The belled tolled for our good old friends at Barnes and Noble yesterday. Sure it wasn’t a death knell for the company but it was for its growth. When B&N reported that its estimates for this year were, well, less than rosy, investors pounced sending the stock some 10% lower. That’s around $300 million in value - evaporated.

I almost didn’t post this, because I hammer them into the ground every time we hear these sad stories, Borders too. I repeat again:

Big box sellers only opportunity for significant growth in this decade is through online sales via a third party marketplace system.

Wake up people!

Previous rants:
Did the Riggio brothers fail B&N

Barnes and Noble’s used booksellers

Without an online presence Borders will stagnate

Below are my “Winners and Losers” for 2006 of the online bookselling world.  Taken from the independent booksellers bias, of course.  Send me your comments, if you have any.

WINNERS:

Abebooks - Stays strong without Amazon/Half, Buys into LibraryThing, Launch of BookFinder in UK, Creates innovative textbook marketing
Amazon - Despite taking it to sellers on shipping, sales are way up and it continues to support its used marketplace by making used book selection and prices clear on its own listings page.
The Art of Books - Continues to rock the inventory management world

LOSERS:

Big box chain stores - Both Barnes and Noble and Borders spent another year without improving their online presence.
Alibris - Sold off to private investors, No Half.com integration, CEO touts e-books on his personal blog, Elevates some sellers over others
Chrislands - Technology is making it easier and easier for doing it yourself, prices will need to come down to offer bookseller’s real value.

Alibris publishes official press release for Alibris UK…
Find a USPS mailbox…
Barnes and Noble Employees’ Irrevrent Online Journal…
Professionalism in the book trade…