Deconstructing Distribution
Quantifying the various distribution channels
In its 2006 “Book Industry Trends” report, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) forecasted that publishers would have moved 3.2 billion books into the marketplace in 2006, netting $35.8 billion in sales. (These numbers represent printed books in units, although e-book revenue, especially in professional and reference, is included.) Of that, 1.9 billion units netted $18 billion in sales to retail and college bookstores.
Eugene G. Schwartz is editor at large for ForeWord Reviews, an industry observer and an occasional columnist for Book Business magazine. In an earlier career, he was in the printing business and held production management positions at Random House, Prentice-Hall/Goodyear and CRM Books/Psychology Today. A former PMA (IBPA) board member, he has headed his own publishing consultancy, Consortium House. He is also Co-Founder of Worthy Shorts Inc., a development stage online private press and publication service for professionals as well as an online back office publication service for publishers and associations. He is on the Publishing Business Conference and Expo Advisory Board.