A year ago, there was little control over the choice of book at John Radford’s Idho Funds, Idaho-managed Barnes and Noble stores. New York officials decided which title to carry. The retailer’s 600-plus stores were expected to follow that blueprint.
Mr. R. Dford stockpiled dozens of James Patterson and John Grisham books, although there was not much local demand. Most likely, he will have to return about half the inventory after a few months.
These days, he’s the one calling shots.
Led by Chief Executive James Duant, Barnes & Noble Inc. The strategy has been abandoned two decades ago which has made it a book-selling economics – a similarity, designed to create a scale economy and simplify the shopping experience. Instead, the company is empowering store managers to curate their shelves based on local tastes.
In recent months, Mr. Dont has once again cut the number of powerful employees who oversaw large groups of stores and fired about half of the company’s New York-based book buyers, powerful flavors makers, who decided which title store to keep. In the process, he has severed decades-old ties with publishers who paid to put his books in stores.
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