Aug
07
2007
Penguin is asking all booksellers to place orders and return requests electronically. The new e-business policy takes place on January 1, 2008. Book Industry Communication has been the driving force behind the move toward e-commerce for book businesses. Many of the agents that I spoke to and interviewed indicated that they wished for more electronic exchange of information.
What is ironic is that Penguin is one of the worst publishers when it comes to distributing its own product digitally. Perhaps the distribution chain could take a leaf out of its own book and realize that consumers like digital products as well.
Via Publishing News.
I wonder how that will work for small bookstores. I know the one I go to in town for new books doesn’t even have a computer.
And seeing hte boxes that Penguin ships books in….they’d save a hell of a lot of money just packing things better!
Lags behind on ebooks is right! I was just looking at Jayne Castle’s “Silver Master”. It’s a 7.99 Mass Market paperback, but eReader, Powells, and Books on Board all are listing it as a 9.99 book (with various discounting)! I can’t believe Penguin actually thinks they’re going to get any digital business if they price the ebooks higher than the print copies!
(Sorry about all the exclamation marks, but I’m po’d).