In its first week on sale, JK Rowling’s highly-anticipated THE CASUAL VACANCY sold approximately 157,000 printed copies in the US in the sales outlets tracked by Nielsen Bookscan. In the UK, where Nielsen Bookscan tracks nearly the entire print sales landscape, they counted sales of roughly 125,000 copies in the first week on sale. The publisher has not reported on ebook sales in either territory.
Archives for October 2012
People: Hachette Realigns Sales Department
Hachette Book Group has announced a new structure for their sales force under recently-hired evp and chief marketing and sales officer Evan Schnittman that will “bring the sales and marketing functions in line with the changing book market – unifying print and digital sales, and integrating research and analytics into HBG’s overall sales strategy.” The company underscores that they are not “reducing headcount as part of the re-alignmen,” and the new structure creates some new positions to be filled shortly. In the internal announcement, Schnittman explains balancing “changes that allow us to do what we do best – create massive […]
Publisher Puts Rowling Opening Sales At 375k
In a brief statement Wednesday, Little, Brown publisher Michael Pietsch said, “The Casual Vacancy has exceeded our expectations in its first six days in stores, selling 375,000 copies in all formats. We believe it is on track to become the year’s bestselling novel in hardcover.” Nielsen Bookscan tracked sales of approximately 157,000 print copies in outlets they track for the first four days on sale, implying roughly equal sales between print and ebook editions.
eNews: Self-Publishing Goes to Libraries, and Another Start-Up Buzz Network
Self-publishing technology company FastPencil has a new initiative to put their offers in front of patrons of libraries that work with services provider Auto-Graphics. (The company works with 5,500 libraries, but the program begins with “a select group” of those customers.) The new Library Management Platform lets self-publishing customers issue “their musings” from within the library and then work with the library to “add that book, whether digital or print, to the library’s offerings.” Boston start-up Libboo.com has announced a seed round of $1.1 million in financing, led by MassVentures. It’s another platform that aims to create a community of […]
In Australia, Allen & Unwin Buys Murdoch Books
Australia’s Allen & Unwin has successfully completed those exclusive acquisition talks we reported on recently and agreed to acquire illustrated books publisher Murdoch Books. Chairman and CEO of Murdoch Books Matt Handbury hails the new owners’ promise of continuity in quality publishing: “This is what Allen & Unwin has identified and so enthusiastically pursued in our sale negotiations. I am thrilled that the business will become an integral and wholly owned part of the largest Australian independent publishing house, and the efforts that my team have put into building the Murdoch Books brand will seamlessly continue in its new home.” As […]
Scardino to Step Down at Pearson and International Education Head Fallon Will Take Over; Analysts Speculate On Asset Sales
Marjorie Scardino, 65, “has decided to step down” as chief executive of Pearson at the end of the year. Current head of their international education division John Fallon, 50, will take over on January 1, 2013. The company notes his “division is fundamental to Pearson’s growth strategy,” having grown to £1.4 billion in sales and employing 15,000 people in 70 countries. As education has come to dominate Pearson–and produce solid growth–analysts and investor have often lobbied for the sale of the FT Group and Penguin. Scardino had vowed not to sell the FT, but with the change at top, Ian […]