Non-books

A February 25 afternoon panel at Winter 8 explored how toy buying, pricing, merchandizing, and marketing differ from norms in the children’s book industry. Panelists also shared some of their favorite finds for 2013.

Philip Rafshoon named program director for Decatur Book Festival; Scarletta Press rebrands, adds imprints

Here’s a peek at some of the offerings at last week’s 2012 American International Toy Fair that drew the attention of Cynthia Compton of 4 Kids Books & Toys and Jill Miner of Saturn Booksellers.

This fall, booksellers looking for inventory to complement their bestselling Moleskine notebooks and planners need look no further.

Magazine publishers have committed to participating in a program developed by Trofie that is designed to expand magazine sales in independent bookstores.

The Ingram Content Group’s expanded gift and game catalog, which includes more than 125 vendors selected by Ingram buyers and former booksellers, can be used to help launch or augment a store’s non-book inventory.

At the session “Selling Non-book in the Children's Department," ABA President Becky Anderson of Anderson's Bookshops in Naperville, Illinois, moderated a panel discussion with Beth Puffer of Bank Street Bookstore in New York City and Andrea Vuleta of Mrs. Nelson’s Toy and Book Shop in La Verne, California, about their ordering tactics and top picks for toys and games.

Booksellers who attended the Museum Store Association’s recent Retail Conference & Expo found the event, which focused on non-book products, a worthwhile complement to BEA.

ABA has launched a completely redesigned and expanded online Booksellers Resource Directory in partnership with Multiview, Inc., a publisher of digital buyer’s guides and e-news briefs.

Bookstores have found a sideline that everybody likes: food. Booksellers from Books and Greetings, Readers’ Books, and  Clinton Book Shop recently spoke to BTW about the food or food-related items they’ve added to their inventory.