Comments on: The divided book http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/ The future of Literature Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:09:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Where a Book’s Cover Price Goes » Lone Gunman http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-42735 Where a Book’s Cover Price Goes » Lone Gunman Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:49:30 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-42735 [...] on figures produced by The Observer, BookTwo has produced a wonderfully simple infographic depicting the percentages of the split (for a £20 hardback): Retailer: 55% Publisher: 17.5% Author: 10% Production: 10% Distribution: 5% [...] [...] on figures produced by The Observer, BookTwo has produced a wonderfully simple infographic depicting the percentages of the split (for a £20 hardback): Retailer: 55% Publisher: 17.5% Author: 10% Production: 10% Distribution: 5% [...]

]]> By: Where does the book cover price go? | The Renaissance Thinkers Blog http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40961 Where does the book cover price go? | The Renaissance Thinkers Blog Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:56:15 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40961 [...] think I’ve seen the most haunting graphic of my life here. Well, no author is into writing for the money I suppose. 10% though? There should be another way [...] [...] think I’ve seen the most haunting graphic of my life here. Well, no author is into writing for the money I suppose. 10% though? There should be another way [...]

]]> By: Kieron http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40371 Kieron Sat, 18 Oct 2008 18:06:43 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40371 Hi James No blame from me on customers, sorry re-read my post and it does sound a little like that! As a retailer I'm just happy customers choose to buy books from me - and the reasons they do so are a mix of price, availability, promotion and sometimes personal recommendation (when I'm very lucky). All I wanted to point out is that there aren't 'fat cat' retailers running over the hill with 55% - if they were I'd have bought my house years ago. Pricing and books is an interesting discussion - since the end of the Net Book Agreement the emphasis has been more and more on volume sales, mostly driven by the internet and discounting by Amazon. 50% off as a sales message has now become the standard message for frontlist - just look at the windows of any major bookseller on the high street. This is, to a degree, the fault of book sellers themselves - in an attempt to retain market share in the face of the internet in over expanded square footage (Borders, and the out-of-town stores) and not looking to differentiate outside of price. However this can't be said to be unusual in a commodity product market - and booksellers still do amazing promotions and support new authors and exciting books every day. Some of the recent Waterstone's promotions have been great (the postcard stories, writer's table etc). What is a real challenge is to attempt to break out of a price driven offer - but I can't see how this will happen easily. The web, pricing and availability has increased book sales overall, but to a declining set of customers. Any suggestions? Hi James

No blame from me on customers, sorry re-read my post and it does sound a little like that! As a retailer I’m just happy customers choose to buy books from me - and the reasons they do so are a mix of price, availability, promotion and sometimes personal recommendation (when I’m very lucky).

All I wanted to point out is that there aren’t ‘fat cat’ retailers running over the hill with 55% - if they were I’d have bought my house years ago.

Pricing and books is an interesting discussion - since the end of the Net Book Agreement the emphasis has been more and more on volume sales, mostly driven by the internet and discounting by Amazon. 50% off as a sales message has now become the standard message for frontlist - just look at the windows of any major bookseller on the high street.

This is, to a degree, the fault of book sellers themselves - in an attempt to retain market share in the face of the internet in over expanded square footage (Borders, and the out-of-town stores) and not looking to differentiate outside of price. However this can’t be said to be unusual in a commodity product market - and booksellers still do amazing promotions and support new authors and exciting books every day. Some of the recent Waterstone’s promotions have been great (the postcard stories, writer’s table etc).

What is a real challenge is to attempt to break out of a price driven offer - but I can’t see how this will happen easily. The web, pricing and availability has increased book sales overall, but to a declining set of customers.

Any suggestions?

]]> By: Edublog Suspended: Politics Around the Web 10/16/2008 | Beyond School http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40141 Edublog Suspended: Politics Around the Web 10/16/2008 | Beyond School Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:33:02 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40141 [...] The divided book | booktwo.org [...] [...] The divided book | booktwo.org [...]

]]> By: James Bridle http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40093 James Bridle Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:01:11 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40093 @Kieron - I think that blaming the customer for taking "quite a significant discount off the remaining margin" is a bit odd - the retailers are offering these discounts in a destructive price war, and pushing the cost back onto the publishers. @Kieron - I think that blaming the customer for taking “quite a significant discount off the remaining margin” is a bit odd - the retailers are offering these discounts in a destructive price war, and pushing the cost back onto the publishers.

]]> By: Hugh McGuire: What Publishing Can Learn From Music | PoliticsMuch.com http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40054 Hugh McGuire: What Publishing Can Learn From Music | PoliticsMuch.com Tue, 14 Oct 2008 21:08:52 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40054 [...] cost of production, distribution and retail overhead — is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for e-books [...] [...] cost of production, distribution and retail overhead — is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for e-books [...]

]]> By: hughmcguire.net · What Publishing Can Learn Music http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40020 hughmcguire.net · What Publishing Can Learn Music Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:47:28 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40020 [...] the cost of production, distribution and retail overhead - is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for ebooks [...] [...] the cost of production, distribution and retail overhead - is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for ebooks [...]

]]> By: What Publishing Can Learn From Music http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-40019 What Publishing Can Learn From Music Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:41:48 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-40019 [...] the cost of production, distribution and retail overhead - is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for ebooks [...] [...] the cost of production, distribution and retail overhead - is worth $20, a digital book is not. Cut the price accordingly. Take your margin, but don’t abuse your customers with outrageous prices for ebooks [...]

]]> By: Kieron http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-39653 Kieron Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:53:46 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-39653 Nice graphic James - there would be a lot of rich book retailers around if we all made 55% mind - in reality much of that 55% goes on: Retailer distribution (if online) shipping costs Staff Heat/Light etc Returns and then... the customer takes quite a significant discount off the remaining margin! Nice graphic James - there would be a lot of rich book retailers around if we all made 55% mind - in reality much of that 55% goes on:

Retailer distribution
(if online) shipping costs
Staff
Heat/Light etc
Returns
and then… the customer takes quite a significant discount off the remaining margin!

]]> By: Sony Reader PRS-700: Part Three « Mike Cane 2008 http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-39533 Sony Reader PRS-700: Part Three « Mike Cane 2008 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:34:36 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-39533 [...] No they’re not! I’ve seen charts. It’s mostly physical [...] [...] No they’re not! I’ve seen charts. It’s mostly physical [...]

]]> By: What We Pay for When We Pay for Books http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-39521 What We Pay for When We Pay for Books Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:48:27 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-39521 [...] at BookTwo takes a look at the price of books and where that money goes: I think this illustration serves a number of [...] [...] at BookTwo takes a look at the price of books and where that money goes: I think this illustration serves a number of [...]

]]> By: Books 1.0: Where The Money Goes « Mike Cane 2008 http://booktwo.org/notebook/the-divided-book/#comment-32345 Books 1.0: Where The Money Goes « Mike Cane 2008 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:40:16 +0000 http://booktwo.org/?p=516#comment-32345 [...] 1.0: Where The Money Goes The divided book I’ve wanted for some time to create a simple infographic of where a book’s cover price goes, [...] [...] 1.0: Where The Money Goes The divided book I’ve wanted for some time to create a simple infographic of where a book’s cover price goes, [...]

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