Failure to the consumer

I don't know if you have heard about the last bad choice that has been made by Barnes&Noble bookstore. I will give you a really abbreviated version of the story so we will all be on the same page. Basically, DC gave an exclusive deal to several of their DIGITAL graphic novels (including the Watchmen) to Amazon for use on the new Kindle Fire. So B&N, a chain bookstore that sells PHYSICAL books, got indignant about the decision by DC. The decided immediately to take all of the physical copies of all DC graphic novels off the shelves.

Now how much sense does this really make? By punishing the consumer, you are really punishing yourself. Yes, DC will be taking a hit from it, and I really don't know how many copies are sold through the mega-chain, but people that are interested in buying a specific graphic novel are usually

smart enough to go through other options. Hopefully people will end up going to their local comic stores and support small business and people that actually do care about what they are selling. Another option is of course, supporting the Juggernaut of Amazon, which will be really screwing over B&N in the first place, because of the convenience of being there already and then they will most likely begin buying their other books from Amazon since they are already there on their site anyway.

I do understand that B&N does sell the Nook, which is their version of the Kindle reader. I can understand being upset on the digital standpoint with that, but not in the physical store itself.

Now let's put this into a bit of prospective from my view. Digital comics make up only 3-5% of the total of comics bought. Now B&N has lost 100% of all DC sales throughout the nation. It was only a few months ago that Borders Books was closed down. If the chain stores do not learn to evolve, we are going to have a whole lot more empty buildings throughout the nation.

When you don't give the consumer what they want, or need, it is a set up for failure. I really do want any business to succeed, because it is better for the economy, but I can't support stupidity at that scale. I really have no desire to set foot in a store that puts pettiness ahead of me, the consumer. Money is the only vote that seems to matter anymore, and I am casting my vote elsewhere.