Direct to Consumer Sales

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…

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…

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 &…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…