Direct to Consumer Sales

How Book Publishers Pivoted Toward Direct-to-Consumer Sales in 2015
December 29, 2015 at 12:48 pm

In 2015 many book publishers devoted significant resources to direct-to-consumer marketing and sales. These efforts went beyond social media and email marketing and led to the creation of dedicated platforms that engage and entertain readers as well as sell books. Simon & Schuster launched pop culture site Glommable, which offers book recommendations alongside articles covering…

How to Conquer Your Emotions During Book Sale Negotiations
December 23, 2015 at 9:28 am

Negotiating a large-quantity book sale is a little like playing poker, requiring both hard and soft skills. To be good at it you need practice and experience. You also need a little chutzpah, the creativity to recognize alternatives, the ability to assess odds, the willingness to take calculated risks, and the confidence to bluff when…

How Can Barnes & Noble Avoid Borders’ Fate?
December 21, 2015 at 1:48 pm

In the wake of declining sales and increasing debt, Barnes & Noble is struggling to deliver growth, increase foot traffic in its stores, sell more digital goods and otherwise race against the clock to find a winning formula before it suffers the same fate as former chief rival Borders. Facing stiff competition from Barnes &…

How Publishers Can Use Ebooks to Connect Directly With Their Readers
December 21, 2015 at 11:12 am

Low website traffic and a lack of existing customer engagement are some of the most common reasons book publishers aren’t pursuing a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model today. They’ll point out that almost nobody comes to their site, so they question the value of investing in a D2C solution. That’s a great point and one that shouldn’t…

Press Release: Ingram Content Group Acquires Aer.io
December 15, 2015 at 2:24 pm

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—December 15, 2015—Ingram Content Group today announces the acquisition of Aer.io, a service that allows publishers, retailers and authors to sell and fulfill print and digital books directly to readers via their websites, blogs and social networks. “The addition of Aer.io addresses our customers’ growing desire to connect more directly with their readers,” said…

Direct-to-Consumer: Can You Change Buyer Behavior?
November 16, 2015 at 1:27 pm

I recently visited a mid-size publisher to discuss direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies with their sales and marketing leaders. Towards the end of the session I was asked the most important question of the day and it’s something publishers pursuing a D2C solution need to carefully assess: Can we really change buyer behavior? The point is that…

Barnes & Noble's New CEO Sees Non-Book Items as Key to Holidays
November 9, 2015 at 2:29 pm

For Barnes & Noble Inc., it’s going to be a hands-on holiday season, said new Chief Executive Officer Ron Boire. The biggest U.S. bookstore chain is counting on new do-it-yourself merchandise such as Raspberry Pi computer kits, art supplies, journals and even a Benedict Cumberbatch coloring book to lure shoppers at Christmas and beyond. Toys…

ABA Now Sells Books From the IndieBound Site, But You Won’t Want to Buy Them
October 29, 2015 at 11:45 am

On Tuesday, October 27, the American Booksellers Association launched a test designed to increase traffic to member stores — and to their IndieCommerce websites — by improving the online shopping experience for an initial purchase onIndieBound.org. Following the purchase, customers will be directed in several ways to nearby ABA bricks-and-mortar stores for future purchases. In…

Press Release: HarperCollins Publishers Acquires Ebook Deals Newsletter The Midlist
October 29, 2015 at 9:40 am

NEW YORK—October 28, 2015—HarperCollins Publishers today announced its acquisition of The Midlist, a daily email newsletter featuring ebooks deals, from Libboo, the industry leader in audience development through sharing content. The service will be merged into the publisher's growing Bookperk platform, which delivers deals and other offers to more than a million users in the…

7 Big Stories from the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair
October 21, 2015 at 2:58 pm

The international Frankfurt Book Fair came to a close on Sunday, ending a week-long gathering of authors, agents, and publishing leaders who shared optimism for the future of the book industry. Whether publishing professionals expressed their excitement for global publishing initiatives, discussed the promise of data-driven strategies, or noted the challenges of ebook pricing, many…