Skip to main content

Nook no more: B&N will shutdown U.K. digital content store on March 15

barnes and noble closes uk nook store news ebook nobel
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Barnes & Noble has closed down its Nook digital content store in the U.K., leaving its existing customers in the safe hands of Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand, or at least, it hopes they’ll be safe. The news was announced on the official Nook website in the country, but the wording will be of concern to anyone with a library of content sitting on a Nook tablet.

The deal with Sainsbury’s — the second largest supermarket chain in the U.K. — is being set up “to ensure you have continued access to the vast majority of your purchased Nook Books at no new cost to you.” The words ‘vast majority’ will worry Nook customers, because it indicates that some already purchased books will no longer be readable.

B&N’s not going to leave without taking care of its customers though, and digging through the FAQ reveals some good news. For any Nook books that aren’t included in the transfer deal, you’ll get a voucher for the total cost, redeemable through the Sainsbury’s Entertainment on Demand site. If the book isn’t available there at all, that won’t be much help, but at least there’s an effort on B&N’s part to keep people happy. We’re surprised it didn’t make this clear on the main page.

If you’ve been buying videos from Nook, then things aren’t so good, because they won’t be included in the transfer at all. According to the FAQ on the migration, videos will cease being available to watch online or to download after April 30. It’s suggested that anyone who wants a refund should send an email to Nook support. Worried your Nook will become completely useless after the transition, especially if you decide not to sign up with Sainsbury’s? If you’ve got a Nook tablet with a MicroSD card slot, then it’ll still happily accept new compatible files from it.

The U.K. site’s closure comes a little over six months after B&N shuttered its European branches, leaving only the U.S. site and apps in operation. The Nook site and associated apps will close for business in the U.K. on March 15, and details on how to migrate away from the Nook apps will be sent at the beginning of April.

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
LinkedIn adding word games so you can procrastinate at work
A LinkedIn mobile app store page displayed on a mobile device.

LinkedIn may exist to help professionals look for new job opportunities and network with others in the same field, but it could soon become the place for a bit of downtime, too.

Why? Because it's planning to introduce games to its platform.

Read more
Do iPhone 14 cases fit the iPhone 15? Sort of, but not quite
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro showing the screens.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro (left) and iPhone 15 Pro Max Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series have identical display sizes, but there are slight variations in their total dimensions due to design changes. This has led to a common question of whether the cases designed for iPhone 14 would fit the iPhone 15 models. While the answer probably won't surprise you, it will likely disappoint you.

Read more
Nothing can stop the Oura Ring
A person holding the Oura Ring 3rd generation Horizon and Heritage model.

Oura Ring Heritage (left) and Oura Ring Horizon Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

If there is one product category that's experiencing a big boon right now, it’s the smart ring. The first smart ring to hit the market and really take off was the Oura Ring. The current Oura Ring Gen 3 has been available since late 2021, and it's quickly become the default smart ring of choice.

Read more