A more accurate description of the relationships would be to describe the publisher as manufacturer. The manufacturer then supplies booksellers directly occasionally, but most booksellers also depend heavily on JIT (just in time) inventory and order through wholesalers/distributors/jobbers such as Baker & Taylor, Ingram or smaller regional or specialty outfits.
If a book unexpectedly gets great media, review and buzz, a bookseller’s initial order from the publisher may sell out quickly. Then the process often breaks down to publisher>distributor>bookseller>consumer. Some booksellers order only from distributors: less paperwork, fewer returns to track and other battles to fight.
Many publishers are selling directly to consumers and are providing all sorts of email alerts so you will be notified when your fave author’s new book pubs. Indie booksellers frown upon this...despite the marketing pap from publishers.
Re: warehouse outlets (Costco, Sam’s), the sad truth is that it is sometimes significantly more profitable for a bookseller to pick up needed copies of a hot seller there, rather than order from the publisher or distributor.
Fifteen years ago our average discount from publishers was about 40% (a $10 pb cost us $6), now it is more,45-46% but varies. But we must discount to compete, so the additional discount is may benefit the consumer most.
However, alg refers only to trade. For a specialty store, university and small presses are a necessity (this is also where many large houses do their shopping for emerging authors). Depending on the text, our discount can vary from a whopping 5 to close to a trade discount.
I know that no editor wants to discuss this possibility, but what about remainders?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Belated bookseller response
Date: 2006-08-18 03:26 pm (UTC)If a book unexpectedly gets great media, review and buzz, a bookseller’s initial order from the publisher may sell out quickly. Then the process often breaks down to publisher>distributor>bookseller>consumer. Some booksellers order only from distributors: less paperwork, fewer returns to track and other battles to fight.
Many publishers are selling directly to consumers and are providing all sorts of email alerts so you will be notified when your fave author’s new book pubs. Indie booksellers frown upon this...despite the marketing pap from publishers.
Re: warehouse outlets (Costco, Sam’s), the sad truth is that it is sometimes significantly more profitable for a bookseller to pick up needed copies of a hot seller there, rather than order from the publisher or distributor.
Fifteen years ago our average discount from publishers was about 40% (a $10 pb cost us $6), now it is more,45-46% but varies. But we must discount to compete, so the additional discount is may benefit the consumer most.
However, alg refers only to trade. For a specialty store, university and small presses are a necessity (this is also where many large houses do their shopping for emerging authors). Depending on the text, our discount can vary from a whopping 5 to close to a trade discount.
I know that no editor wants to discuss this possibility, but what about remainders?