Why John Malone does not want to buy Barnes and Noble?

Bloomberg reported yesterday that "Liberty Media Corp., controlled by billionaire John Malone, invested $204 million in Barnes & Noble Inc. (BKS) after dropping its offer to acquire the largest U.S. bookstore chain"

So why did Malone decide not to buy B&N and purchase only 17 percent of the company's stock (at $17 a share)? Here are few possible answers:

1. He finally understood that B&N has become a risky business operating in a volatile environment.

2. He understands that B&N is still mostly a brick and mortar retailer and as such is very vulnerable to the changes in the book industry, from the rise of e-books to increasing competition from discount retailers such as Wal-Mart (Just a reminder: Comparable store sales at its consumer bookstores fell last quarter 2.9% amid a decline in trade books).

3. He knows that B&N has no winning strategy on how to transform its 700+ stores from a liability into an asset. Apparently he doesn't know it either.

4. He learned the lessons from Borders' bankruptcy and liquidation.

5. All replies are correct.

So why does Malone invest $200 million at B&N? I guess he believes this way he is limiting his risks this way and gives himself a ticket to the world of digital reading, tablets and other future gadgets that will take control of our life in the near future.

On Bloomberg, Bill Kavaler, a New York-based analyst at Oscar Gruss & Son Inc., is quoted saying:

“John Malone likes to buy low-cost calls on interesting potential and ideas and Barnes & Noble is interesting as the only national book chain that’s standing,” Kavaler said. “For $200 million, he’s got a shot at seeing what happens.”

Well, I am not sure if this $200 investment is a cheap bargain. We'll have to see about it. As of today, Friday's stock price of $9.98 results in a $80 million paper loss for Malone.

In any event, there's no doubt this is still a very risky investment - not only because of the stores, but also because on the digital side of the business B&N competes with companies that are more technological oriented and have deeper pockets, such as Amazon and Apple.

We hope Malone won't regret it. We'll keep updating you on it.

You can check our updates on Barnes and Noble Bankruptcy Index on our website.

You can also find more resources on the future of bookstores on our website at www.ecolibris.net/bookstores_future.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you buy!

Amazon is moving forward to become a publisher - Is it good or bad for publishers and readers?

The New York Times has a story today on the growing efforts of Amazon to publish books. Amazon is for a long time much more than a book seller, but apparently its efforts to establish itself as a publisher are getting many publishers and other players in the book industry worried. Amazon, they fear is becoming too big and too strong and will be able soon to take bigger and bigger bites out of the market.

According to the article Amazon publishing books is not news as it has been publishing books for several years. Its efforts went up several notches in visibility when it brought in the longtime New York editor and agent Laurence Kirshbaum three months ago as head of Amazon Publishing, but this is not the news either. The news is that Amazon announced yesterday that Amazon Publishing's made its first major acquisition - it has signed Timothy Ferriss, the wildly popular self-help guru for young men.

Ferriss, the press release added is author of the #1 New York Times best sellers "The 4-Hour Body" and "The 4-Hour Workweek". He will publish with Amazon Publishing the next book in his "4-hour" series, "The 4-Hour Chef."

Ferriss explained that "My decision to collaborate with Amazon Publishing wasn't just a question of which publisher to work with," said Tim Ferriss. "It was a question of what future of publishing I want to embrace. My readers are migrating irreversibly into digital, and it made perfect sense to work with Amazon to try and redefine what is possible. This is a chance to really show what the future of books looks like, and to deliver a beautiful experience to my readers, who always come first. I could not be more excited about what we're doing."

On the NYT article Ferriss added two interesting observations:

"Amazon has a one-to-one relationship with every one of their customers. You can just imagine the possibilities that opens up.”

and

“The opportunity to partner with a technology company that is embracing publishing is very different than partnering with a publisher embracing technology."

Basically, Ferriss is saying that Amazon is better geared to be a publisher in the digital age than other publishers, providing readers a better reading experience and authors with better chances to sell more books. Is it true? It's not clear yet, but Amazon's technological capabilities and customer engagement experience give them a substantial advantage in the age of multi-reading platforms.

Should publishers be worried? Yes and No. Yes, because Amazon can create value for authors publishers can't and authors know it. No, because publishers also have added value and experience and if they will know to adjust themselves to the new technological demands of the market and readers they can still give Amazon a good fight.

Bottom line: Although this step might make publishers' life more difficult, it has the potential to move everyone forward and eventually readers will only benefit from it, as they will have more options and enjoy an enhanced reading experience.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant trees for your books!

My article today on Triple Pundit on the new recycling offers coming from Apple

Here's an update on a new article I published today on Triple Pundit on the new additions to Apple's reuse and recycling program.

The article is entitled "Apple Will Recycle Your Old PC for Free". Here's the first paragraph of the article:

Last week Apple announced it is expanding its reuse and recycling options to computers from any manufacture. According to AppleInsider, if your product qualifies for reuse — meaning it has monetary value — you’ll receive an Apple gift card equivalent to its fair market value. If your product does not have a monetary value, Apple will recycle it at no cost to you. The website MacRumors reports that Apple also expanded its trade-in program to allow users to send in their used iPhone and iPad devices for gift cards.

To read the full article go to http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/08/apple-recycle-computer-free-ewaste/

Links to other articles I wrote for Triple Pundit can be found at http://www.triplepundit.com/author/raz-godelnik/

Image credit: Ron Wiecki, Flickr Creative Commons

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant trees for your books!

Reduced Load Ballistics Research Manual has joined the 100 trees Project!

Are you into guns? I don't talk about shooting necessarily, but more about interest in high accuracy loading, ammunition design, safety and science behind reduced noise and recoil loads. If this is your cup of tea, you'll have a great interest in the new book 'Reduced Load Ballistics Research Manual' by Tom Halstead, AAGSR. We're also happy to update you that this great book has just joined the "100 Trees Project"!

This joint program was launched by Infinity Publishing, a leading self-publishing company together with Eco-Libris to promote environmental sustainability among its authors. Through the program, authors that publish with Infinity are able to plant 100 trees for the title they publish. These authors also have the option to add a special "100 trees planted for this book" logo to their book's design, as a way to showcase their commitment to environmental sustainability.

What's this book is about?
AAGSR's Reduced Load Manual is a groundbreaking research report on gallery loading, reduced ammunition loads, and unique new low and displaced sound signature technologies. It is the culmination of 5 years of testing at Smith Tactical Labs, emphasizing ballistic acoustics and load variances. Packed with tips for future research and intriguing new load technology possibilities, the study is equally applicable to home based individual research contributors, reloaders and gunsmiths, as it is to professional ballistics research labs.

Reduced Load Ballistics Research Manual is available for sale on Infinity's website.

Other books on the "100 Trees Project":

My Name is Grace

The Last Original Idea: A Cynic's View to Internet Marketing

Buffalo on the Ridge by Deanna Meyer

What Love Is...A-Z by by Elle Febbo

Raven Wings and 13 More Twisted Tales

Ishift- Innovation Shift

Good Management is Not Firefighting

Play on Words

This is Your Brain on God

DRIVEN! Remembrance, Reflection, & Revelation

X-POSED: The Painful Truth Behind Yoga & Pilates

Last Male Born: Revenge

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!

What's the best way to read a book? Nick Bilton compares the Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone and a paperback

Nick Bilton is writing great pieces on the New York Times, many of them related to our favorite subject - books. This week he writes about another favorite subject of ours - the multiple options you have today to read a book, from the Kindle and smartphones to good old paperback. In other words - what's the best format to read a book?

As he mentions this question becomes no less important than the question what book to read as we have a growing number of options available.

So Bilton went out and checked couple of popular options: The Amazon Kindle, the first- and second-generation Apple iPads, the Barnes & Noble Nook, an iPhone, a Windows Phone, a Google Android phone, a Google Android tablet and a laptop computer. Oh, and yes, he also compared it with reading on a paperback.

How he did it? He bought a book, “The Alienist,” by Caleb Carr, and read a chapter on each format. He's sharing his experience on this piece and you're welcome to read it all, but here are just couple of conclusions from his non-scientific yet so realistic experience:

1. Reading on the Amazon Kindle is a joy in many respects.

2. If you don't want distractions or you're the type that it's easy to destruct don't use a tablet, or otherwise you'll soon find yourself "sucked into the wormhole of the Internet and a few games of Angry Birds."

3. The Barnes & Noble Color Nook ($250) does allow you to surf the Web, but it is a little slow, though, and that sometimes frustrated Bilton. In other words, if you want to surf use the iPad 2, and if you don't use the Kindle. Nook's effort to provide you the advantages of both worlds is not really working.

4. Regular mobile users should be fine - "Despite the small screen on a mobile phone, I find reading on one to be simple and satisfactory. Maybe this is because I have become accustomed to mobile screens, using them for hours at a time to check the news, sift through e-mail and navigate social networks." One comment - I still have a feeling that reading a book on your mobile device is so much fun for your eyes, so be good to your eyes (you can't really replace them, right?) and just use a tablet or an e-reader.

Finally, Bilton says "but if money is tight, go for print. My used paperback cost only $4." He just forgot another option, even cheaper - taking it in your local library, either in a paper or an electronic format. Not only it's cheaper, it's even greener!

Photo: Nikkorz, Flickr Creative Commons

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant one tree for every book your read!

Dr. Anne Hallum of AIR receives the J. Sterling Morton Award from the Arbor Day Foundation

We are very proud of our three planting partners, RIPPLE Africa, SHI and AIR, who are doing a great job fighting both deforestation and poverty in developing countries. We feel even more proud when we hear about another award or recognition they received that is joining the long list of awards they already have.

So it is our pleasure to update you that Dr. Anne Hallum of the Alliance for International Reforestation (AIR) was presented with the J. Sterling Morton Award, the highest honor given by the Arbor Day Foundation!

Award winners according to the Arbor Day Foundation are recognized for their leadership in the cause of tree planting, conservation,and environmental stewardship.

Congratulations to Dr. Hallum! She definitely deserves it for her ongoing efforts and endless work at AIR. Just to remind you, only last February she has been named one of CNN’s 2011 Heroes!

Here's more about why the Arbor Day Foundation awarded her with the prize (from their website):

Anne Hallum of the Alliance for International Reforestation (A.I.R) in DeLand, Fla., was presented with the J. Sterling Morton Award, the highest honor given by the Arbor Day Foundation. Hallum founded her nonprofit organization to help people in Guatemala by establishing a better, more sustainable quality of life through tree-planting.

The Morton Award is named after J. Sterling Morton, who founded Arbor Day in 1872.

Under Hallum's direction and guidance, the Alliance for International Reforestation has been educating residents in Guatemala and Nicaragua since 1993, working with 25 to 30 villages at a time, each for a period of five years. The staff (all native residents) educates indigenous volunteers about proper tree-planting and agroforestry that will provide sustainable farming as well as protection from frequent and dangerous mudslides. Through proper tree-planting, mountainside erosion is controlled and mudslides are avoided during the harshest of storms.

The native trees planted by local volunteers and farmers help preserve important forests, which have a tremendous impact on the villages. These trees improve nutrition for people and livestock, provide animal habitat, clean the air, protect local water, supply firewood, shade homes and fertilize crops. A.I.R. has worked with more than 110 villages in rural Guatemala and Nicaragua, adding more than 3.7 million trees to the region's rain forest.

You can find more information on AIR at http://www.air-guatemala.org/

Photo credit: Arbor Day Foundation

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read

Independent bookstores find ways to compete in the digital age, but will it save them?

Yesterday I read an interesting article on JSOnline ("Independent bookstores find ways to compete in the digital age") describing some of the challenges of indie bookstores as well as the strategies they employ to overcome these challenges.

These strategies are mostly based on finding ways to offering "enough extra value and a sense of community." This is a very good strategy, which is utilizing the indies' best strengths, but the question to be made is - will this be enough? My answer is - probably not.

The reason is that even though "book club meetings, appearances by bestselling authors, discounted books for students" are all good ideas and provide customers with benefits they're not substantial enough for most readers to outweigh the easiness of ordering book online or the better price they'll probably get on an online store. And we haven't mention the purchase of e-books, where there isn't much incentive for readers to go online to their favorite indie and purchase an ebook there.

In any event, readers need more incentives. It might be not fair to demand it from indie bookstores or even from Barnes & Noble, but this is the reality and we need to face it.

Just read this part out of the article:

"I'm a book lover," Thiel said, adding that the Borders closings saddened her. She travels to Milwaukee often, she said, and had shopped at the Borders store on Brown Deer Road.

If brick-and-mortar bookstores no longer existed, she said, "you no longer can browse the bookstore shelves and find that hidden gem. You can't do that online." Yet Thiel buys books from Amazon when the online seller offers a percentage discount and she also buys e-books for her iPad.

So the bottom line is that price and convenience win almost every time or enough to keep too many readers at home buying their books online. If independent bookstores want to win this war they need to find a way to offer more convenience and even more important - better prices. The later can come for example from collaborations with other local businesses that can provide discounts that customers will appreciate and take into consideration when deciding if they want to make the trip to their nearest indie bookstore.

You can find more resources on the future of bookstores on our website at www.ecolibris.net/bookstores_future.asp

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: Plant a tree for every book you read!