you participate in by yourself where you may be surrounded by others in couples or groups?