Distributors, wholesalers and their markets
According to the 2006 BISG study, “Used Book Sales: A study of the behavior, structure, size and growth of the U.S. used-book market,” there are 6,100 independent bookstores and 2,282 chain stores in the United States that sell new books. Master distributors are the face of the publishers reaching these outlets. They contract for exclusive licenses to sell a publisher’s list—or an agreed portion of it—to bookstore and wholesale channels, libraries, and gift and specialty stores. Not all distributors sell to gift and specialty stores, and publishers can and do (especially niche publishers) retain the right to handle these sales themselves.
Piecing Together the Distribution Puzzle
Distributors, wholesalers and their markets
According to the 2006 BISG study, “Used Book Sales: A study of the behavior, structure, size and growth of the U.S. used-book market,” there are 6,100 independent bookstores and 2,282 chain stores in the United States that sell new books. Master distributors are the face of the publishers reaching these outlets. They contract for exclusive licenses to sell a publisher’s list—or an agreed portion of it—to bookstore and wholesale channels, libraries, and gift and specialty stores. Not all distributors sell to gift and specialty stores, and publishers can and do (especially niche publishers) retain the right to handle these sales themselves.