This post is part of our Battle of the Brands feature. Let us know which brand you prefer, and watch out for more Battle of the Brands posts.
So let's imagine that you like the convenience of shopping attired only in your underwear. In this (purely hypothetical) case, which site, Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.com, would be your first choice?
With over 40 product categories ranging from books and DVDs to pet food to health and beauty products, there is something for just about everyone on Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN). The site contains your browsing history, which can be either good or bad depending on who's looking over your shoulder when you next log in. Amazon offers 1-click check out once you set up an account, and also offers incentives to consumers who use Amazon's own credit card. Orders over $25 ship free to continental U.S. addresses. Amazon provides plenty of graphics of book and DVD covers, so even if you can't remember the name of the item, you might be able to recognize it from its picture. Amazon also offers a simple order tracking option called Where's My Stuff.
Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) offers a narrower range of products, mainly books, DVDs, and vaguely educational toys. Books are new and used mass market, as well as new and used textbooks. The site is much less graphics intensive than Amazon, but holds more information on titles. Barnes & Noble also offers incentives for customers to use its own credit card and to join its membership program in exchange for discounts. Shipping is free on most orders over $25. Payment is via Paypal. Unlike Amazon, Barnes & Noble includes an 800-help number on the web page. Barnes & Noble targets more serious readers with weekly online book club meetings in which various authors participate in the discussion and Q&A about their books.
So, clad in whatever manner makes you comfortable, what is your preference for online shopping?
Be sure to vote in our poll for B&N or Amazon as your preferred brand, and lets us know why you love it in the comments. Results of all Battle of the Brands match-ups coming soon.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-12-2008 @ 10:59AM
animanx said...
Leadership Online: Barnes & Noble vs. Amazon.com
http://www.manxtt.co.uk/amazon.html
9-08-2008 @ 2:12PM
onetimer said...
One distinct advantage that Amazon appears to have, is that they allow you to upgrade your purchase of certain books, so that you can begin reading them online before they physically arrive. That is a huge advantage, when you are in a hurry, or like me, you want to be able to read your book through your phone browser. In one example, I can upgrade a $39 dollar text book for $3.99 and read it, print it, even bookmark it, from any web enabled browser.
4-07-2007 @ 10:11PM
gurnblanston said...
Amazon donates to the Republican party. B&N does not. That alone is sufficient for me to choose the latter over the former.
4-08-2007 @ 7:25PM
Sean Blakey said...
RE: Amazon "donating to the Republican party": see http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.asp?strid=C00360354&cycle=2006
Amazon donates to both sides. In fact, Amazon donated more to Democrats than Republicans in the 2006 cycle. (54% vs 46%).
7-01-2007 @ 11:10PM
Plagueheart said...
For me since im outside the U.S. i prefer amazon since its purely online store. And in our current status today..online shopping is very popular. And with amazon offering all various kinds of book that readers can choose from even if its good or bad its your choice..thus giving you a wider source of information and selection of books.