Does Baker & Taylor Not Like Indie Authors and Publishers?

What’s an author and indie publisher to do when a company … a key player in the book wholesaler field … takes the money for representation and then does zip?

Heads up on Baker & Taylor. I’m getting huge, negative feedback from indie publishers that they have set up B&T logo accounts with B&T, get accepted, paid the $350 for an indie publisher and then nothing happens. B&T never orders books for its inventory.

Bookstores order books, B&T responds there are none in inventory to the store and doesn’t contact the publisher (that’s you) that there is/are orders. The order doesn’t get filled. Sales never occur. Authors/Publishers are frustrated and pissed and wondering if they’ve been conned.

Is it a chicken or the egg thing? What comes first … demand for books from a store … or should B&T have a few books in inventory to fill an order or should or should the author/publisher have to stomp the feet to get attention over and over? chicken or egg

What to do if you are with B&T and want to attempt to continue the relationship—if your goal is to build book sales via retail brick and mortar stores, start with a few local. Tell them you are driving buyers to the store—the store must be persistent with B&T if it’s their primary wholesaler … not one or two books. At least TEN … and if you have to put the order in personally, do it. Get your friends in the area to also request a book from the same store. The store buyer needs to be the pusher from their end. You as the publisher need to be persistent with B&T and request that they get your book(s) into inventory.

Videlfia  is your contact to call at B&T:  800-775-7930

If you are working with B&N or Books-A-Million, they have a bigger bat than you do—let them push on their side and then you follow-up on yours … XYZ has ordered xxx books. When will I get the stock up order with B&T to fill? And keep your fingers crossed.

OR … open account pronto with IngramSpark. IngramSpark

Bookstores trust Ingram. It opens up international distribution via its POD platform. Use the AUTHORU code to get your print discounts.

Caution: to complete the circle, if your goal is to be in a chain like Barnes and Noble, you will still have to submit a marketing plan to tell them just how you plan on driving buyers to their stores. Do you have one?

Or … contact a company like Partners Publishers Group and submit your book for consideration.PPG

In business since 1997, PPG provides broad distribution into the wholesale and retail trade with Ingram, Baker & Taylor, American West Books, independent bookstores and chains such as Barnes & Noble, B&N.com, and Amazon.com.

PPG’s philosophy is to only accept publishers/titles that it feels will benefit from national distribution and who convinces them that they either have a national marketing concept or are willing to accept guidance towards this goal. Unlike many larger distributors (and the number of distributors is shrinking rapidly), PPG will accept single title publishers as long as the title has quality production,  national potential and a national marketing plan. A single title that has the potential to sell thousands of copies is  more viable than 10 titles that only sell a handful of copies each. PPG will not accept vanity, subsidy or Print On Demand publishers.

PPG will distribute single title publishers but reserves the right to reject publishers whose production standards, formats, and genre categories are not an effective fit. Contact phone is 800-336-3137. Access the website here. Tell them you are a member of AuthorU.

 

 

 

 

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Judith Briles is a book publishing expert and coach. She empowers authors and is the Founder of Author.org, a membership organization created for the serious author who wants to be seriously successful. She’s been writing about and conducting workshops on publishing since the 80s. Judith is the author of 33 books including Author YOU: Creating and Building Your Author and Book Platforms (ForeWord IndieFab Book of the Year), Snappy Sassy Salty: Wise Words for Authors and Writers and a speaker at publishing conferences. The CrowdFunding Guide for Authors & Writers was published in June 2015.

Become part of her inner circle by joining the Author’s Ark and exclusive monthly webinar and coaching event. Each summer, she holds Judith Briles Book Publishing Unplugged, a three day intensive limited to a small group of authors who want to be seriously successful. In 2015, the dates are August 27-29th. Join Judith live on several shows on AuthorsRadio.fm: Authors on Fire (one-on-one interviews with authors and their books with Judith asking the questions on Tuesdays at 1 EST), Author YOU (the journey begins, retstarts or ignites to set the author on the road to success on Fridays at 1 EST) and AuthorU – Your Guide to Book Publishing (book publishing today – over all strategies to your marketing and publishing success on Wednesdays at 1 EST).
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Follow @AuthorU and @MyBookShepherd on Twitter and do a “Like” at AuthorU and Judith Briles – TheBookShepherd on Facebook. If you want to create a book that has no regrets, contact Judith at Judith@Briles.com.

header-logo1.pngAuthor U is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to the author who wants to be seriously successful. Monthly education programs delivered face-to-face and online, The Author Resource ezine, BookCamps and the annual Author U Extravaganza are tools designed for authors pre, during and post publishing of their books. Join AuthorU.org today.

 If you are looking for FREE author and book coaching … call in to Judith’s Author Monday Mornings at NOON Eastern each Monday. The number is 218-632-9854; Access Code 1239874444 … have your questions ready–there’s a full hour to ask and listen.

 

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