B&N sales up in 2022

In the US, sales at chain bookseller Barnes & Noble (B&N) in 2022 were ‘very comfortably’ above pre-pandemic levels, reports Publishers Weekly (PW).

CEO James Daunt told PW 2022 was the retailer’s best year since he took over in 2019, which he acknowledged wasn’t surprising given store closures during the pandemic. Book sales last year rose over 2021, helped by strong sales of fiction and manga titles. Book sales also accounted for a larger share of sales compared to the previous year, with Daunt adding B&N is revamping its gift offerings and replacing things that ‘don’t belong in a bookshop’—such as ‘fluffy items’ like blankets—with items tied to print and reading.

B&N’s ebook sales rose due to increased interest in romance titles and the release of new Nook ereaders. An audio subscription B&N introduced during the holidays is ‘doing nicely’, while B&N has also started powering Macy’s online bookstores.

The increase in sales in 2022 came despite a disappointing December, due to winter storms across much of the country just before Christmas. ‘We had to close many stores on the busiest shopping days of the year,’ Daunt said. Despite Prince Harry’s Spare boosting January sales, Daunt is concerned about the state of nonfiction. ‘We have been talking internally about how to do nonfiction better,’ Daunt said. ‘It is a weakness in the business; [as booksellers] we can present books more intelligently.’

Category: International news