The Online Insider Turns the Page on B&N.com - Try Amazon instead!
Written: Aug 04 '06
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Barnes and Noble is a fine bookstore. I like to browse the aisles there and love the fact that they've got comfy couches and good coffee in the store. It's a great experience. The reason it works is that the folks from B&N realized that buying books was a leisure experience. Once they figured that out, they designed their stores to match consumer intent.
So why is it that Barnesandnoble.com is relegated to second fiddle status for online book buyers? How come Amazon continues to out-rank and out-flank them at every turn? Clearly there is a first mover advantage that Amazon captured, but that has worn off with the passage of time. What else makes Amazon a better place to buy from than B&N?
It's really nothing more than the application of the same user intent studies that Barnes did so well with in their stores. Amazon knew that online buying was not leisure... it was based on available inventory (the long tail) and the speed and convenience that one could shop with. Amazon designed their site along this principle, and BandN did not. They've made some great steps forward, but they're still far behind. Amazon's relationship and knowledge about their customer far outstrips what Barnes has, so they can make online shopping a far more compelling experience.
Let's compare the two stores, and see where each succeeds and comes up short.
Homepage
Amazon's HP recognizes me when I arrive. The entire middle of the page is custom content about me, the industry that I work in, and past products that I've bought (which relates to future products I might buy).
BNs page is the same for everyone.
Edge: Amazon
Book Homepage
Let's not go into the personal store that Amazon creates for me, as that's not fair. It contains different products that B&N doesn't stock due to it's offline model. Let's instead check on the books aisle to see how that is different.
Amazon's book page contains works by Douglas Coupland, some children's books that I might want to buy, as well as business books that I might be interested in. This is the general book page without the customized results. If I check that page, it has extremely relevant results on new books that I might want to buy.
B&N's book page is as general as the store's front. It has reference titles and easy reading books for summer as well as some pulp fiction books that I might be interested in.
Edge: Tie (discounting the personal page that Amazon creates).
Site Search
Searching the two sites for a random book "Elegant Universe" provides me with a fairly similar list of products from each site. Amazon comes back with 64 books and Barnes 55, but both sites list the searched for item first, so they're each valid.
Edge: Tie
Consumer Site Experience
Now let's start down the purchase path and see who does a better job there.
Each page has good information from the book's publisher about the book. Amazon does a much better job showing me what their customers think of the book, which I value as a user. Amazon saves the book in an area on the site that travels with me as I browse in case I'd like to add it to my cart later. BandN does not.
Each site lets me add the book to my cart with a single click. Amazon let's me check out with one-click ordering, if I choose to. BandN can't do this, as Amazon patented it to prevent them.
Both sites show me what users that bought this particular book liked, but Amazon has a much better presentation (full text, images). Amazon also shows me what consumers bought after viewing but NOT buying this item, which is interesting. However, Amazon shows ads from overture on their product pages, while Barnes does not.
After adding this to your shopping cart, both sites do a good job of upselling you more items to gain free shipping. Both deal with the possibility of this item being a gift and the wrapping and note that would then accompany it.
Both want the user to create a profile, but it's not clear what BandN actually does with this information. Amazon certainly uses it to provide value back to the consumer.
Edge: Amazon
Shipping Policy
Both sites have fairly intricate shipping policies that they've posted. I won't try to compare them, as it would cost years and millions of lives to do so. But both companies offer FREE shipping if the order contains more than $25 of qualifying items. Free shipping items will arrive within the week if they are in stock.
Edge: Tie
Customer Service
Again it's not fair to compare, as Amazon invested millions of dollars in this business. I've tussled with each company, but Amazon does a far better job.
Edge: (Not even close) Amazon
So why would I shop here? Well, for one thing, I get a ton of BandN giftcards at Christmas. And curiously, Barnes has a better inventory of Karaoke titles than what I've found a Amazon. In my last go round with BarnesandNoble.com, I bought a Tom Jones karaoke disc that was delivered within 1 week to my door. I had no problems with the site, and the price was right (gift card!).
The Insider's Bottomline:
Amazon beats BandN soundly online. If you're shopping offline though, Barnes and Noble Bookstores are an excellent destination!
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Tom Jones Greatest Hits Cd&G
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Member: Brian H
Location: Northeast
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