If I’m being completely honest, I’m surprised it took them this long to make this decision. The Nook business has not been profitable almost from the get-go. That isn’t to say that the devices are lower quality than the Kindle or other eReaders, because I don’t believe that to be the case.
The Nook store will remain in the US and UK for the time being, but I can foresee a future in which the Nook store no longer exists at all. Let me throw around some knowledge for a second. Did you know that Barnes and Noble fairly recently spun off its Nook business? And did you know that Barnes and Noble’s print (brick and mortar stores) is actually profitable today? No, well it is.
I understand why the UK and US Nook stores will remain operational, because they serve a purpose even if they don’t make money. They keep Amazon somewhat at bay. Somewhat. But if I owned a Nook device in the US or UK and heard about this announcement, I’d go ahead and get myself a Kindle. Because I think we all know what’s coming.
What do you think of Barnes and Noble closing its international Nook store? Have you ever read on a Nook device?
On this day in 2014 I published Why I Think NaNo Anything is Dumb.
Johnny Reads 
My husband has a Nook, and prefers it over the Kindle. If B&N was smart, they’d go after the subscription-market writers that Amazon just alienated with their Unlimited program changes. They could make a huge market play on the basis of “We are a book store… not a one-stop-for-everything…therefore, we care about authors.” All they’d have to do is offer reasonable compensation on a competing product for self-pub authors. Instead, they shutter another door. I think it’s short-sighted, and another nail in their coffin, sadly.
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Wait, are you saying that Barnes and Noble should offer a subscription service AND embrace self publishing in order to better compete with Amazon? I would disagree with that completely, if that’s indeed what you meant. Amazon has a subscription service and a million other things, what does Barnes and Noble have?
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I have a nook which I don’t use. Sadly, the platform is a little lacking in my opinion.
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How is it any different from any other eReader? I’ve played around a little bit on these devices, and I’ve been impressed.
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I can’t say I’m surprised. While I adore Barnes & Noble as a bookstore, I never liked their Nook. I have a Kindle (which you know I never use), and before I bought it, I researched both Nook and Kindle extensively and never could wrap my mind around a Nook. My sister has one and I actually hate it. Sorry, Barnes & Noble! I’m sure it’s a matter of time before they get rid of Nook altogether. Unless they come up with something brilliant to take some of the spotlight off Amazon and the Kindle.
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Same. Although I have no issue with a Nook-less world. Amazon basically created the eBook market and it’s not their fault that other companies have failed to adequately adapt. I think the Nook will be gone by 2020. But that’s okay because Barnes and Noble is doing good print business for the time being.
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