Amazon has announced they are shuttering the Book Depository at the end of April. The UK bookselling business has been around since 2004 and was initially launched by former Amazon employees. Due to their success in selling physical books online and not wanting to compete, Amazon acquired them in 2011. This closure is due to cost savings measures by Amazon in their hardware and … [Read more...] about The Book Depository online store is closing at the end of April
Bookselling News
Kate Beaton’s Graphic Novel ‘Ducks’ Wins ‘Canada Reads’
2023's Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) battle of the best books, "Canada Reads" has just wrapped up, and for the first time a graphic narrative has been crowned the winner. Ducks a graphic memoir about a young woman working in Alberta's oil sands, written by Kate Beaton, was championed by Jeopardy super-star Mattea Roach. The annual national book battle began over 20 … [Read more...] about Kate Beaton’s Graphic Novel ‘Ducks’ Wins ‘Canada Reads’
Penguin installs book vending machine in Exeter to celebrate the publisher’s founding principle
A vending machine has been unveiled at Exeter St. David's train station in the UK by Penguin Books, the site Exeter.gov.uk reported. The machine will offer a range of curated titles, including classic and contemporary fiction, non-fiction, and children's books. Customers can browse through the selection, purchase books using contactless payment, and take the books away with … [Read more...] about Penguin installs book vending machine in Exeter to celebrate the publisher’s founding principle
Rakuten Kobo e-book flagship store goes online in Taiwan
Rakuten Mall has partnered with Rakuten Kobo, their e-book business, to broaden its mall services and offer digital publishing products. As TechBang reported, shoppers can use their Rakuten member account to buy Kobo e-books at Rakuten Mall and take advantage of the discounted prices. They can also buy and read books at their convenience. Additionally, customers can earn … [Read more...] about Rakuten Kobo e-book flagship store goes online in Taiwan
How Out of-the-Box thinking saved Barnes & Noble
In 1873, Charles M. Barnes opened a small book business from his home in Wheaton, Illinois. His son, William Barnes carried the torch forward and alongside Clifford Noble, they opened the very first Barnes & Noble (B&N) bookstore in 1917 on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The store began to flourish, gaining it a reputation for excellence. In 1971 Bookseller Leonard … [Read more...] about How Out of-the-Box thinking saved Barnes & Noble
Barnes and Noble Launches Premium Membership
Barnes and Noble are revising their membership program to compete against Amazon Prime and Walmart+. The largest bookseller in the United States has a new Premium Membership, which costs $40 per year. It gives customers 10% discounts, free shipping, a tote bag and bigger lattes. The bookseller is also launching a free, lower-tier membership program that allows members to … [Read more...] about Barnes and Noble Launches Premium Membership
Indigo Books and Music has been hacked
Indigo Books and Music will not allow orders to be placed online and paying in their retail stores with a bank card and credit card is not allowed, cash only. They are not accepting returns either, or payment by gift card. Indigo also said customers who recently purchased items online may experience delays with part or all of their order. Why this this happening? It is due to a … [Read more...] about Indigo Books and Music has been hacked
Audiobook sales spike in the Netherlands
Physical bookstores are popular again in the Netherlands, after losing out to their online counterparts during the pandemic. As NLTimes reported citing inputs from the CPNB foundation, there has been a 16 percent increase in the sale of books via physical bookstores, something that also led to a 25 percent increase in turnover for the bookstores. While that is a welcome change … [Read more...] about Audiobook sales spike in the Netherlands
Print Sales Declined by 6% in 2022
Hardcover and Paperback book sales did not have a very good year in 2022, they declined by 6.5%. This was to be expected, because book sales boomed in 2020 and in 2021, primarily due to the pandemic. The drop in sales was not that surprising in the publishing industry. NDP Bookscan reported that 788.7 million books were sold last year, down from 843.1 million in 2021. … [Read more...] about Print Sales Declined by 6% in 2022
Italian charged with stealing more than 1,000 manuscripts
The mystery of over a thousand missing manuscripts has finally been solved, The Guardian reported. An Italian, Filippo Bernardini, 30, has confessed to having collected the manuscripts via unscrupulous means which brings to an end a case that has been troubling the investigators for years now. Filippo Bernardini used his experience working with renowned publisher Simon & … [Read more...] about Italian charged with stealing more than 1,000 manuscripts