News - Vendors

HarperCollins recently became the first publisher to begin offering retail and wholesale customers the option of a "paperless co-op" process. "HarperCollins Publishers Co-op Direct" is significant in that it eliminates a major deterrent for retailers wishing to claim co-op dollars -- the often-burdensome amount of paperwork.

In just the past week, two distributors, Koen Book Distributors and Alamo Square Distributors, have announced their decisions to end operations. And earlier this week, Alamo's founder announced he would be opening ASP Wholesale, a division of Alamo Square Press.

As Gayle Shanks, owner of Changing Hands in Tempe, Arizona, emphasized at the BookExpo America education session "Buying, Selling, and Managing Gifts, Sidelines, and Other Non-Book Products 101," sidelines are best served fresh, although, of course, this doesn't preclude keeping around those top-sellers.

Publishing approximately 50 titles a year, focusing on American history and politics, poetry, alternative health, media studies, the environment, peace and justice issues, Spanish-language titles, and more, Seven Stories Press is a very busy and dedicated independent publisher.

Penguin Group (USA) Launches New Trade Paperback Line The Penguin Group (USA) paperback division, which includes among others Penguin, Plume, New American Library, and Riverhead Trade Paperbacks, will launch a new trade paperback line, "Essential Editions," this fall. The line will feature top-selling titles including The Kite Runner and The Secret Life of Bees, as well as classics such as The Bluest Eye and The Godfather, in a deluxe trade paperback format.

Trafalgar Square Books is a unique operation. Founded in 1973 by Caroline and Ted Robbins, the distributor and publisher is located in rural Pomfret, Vermont, on a working farm complete with Thoroughbreds, shaggy prize-winning cows, ducks, and geese. Trafalgar distributes nearly all of the major U.K.

Bookseller Asks Others to Help Distributor Begin New Chapter On Monday, July 11, in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, Koen Book Distributors filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The news comes a week after the distributor announced that, due to cash flow problems, it would not be filling orders for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

On July 5, Moorestown, New Jersey's Koen Book Distributors announced that, due to financial difficulties, it would not be distributing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Scholastic) to its customers. In a press release, Robert Koen, the company's president, said, "Arrangements were made with Scholastic and [its distributor] HarperCollins to make sure our customers [get] the new Harry Potter book." Orders for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince originally placed with Koen will be filled by Baker & Taylor.

"Sidelines can really add to your bottom line," said Gayle Shanks, co-owner of Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, at the ABA education session "Buying, Selling, and Managing Gifts, Sidelines, and Other Non-Book Products 101" at last week's BookExpo America in New York. "But I don't call them sidelines anymore. Customers don't understand what you mean when you say 'sidelines.' And if you use the word 'gifts,' over your PA system ...

HarperPerennial is relaunching this summer with a new logo, new jackets, most titles with P.S. sections, and an in-store display kit. Also included in this campaign is HarperPerennial's limited edition To Kill a Mockingbird Book Sense Gift Card and coordinating presenter. This new gift card design has room to add bookstore information and makes a great gift idea for teachers, librarians, students, and book lovers.