Barnes & Noble Nook

2009

Barnes & Noble was the largest book retailer in the U.S. and couldn’t simply sit back and let the Amazon Kindle e-reader take over the digital market. Coming from behind, Barnes & Noble released a slightly better e-reader with a nicer design that was waterproof and dustproof. But these improvements weren’t enough to break through to consumers who had a 2-year lead with the Kindle Fire.

Barnes & Noble did not understand that when it comes to keeping the customer happy, the physical device is secondary to a digital platform. But the last chapter has yet to be written. Barnes & Noble Nook is still on bookshelves, costing the company hundreds of millions in losses.

Additional info:

Forbes - Barnes & Noble's Big Problem -- and What to Do About It

Businessinsider - 4 Reasons Barnes & Noble's Nook Crashed And Burned

Nytimes - Barnes & Noble Weighs Its E-Reader Investment