One good idea for the new year is to not be too influenced by the popular press and their facile pronouncements about the “failing publishing industry.” As Crain’s noted last week, in the US unit book sales as tracked by Nielsen Bookscan were down approximately 3 percent for the year (which was only a “surprise” if you hadn’t been paying attention to the real numbers throughout the year). The biggest weakness was in adult nonfiction, down 7 percent. Also bear in mind that ebook sales–not currently tracked by Bookscan–jumped from roughly 1 percent of the percent to approximately 4 percent […]
Archives for January 2010
The Last Decade in Books: The Biggest Thing that Didn't Happen
The annual season of round-ups and predictions covered not just the years past and ahead, but a full decade. We’ll be sharing our own thoughts on the biggest trade developments of the past ten years but first we’re leading the most significant thing that didn’t change at all in the oughts. Though there are regular predictions that the big six publishers will change and consolidate (Bob Miller is just the latest to suggest “the big six could be the big three in five years), we find it rather striking when you realize that the list of the biggest US trade […]
People
Dan Angus started today as Borders new vp, customer loyalty, reporting to svp of marketing Bill Dandy. Angus is in charge of loyalty marketing programs and initiatives, “including directing the development of customer relationship marketing strategies as well as enhancing and growing the Borders Rewards loyalty program. Most recently, he was vp, customer relationship marketing for Guitar Center. Elsewhere in Borders, the company will eliminate approximately 100 jobs from their LaVergne, TN distribution center in March, when the plan to relocate their returns center to Pennsylvania.Local news station Retiring managing director of Penguin UK Helen Fraser was among those on […]