Barnes & Noble announced a $40-a-year membership program

Barnes & Noble announced a $40-a-year membership program that offers members various perks, including 10% discounts, free shipping, a tote bag, and bigger lattes.  The book retailer is also offering a free membership program that gives members a virtual stamp for every $10 spent in-store or online. Ten stamps give members a $5 discount on future purchases. The move comes years after Amazon and Walmart launched similar membership programs. Barnes & Noble aims to learn more about their customers, what they buy, and how often they buy to pitch them more effectively. CEO James Daunt said the new $40 membership program will replace a previous one that cost $25 and offered discounts for purchases made inside Barnes & Noble’s physical stores. Barnes & Noble plans to open 30 new physical locations in 2023.