According to Nielsen Bookscan, unit book sales in the UK for 2008 were down by just 0.4 percent, while revenue declined 1.6 percent to 1.773 billion pounds. Revenue was up 3.7 percent for the first half of the year, but declined 5 percent during the second half.
International News
Canadian Bestsellers
BookNet Canada, which tracks point of sale data, his released their list of bestsellers for 2008 (through the week ending December 14th): Top 5 Overall A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, Eckhart Tolle (Penguin Group, trade paperback) $15.50 Twilight, Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown and Company, trade paperback) $11.50 Breaking Dawn, Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown and Company, hardcover) $23.99 Eclipse, Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown and Company, trade paperback) $21.99 New Moon, Stephenie Meyer (Little Brown and Company, trade paperback) $11.50 Top 5 Trade Paperback Fiction, Adult The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity, William P. Young (Windblown Media) $15.99 The […]
Bertram's Status–Whatever
Ever since the troubles at Woolworth’s became severe earlier this fall, we’ve been dubious about the short statements from Bertram’s managing director Michael Neil, whose twin pillars have been business is great and sale of the book wholesaler is imminent. Now Neil finally admits no sale is likely until next year, and calls himself unrealistic: “”Bertrams will be sold–probably not as quickly as we said it would be, but that’s because of Christmas and New Year. It’s unrealistic to think it would be sorted out this close to Christmas.” And business remains great, except not: “We had a great week […]
Bertelsmann Sells British Club
In a press release issued this morning in German, Bertelsmann announced the sale of their British book clubs, Book Club Associates (BCA), to Munich’s holding company Aurelius. The transfer is scheduled for January 1. BCA has approximately 700,000 members and sales are said to be in the “middle double-digit million euro range.” This will be the first British property in Aurelius’s portfolio.
Credit Insurance Lifted for Borders UK
Top credit insurer Euler Hermes is continuing to pull insurance cover from a number of retail operations, now including all of Borders UK, as well as the UK’s Book People. The decision is reportedly based on the overall economic decline rather than specific weaknesses at those operations. The Bookseller says that “the action has prompted at least one distributor to advise its clients to reconsider their trading limits. Hachette-owned LBS has emailed its publisher clients warning them that it wants to be told of the new limits by 23rd December or the supply of books will be placed on hold.”Bookseller
Now that Quercus Has Sold New Shares, They Revise Guidance
Citing “exceptionally challenging recent market conditions,” the UK’s Quercus warned thatsales and profits for 2008 will fall below expectations. Trade book sales will range between 6 million and 6.5 million pounds, with what had been slim profits to begin with evaporating to breakeven for the whole group (including steady contract publishing sales of 4 million to 4.3 million pounds). The company says “a significant program of cost-cutting has been implemented, including a reduction in current staff costs and a review of the company’s future staffing requirements. Quercus just completed raising 1.75 million pounds in a share offer after they were […]