The Case for Direct-to-Consumer Book Sales
First, about that sales environment: Holding showed a color-coded chart (see slides linked above) that listed all of Human Kinetics’ sales channels in the 1990s, the 2000s and the 2010s, with certain channels—such as Apple and library ebook retailers—not yet in existence during earlier periods.
His big takeaway is that channels such as book clubs, independent bookstores, B&N/Borders, wholesalers and the like are, for Human Kinetics, drying up or dead, while Amazon and B&N online (consumer and college) and to lesser extents Apple, Google, online university ebook licensing and library ebook retail are thriving or growing. “There are no more gatekeepers,” said Holding of this trend. “There are no more shelf limits. There are no more geographic boundaries. There are no more product limitations.”
- People:
- Human Kinetics
- Places:
- Champaign, Ill.
- New York