It shouldn’t be a surprise that Walmart.com, Amazon and Target.com are limiting the how many copies each customer can buy of their loss-leader deep-discount books, but the WSJ sums up the respective ceilings: 2, 3, and 5 copies, by vendor. But that still means as long as an independent store has a few employees, they can order dozens of copies for the store with no problem (and free shipping.) Walmart.com ceo Raul Vazquez says “the company’s book promotion had resulted in brisk sales of the coming titles, and had also boosted sales of other products.”WSJ
Bookstores
NY Stores Plan Celebration
The IBNYC–a New York alliance of over 60 independent booksellers–has declared November 15 through 21 Independent Bookstore Week. The celebration begins early, on November 11, with a party at the PowerHouse Area featuring authors including Jennifer Egan and Kurt Andersen, as “individual stores will sponsor special events and promotions of their own throughout the week.” It concludes on what they call America Unchained Day. They will have a calendar of events at the group’s web site (though it currently lists only three events that week).
ABA Asks Justice to Look at Bookseling Price Wars
The board of the ABA has written to the Department of Justice, asking for a meeting to the discuss the deep-discounting of high profile books and suggesting that it “constitutes illegal predatory pricing that is damaging to the book industry and harmful to consumers…. We believe that Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, and Target are using these predatory pricing practices to attempt to win control of the market for hardcover bestsellers.” They blame Amazon for starting it all with ebooks, and note “we believe the loss-leader pricing of digital content also bears scrutiny.” Beyond that, the letter does not set any legal basis […]
Bookselling: Thoughts on the Price Wars
Brooklyn’s Greenlight Bookstore officially launches this Saturday. With many booksellers talking to local newspapers about the bestseller price wars, we decided to round up some of the remarks: “Unless those massive chains start discounting all hardcover books, the independents will be fine,” Murphy said. “We’ll just stop selling the New York Times bestsellers, and sell more of the books we love.” Liz Murphy, owner of The Learned Owl Book ShopHudson, OH “I’m tickled pink (that Wal-Mart and Amazon.com are fighting), and I’m hoping that they lose a lot of money.”Jane Kessler, owner of Appletree BooksCleveland Heights, OH “It’s a totally […]
Briefs: Target Joins Price War, and BN Prepares Nook
A couple of noteworthy but ultimately short stories. Target joined the pre-order bestseller price war, though in more limited fashion. They’re matching Walmart.com’s $8.99 offer with free shipping included, but on just six November pre-order titles. Boulder Bookstore buyer Arsen Kashkashian has suggested via Twitter that fellow indies cancel their publisher pre-orders on these deep-discounted forthcoming titles and take advantage of their competitors’ loss leaders. Bookstores will save money, he reasons, while helping Amazon and Walmart.com lose more. And Barnes & Noble’s afternoon media event suffered another pre-announcement leak–this time from the bookseller itself. An ad in next Sunday’s NYT […]
Bookselling: Elliott Bay Book Co. Faces Financial Trouble, May Relocate
The stories began online, with unconfirmed reports that Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Co. was considering a move to a more upscale part of the city. It took a darker turn when the Seattle Times confirmed the possibility in an interview with owner Peter Aaron, who says his credit line–due for renewal in January, at the same time his lease expires–is maxed out and notes that “finding a lender to keep us liquid is an ongoing battle.” Aaron said “I must refinance, or the loan gets called” and added “until the bank piece is in place, nothing will happen.” The paper […]