IBPA Publishing University 2011 Session "Navigating the Changing Retail Landscape" Eric Burger, Barnes & Noble

2. Navigating the Changing Retail Landscape Session 802: Eric Burger Vendor Manager

4. Data Data integrity is key to driving sales and ensuring customer satisfaction, not just on Barnes & Noble.com, but also in the stores

5. Your Barnes & Noble.com Title Page

6. Cover image and title description are the most important data points to have on your book’s Barnes & Noble.com Title Page

7. Impact of Cover Images on Sales 60.5% increase

8. Impact of Cover Images on Pre-Sales

10. Low Quality Title Data Example No rich content No cover images Not available in the Supply Chain despite being “active”

11. High Quality Title Data Example (1) Highly available in the Supply Chain Cover images Excerpt and sample chapter

12. High Quality Title Data Example (2)

14. The date specified by a publisher on which a title, usually a new release, is to be made available for sale to consumers from all consumer purchasing sources, such as online or bricks-and-mortar retailers On-Sale Date

15. We begin offering books for preorder 210 days before the pub date Fidelity to On-Sale Date The publisher’s on-sale date is a promise date to our customers Be sure to have inventory available (on hand) in the supply chain by your on-sale date

16. Supply chain includes our two Barnes & Noble Distribution Centers (Reno, NV and Monroe, NJ) as well as wholesalers, like Ingram, Baker & Taylor, Partners and Bookazine, whose inventory we have real-time visibility

18. How to Get your Book(s) on our Shelves

19. Small Press Acceptance Criteria

20. Does your book have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number)? We use the ISBN to track inventory and sales information. An ISBN is a 10-digit number that specifically identifies your title. ISBNs are furnished by the ISBN Agency, www.ISBN.org . If your book has already been printed, you can sticker your books with the ISBN once it is assigned. The ISBN and price should appear on the back cover of the book.

21. Does your book have a barcode? Barcodes help our stores handle books more efficiently. The barcode which incorporates your ISBN is scanned at the time of purchase, thus recording accurately the sale of your book. The book industry uses Bookland EAN barcode, not the UPC. The barcode must have the US retail price of the book embedded in it and printed on it. If your book is already printed, you can have pressure-sensitive labels produced for placement on the back cover. For a list of commercial barcode suppliers, visit the BISG website: http://www.bisg.org/what-we-do-cat-12-bar-coding-distribution.php

22. What sort of binding (saddle stitch, staple, perfect, plastic comb, ring) does your book have? Perfect binding is more expensive, but perfect bound books have the potential for a longer shelf life and better sales since the name of the book can be printed on the spine. Since most of the titles in our stores are placed on the shelves spine out, stapled or saddle stitched books essentially disappear. If your book is plastic comb-bound or perfect bound, the title and other pertinent information should be printed on the spine. Otabind is another type of perfect binding which allows a paperback to lie flat.

23. Is your book available through a wholesaler? Your willingness to place your book with a book wholesaler may determine whether or not we carry it. Placing your book with a wholesaler will simplify your billing (one invoice to one location). It also allows Barnes & Noble to consider placing larger orders and putting the book on automatic replenishment. Wholesalers are used by many segments of the book industry: publishers, libraries and booksellers. Other bookstores order from the same wholesalers Barnes & Noble uses. We can help put you in touch with an appropriate wholesaler.

24. Is your book priced competitively with other titles of a similar topic and quality? Customers care about cost. Price can be a determining factor for a customer when looking at books similar in content, presentation and format. Look at the pricing of similar books in the category and try to price yours competitively.

25. Why should Barnes & Noble place your title on its shelves? Tell us what makes your book unique or special. What is your marketing plan? Send us your publicity and promotional plans, along with any review or articles that may have been written about your book(s).

26. A Changing Retail Landscape

27. 2 million eBooks available on Barnes & Noble.com

28. PubIt!

30. I welcome your questions Thank you