Barnes and Noble 1999 Annual Report Download - page 29

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Barnes & Noble.com has capitalized on the recognized brand
value of the Barnes & Noble name to become the second
largest, and one of the fastest growing, online distributors of
books. Customers can choose from millions of new and
out-of-print titles and enjoy a variety of related content such
as author chats, book synopses and reader reviews. The site
also offers thousands of bargain books discounted up to 91
percent, the most popular software and magazine titles, as well
as gift items for every occasion. Barnes & Noble.com recently
launched its Prints & Posters Gallery, a unique collection of
images that can be produced on demand on museum-quality
canvas or high-quality paper, and its eCards service, an exclusive
selection of greeting card images that can be personalized
and enhanced with animation and music. With access to
Barnes & Noble’s more than 750,000 in-stock titles, Barnes
& Noble.com has the largest standing inventory of any
online bookseller ready for immediate delivery. The URL
http://www.bn.com makes the site easy to find. The Barnes &
Noble.com affiliate network has more than 300,000 members
and maintains strategic alliances with major Web portals
and content sites, such as AOL, Lycos and MSN. Barnes &
Noble.com is also a leader in business-to-business e-commerce
with its unique Business Solutions program.
Barnes & Noble further differentiates its product offerings
from those of its competitors by publishing books under its
own imprints for sale in its retail stores and through Barnes &
Noble.com’s online and direct-mail book sales. With publishing
and distribution rights to over 2,000 titles, Barnes & Noble Books
offers customers high-quality books at exceptional values,
while generating attractive gross margins.
On October 28, 1999, the Company acquired Babbage’s Etc.,
one of the nation’s largest operators of video game and
entertainment software stores. As a result of the acquisition,
the Company currently operates 526 video game and
entertainment software stores located in 47 states and Puerto
Rico. The Company’s video game and entertainment software
stores range in size from 500 to 5,000 square feet (averaging
1,500 square feet) depending upon market demographics.
Stores feature video game hardware and software, PC
entertainment software and a multitude of accessories.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS continued
1999 ANNUAL REPORT
28