Baker & Taylor Announces Special Disney DVD Offer to Independent Bookstores

Baker & Taylor has teamed up with Disney and Buena Vista Home Entertainment to present to independent booksellers a promotional offer meant to make it easier for booksellers to market DVDs in their stores. The companies are offering bookstores a Disney DVD display rack featuring a selection of 16 Buena Vista Home Video titles. Bookstores that participate in the promotion will receive a $100 placement fee, 90-day payment terms, and a free merchandising display unit. The offer is limited to the first 500 customers.

"I think this is a natural fit to get DVDs into [independent] bookstores," said Joanne Young, director of marketing for Baker & Taylor. "In terms of this particular offer, we thought offering a free standing rack might take the sting out of trying [DVDs]. There's been a reluctance by some booksellers to try sidelines. This is a new way of letting bookstores try them."

Participating bookstores can choose from three different DVD mixes of 16 titles, which were crafted based on Baker & Taylor sales data and Buena Vista's analysis of video sales to bookstores. The three mix selections are: an Animated/Family Mix, which includes Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story; a Live Action Mix, which includes O Brother Where Art Thou, Sixth Sense, and Pulp Fiction; and a Live Action/Animated Mix, with selected titles from the Animated and Live Action mixes. Each mix includes eight copies of each title for a total of 128 DVDs per rack. The merchandising unit takes under two square feet of floor space. DVDs and the display rack are available for order immediately.

Additionally, for those booksellers seeking more information on how to set up and merchandise DVDs in a bookstore, Baker & Taylor is sponsoring a DVD Showcase at BookExpo America (May 28 - June 1, in Los Angeles).

To find out more about Baker & Taylor's DVD offer, call (800) 775-2600, ext. 2120, or visit www.btol.com.