Barnes & Noble Sells Baseball Cards to Attract New Customers
Barnes & Noble, the largest bookstore chain in the United States, made headlines in late 2022 when they announced plans to start selling baseball cards in select stores nationwide. This marked a significant strategic move by the bookseller to attract new customers and drive additional revenue from product categories beyond just books, movies, music and toys.
Selling sports cards, and baseball cards in particular, allows Barnes & Noble to tap into the booming collectibles market. The pandemic fueled new interest in hobbies like card collecting, driving up prices and demand for vintage cards, rookie cards of star players, and limited edition specialty sets. Market research showed that many card collectors were already Barnes & Noble customers who appreciated the store experience, so adding cards was a natural product extension.
Barnes & Noble’s baseball card assortment includes both new release sets from manufacturers like Topps, Panini and Bowman as well as supplies for collectors like sleeves, toploaders and binders. They also offer a curated selection of higher end vintage and rare singles for experienced collectors. The stores dedicate premium shelf space and display cabinets to merchandise the cards prominently near other hobby products. Knowledgeable staff are also trained to assist customers.
While some questioned if a bookstore was the right place for a sports collectibles category, Barnes & Noble executives felt their stores were well suited. They pointed out that many locations already had a strong customer base interested in other collectibles like Funko Pops, comic books, board games and trading cards from games like Magic and Pokémon. Selling baseball cards allowed them to further build communities around shared interests beyond reading.
Initial sales results have exceeded expectations at pilot Barnes & Noble locations selling cards. Strong demand was seen for flagship Topps Series 1 and 2 blasters and hangers as well as premium Bowman and Topps Chrome boxes. Key rookie cards of current MLB stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto have also sold well. The bookseller plans to evaluate expanding the baseball card assortment and rolling it out chainwide based on these early positive performances.
Critics argue that Barnes & Noble risks alienating its core customer base of readers by moving too far beyond books. Company leadership counters that the bookstore experience remains their top priority and that card sales are actually driving new customers who may purchase other items too. Data from pilot stores shows baseball card buyers have higher average transaction values and visit more frequently than non-card customers.
Some in the collectibles industry are also concerned that the entrance of a large nationwide retailer like Barnes & Noble could disrupt the direct-to-consumer model of smaller specialty shops. Most veteran card shop owners believe their niche expertise, community focus and ability to offer a more personalized experience will ensure they retain loyal local customers regardless. If anything, greater mainstream exposure for the hobby from Barnes & Noble selling cards may introduce new people to the collecting space and grow the entire industry pie.
Going forward, Barnes & Noble aims to use their baseball card offerings to strengthen in-store experiences through organized events like group breaks, release day parties and meet-and-greets with former MLB players. They are also exploring selling exclusive autographed memorabilia and special edition card sets only available at their stores. With the continued booming popularity of sports card collecting, this new category presents a major growth opportunity for Barnes & Noble to attract new demographics and drive additional traffic, especially among younger consumers. It marks an innovative strategy for the iconic bookseller to evolve beyond its traditional product focus and better position itself for long term success in the rapidly changing retail landscape.
In conclusion, Barnes & Noble’s entrance into the baseball cards market through selective store pilots has shown early promise. By leveraging their extensive retail footprint and booklover customer base, they aim to become a premier nationwide destination for the booming hobby. While some risks exist like alienating readers or disrupting local card shops, most industry observers believe the overall impact will be positive by growing the entire collecting space. As sales performance is evaluated, Barnes & Noble’s baseball card offerings may become a permanent staple at stores nationwide to attract new audiences and fuel the company’s evolution for years to come.
