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Plug Your Book!
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Other major online retailers
Barnes & Noble is the biggest U.S. multi-channel bookseller, the
leading brick-and-mortar bookseller, and No. 2 to Amazon in online
sales. “More and more people are researching online before they go into
stores to buy,” said Kate Zeman, director of trade book merchandising
at BarnesAndNoble.com. “That’s something we’re seeing—what we’re
doing on our Web site influences sales in our stores.”
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble’s key device to promote cross-channel sales is its
loyalty card program. Members pay $25 annually and receive a 10
percent discount online and in stores, in additional to several special
offers during the year.
BarnesAndNoble.com also features author interviews and online
courses. Perhaps due to its lower online sales volume relative to Amazon,
BarnesAndNoble.com has much less user-generated content like reader
book reviews.
Titles stocked in Barnes & Noble’s warehouse are available for 24-
hour delivery, but those supplied by wholesalers show as “usually ships
in 2 to 3 days.” If your book is available through a national wholesaler
such as Ingram or Baker & Taylor, it will be available for order on
BarnesAndNoble.com.
BookSense
www.BookSense.com gives independent bookstores a way to
have an Internet shopping site without making big technology
investments. It’s the e-commerce arm of the American Booksellers
Association’s BookSense program.
BookSense uses the wholesaler Ingram Book’s iPage database to
provide book listings for its 475 participating stores. Fulfillment is
handled by the store or Ingram.
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