DISTRIBUTION TO THE BOOKTRADE
an article on understanding distribution from Dan Poynter
(reprinted w/ permission from Books Just Books)
There are four stages in the life of every book: writing, producing (printing & binding), distributing and promoting. Each step is a unique challenge and each challenge must be met. Authors write and promote, publishers produce and distribute and self-publishers do all four. Now let's look at distribution.
Some self-publishers feel the system is unfair; they feel their books are being kept from the bookstores. In most cases, they just do not understand the book trade.
Stores. There are about 15,000 brick & mortar stores in the U.S. that sell books. Some 8,000 of them are chain and independent bookstores that sell only books, (plus magazines and coffee). About 3,000 bookstores are a good match for any given book. Bookstores are profiled. Store buyers know the wants of the customers in their neighborhoods. If you have a business book, it will be sent to downtown stores. If you have a parenting book, it will be sold in the malls in the suburbs. If a chain store buys your book, they will not place it in every store in the chain.... READ MORE....
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