|
Next month sees the remainder and bargain book industry converge on Atlanta for the 8th annual Spring Book Show – an event that just keeps on growing.
The Georgia World Congress Center will host the event from March 23-25. Around 100 vendors will be offering thousands of remainders, hurts, returns, promotional and white sale books to trade buyers from around the world.
Hundreds of small independent bookstores and booksellers, as well as many major retailers, travel from as far away as India, Australia and Asia to pick up cut-price books for resale.
“What sells well in the general trade industry sells well at our show,” said organizer Larry May. “Of course, the reason we have a show is because the publisher didn't sell enough of a specific title or they overprinted a book, or experienced too many returns, or they needed to turn books into cash.
Larry May |
“I don't care how good an author is - their books will end up being handled by one of our vendors eventually - it is inevitable. Our industry feels very strongly that we give books additional 'shelf time' in other retail settings. In other words, if it didn't sell in a front list bookstore, it very well may sell in another retail setting.”
May believes the bargain book industry is going from strength to strength.
“The remainder business seems healthy to me,” he said. “It is the independent book retailer who is struggling. The innovative remainder dealers have made good use of the Internet. They use it to wholesale books from business to business, but also business to consumer. Those that have adjusted to the Internet - gone outside of the traditional book retail market and found specific niches - have done much better than those that haven't. Like retailers, those that have lampooned the changes in the industry are gone, or are on their way out of the business.”
Aside from books, the vendors also offer ephemera, or sidelines, such as calendars, reading glasses, CDs, pens and stationary. However, the Spring Book Show is also staging a number of forums that will appeal to a variety of attendees.
“The one, very unique aspect of the Spring Book Show is that we are the only show in the remainder industry to have educational forums,” said May. “About three years ago, we teamed up with the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) and asked them to sponsor our educational seminars. They agreed to do so and it has been an excellent fit for both of us. Remainder buyers need the bookselling education and SIBA members need to incorporate 'off price' books into their stores.
“We have a very special guest speaker coming this year - Gayle Shanks. She owns a bookstore in Tempe, Arizona, and does it all. She sells front list, remainders, used books, sidelines and conducts event after event in her store.
“Her sessions will focus on how booksellers can incorporate remainders, front list and used books into their businesses. Additionally, she will share her success with sidelines - something that bookstores need for the 'add-on' sales. Any bookseller would be privileged to sit and listen to her.
“Another forum that we are conducting for the first time is a Writer's Seminar. This will be for authors who are trying to write, edit, print and market their books. We want them to understand that even the best books will eventually end up at a remainder show and that they should consider the show as another market in which to sell their books. The Writer's Seminar is being hosted by Noel Griese, an author of 17 books himself. There are 15 speakers conducting sessions at this forum.”
For more information, telephone 865-922-7490 or go to www.springbookshow.com.
|
