Barnes & Noble sales, including Nook, drop

1/4/2013
BLADE STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES

Eight months after affirming its commitment to build its business through its Nook division, Barnes & Noble announced holiday sales Thursday that raised questions about its ability to pull off the transformation from its traditional retail format.

Retail sales from its bookstores and Web site fell 10.9 percent from the comparable nine-week holiday period a year earlier, to $1.2 billion, the company reported.

Sales for the company’s Nook unit — which includes ereaders, tablets, digital content, and accessories — decreased 12.6 percent in the same period. Barnes & Noble executives were not available to discuss the sales numbers.