When Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt says a bookstore sells “a better book” than Amazon, he means the experience of finding and buying it—not a different edition or a change to the book itself. His case, as reported by GeekWire in January 2025, is that browsing shelves and talking about books can make a physical bookstore visit valuable in its own right.
What Daunt means by “a better book”
Daunt’s phrase is a metaphor for the pleasure and social experience of shopping in a bookstore. “It’s the same book, but I promise you it’s a better book,” he told GeekWire, referring to buying a book in a bookstore. The claim is his opinion about the experience; it is not evidence that the physical copy differs from one sold online or that readers will enjoy it more.
That distinction matters when comparing Barnes & Noble with Amazon. They may sell the same title, but the route to choosing it is different: one can involve browsing a physical store and interacting with people there, while the other offers online convenience and breadth. GeekWire’s report does not include a controlled comparison, customer survey, price analysis, or independent measure showing that one channel produces a better outcome for readers.
How the two shopping channels differ
| Shopping factor | Bookstore experience described by Daunt | Online access described by Daunt |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Browse books selected for display and discover titles in person. | Amazon’s reach can help readers find specialist or less commonly browsed titles. |
| Social interaction | Browsing and conversations about books are part of the experience Daunt values. | The GeekWire report does not establish an equivalent in-person interaction. |
| Selection and shelf space | Stores can focus limited shelf space on books customers are more likely to discover in person, according to Daunt. | Daunt says Amazon can serve readers looking for specialist titles that stores may not give as much shelf space. |
| Convenience or breadth | The report makes no comparative finding on convenience. | Amazon’s online reach is part of Daunt’s explanation for how readers can access less commonly stocked books. |
These are contrasts in Daunt’s account, not independently tested advantages. The report does not compare prices or establish that a title is always easier to find through one channel.
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Daunt’s explanation for Barnes & Noble’s revival
GeekWire framed the chain’s revival as a return to a books-first retail approach and a more locally responsive store experience. Daunt’s view is that bookstores can serve readers through curated browsing and conversations, while Amazon can make specialist titles accessible without every store devoting shelf space to them. That is his explanation as reported by GeekWire, not independently demonstrated proof that Amazon’s business model caused a particular change in Barnes & Noble’s assortment.
The revival was also reflected in the scale of reported openings. GeekWire said Barnes & Noble opened nearly 60 stores in 2024 and planned another 60 for 2025. The second figure was a plan reported at the time, not confirmation that those openings took place. For historical context, the same report put the chain at approximately 600 stores at publication, compared with a reported U.S. peak of 726 in 2008.
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What the reported market-share figure does—and doesn’t—show
GeekWire reported Daunt’s statement that Amazon accounted for more than 50% of the book market. The report did not specify the market definition or cite a separate underlying study for that figure. Treat it as Daunt’s publication-era claim, not a verified current market-share statistic.
The January 3, 2025 report is a snapshot, not a current tally of Barnes & Noble locations or store openings. Its figures should not be read as 2026 conditions without newer confirmation. The report also references a PBS NewsHour segment, but does not itself establish the claims through a transcript or company filings.
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How to decide where to buy a book
- Choose a bookstore visit if you value browsing, the chance of discovering a displayed title, or talking about books in person.
- Look online if you are searching for a specialist or less commonly stocked title; Daunt’s account describes online reach as useful for that purpose.
- Compare the specific purchase if price, availability, delivery, or edition matters. GeekWire’s report does not provide comparative data on those factors.
Daunt’s central point is about what surrounds a book purchase. A bookstore can offer an experience that an online transaction does not replicate in the same way, but whether that experience is worth choosing depends on what an individual reader wants from the purchase.
Read Kurt Schlosser’s January 3, 2025 GeekWire report.
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