in Publishing
How bookshops order books
A bookshop cannot stock a book it cannot find or order on normal terms. Knowing how shops buy explains why some books reach their shelves and others do not.
Authors often hope to see their book in bookshops, and are sometimes surprised to find that shops cannot or will not order it. The reasons are usually practical rather than personal. Bookshops buy books through established systems, and a book that sits outside those systems is difficult for them to stock.
Where shops buy from
Bookshops generally buy books in one of two ways: directly from publishers or their distributors, or through wholesalers.
Publishers of any size usually use a distributor, a company that stores stock, takes orders from shops and ships them. Larger publishers also employ sales representatives, who present forthcoming books to bookshop buyers, often months before publication.
Wholesalers hold stock of a wide range of titles from many publishers and supply shops with small quantities quickly. In the UK, wholesalers such as Gardners play a large part in supplying independent bookshops. For a shop, a wholesaler offers convenience: many publishers' books on one account, one delivery and one invoice.
Shops find books through the trade's bibliographic data, which lists what is available, from whom, at what price and on what terms. If a book is not in that data, or is listed as unavailable, a shop cannot easily order it.
Terms of trade
Bookshops expect to buy books at a discount from the retail price, which is how they cover their costs and make a margin. The discount available depends on the supplier and the arrangement.
Bookshops also generally expect to be able to return unsold stock for credit, which is known as buying on sale or return. This allows a shop to take a chance on a book without bearing the full risk if it does not sell. A book offered only on firm sale, with no returns, is a greater risk for the shop, and many shops are less willing to stock it.
Books printed on demand are sometimes offered to the trade on terms that make them less attractive to shops, such as a low discount or no returns. Some print-on-demand services allow the publisher to offer more usual trade terms. The choice affects whether shops will stock the book, not only whether they can order it.
What shops look for
A bookshop buyer considers whether customers will want the book. They look at the cover, the description, the author and any evidence of interest: reviews, local connection, events, the author's readership and the publisher's plans. For a local author, a bookshop may be more willing to stock a few copies, especially if the author is known in the area or offers an event.
Advance information matters. Buyers want to know what the book is, when it will be published and where it can be ordered, well before publication. A short information sheet with the essential details and the supplier is useful.
Physical details matter too. The book should look and feel like a professionally produced book: a well-designed cover, a clear spine, a barcode with the ISBN and a price where appropriate, and a format and size familiar to the shelf where it belongs.
Making it easy
To give a bookshop the best chance of stocking a book, make sure it has an ISBN, complete and accurate metadata, availability through a distributor or wholesaler that shops use, and terms that are reasonable for the trade. Approach shops politely, with information, and respect their decisions.
Shops cannot stock everything. But a book that can be found, ordered and returned on normal terms has cleared the first hurdle, and many never do.