Skip to main content

Barnes & Noble nears the end of an era: International Nook Store closes in August

Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook front angle
On the heels of closing its Luxembourg office last month, Barnes & Noble announced the inevitable today. Customers in Europe are finding out via email that they are being abandoned on August 7, 2015.

B&N confirmed that the Nook store, which was available in as many as 40 countries at one time, will only be available in the U.S. and UK starting August 8.

Related Videos

It was only three years ago that B&N announced an international expansion outside of the U.S and UK through a partnership with Microsoft. The only problem was that the Nook store was only available as a Windows 8 app. If you add in the fact that B&N bought out Microsoft’s share of Nook Media back in December 2014, this news isn’t surprising.

Here’s the transcript (translated from Dutch) of the email being sent out: “Dear Customer, We recently announced that Barnes & Noble and Microsoft have agreed to terminate their commercial partnership. As a result, payments through your Microsoft account no longer supported. In addition, the Nook app for Windows will from August 7, 2015 are no longer available outside the United States. This means that your Nook content can no longer open on a Windows platform.”

“Our records indicate that you are outside the United States and that you are using your Microsoft account as a payment method in your Nook app for Windows account. Therefore, you may be eligible for a refund from Microsoft for any purchases you have made with your Microsoft account.”

The only question left is if B&N will sell the Nook platform or simply close the store, because it’s obvious the company can’t commit to the ebook business.

Nook revenues continue to decline at an alarming rate. For the fiscal year ending May 2, 2015, revenues were $264 million, which is a 47.8-percent decrease from the previous year.

Hopefully a suitable company will be interested in the business, so it doesn’t disappear entirely. Kobo might be the best option since the company did something similar when Sony abandoned its ebook business last year. We will keep an eye on Nook’s movements to see how the story develops.

Editors' Recommendations

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A is now a Barnes & Noble Nook ebook reader
galaxy tab a nook tablet ebook reader feat

Samsung has been converting a handful of its Galaxy tablets into Barnes & Noble Nooks for some time, and now there's a new device to add to the list -- the Samsung Galaxy Tab A Nook.

If the name sounds familiar, that's because Samsung announced a tablet of the same name in April 2015 -- but the Nook edition doesn't have the same specs or the same look. The Galaxy Tab A Nook offers a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels on its 7-inch display, so it's slightly smaller but has a marginally higher resolution. The device is narrower, and is available in black -- apart from that, it looks like an average Samsung tablet with a home button and two capacitive buttons.

Read more
Kindle Oasis vs. Nook Glowlight Plus: Let them fight
how to remove books from a Kindle Kindle Oasis

The two ebook reader giants are at it again. With the release of Amazon's latest reader, the Kindle Oasis, the company aims to stratify the field with a $290 price point. Although a slew of new features and a killer design will justify the price for some, the eyebrow-raising jump in cost may dissuade some potential buyers. Barnes & Noble, however, chose functionality over funds with the Nook Glowlight Plus, which is certified to meet the IP67 standard for water and dust-resistance. Let's compare the two to see which is best for you.

Back in 2013, when Amazon went head-to-head against Barnes & Noble, the Kindle Paperwhite came out on top. Can the device's spiritual successor hold the throne, or will the Glowlight Plus snatch victory away? Check out the detailed spec comparison below and decide for yourself.

Read more
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

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.

Read more