Barnes & Noble vs WHSmith:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Barnes & Noble had more branded searches than WHSmith among bookstores worldwide. Barnes & Noble was estimated to have 7.5M branded searches compared to WHSmith’s 246K, and held a 94.1% Share of Search versus WHSmith’s 3.1%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Barnes & Noble or WHSmith?
Compare the bookstores shoppers use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Barnes & Noble, WHSmith. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Barnes & Noble | WHSmith | Blackwell's | Waterstones | Foyles | Dymocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 89.4% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 0.26% | 0.1% | 0.04% |
| Nov 2025 | 92% | 4.5% | 3% | 0.27% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Dec 2025 | 94.1% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 0.23% | 0.07% | 0.05% |
| Jan 2026 | 93.4% | 3.8% | 2.5% | 0.18% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Feb 2026 | 94% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.23% | 0.1% | 0.04% |
| Mar 2026 | 94.5% | 3.1% | 2.1% | 0.19% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Apr 2026 | 94.2% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.12% | 0.07% | 0.03% |
| May 2026 | 94.1% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.15% | 0.07% | 0.04% |
| Jun 2026 | 94.1% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.15% | 0.08% | 0.03% |
| Jul 2026 | 94.6% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 0.15% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Aug 2026 | 94.1% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 0.15% | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Barnes & Noble and WHSmith comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Barnes & Noble was ahead of WHSmith in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Barnes & Noble’s estimated Share of Search among bookstores worldwide moved from 89.4% to 94.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6.1M to 7.5M.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, WHSmith’s estimated Share of Search among bookstores worldwide moved from 6.6% to 3.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 450K to 246K.
How did search popularity change for bookstores worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, WHSmith overtook Blackwell's to rank 2nd among bookstores worldwide, at 3.1%.
In August 2026, Barnes & Noble lost estimated Share of Search among bookstores worldwide, from 94.6% to 94.1%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Barnes & Noble’s and WHSmith’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Barnes & Noble
1 branded search term
- barnes and noble
WHSmith
1 branded search term
- wh smith
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.