Book distributors and book wholesalers belong to an industry that changes rapidly and appears to introduce new distribution technology all the time. Every small business owner that stocks books needs to be up to date on the latest trends and news to have a full picture of the world of their suppliers and distributors.

When dealing with wholesale book distributors, its important for networking and establishing relationships to be able to converse on their terms. The savvy small business owner will make it a priority to stay on top of changes in both the economy, shipping methods and book dealing and reading trends. Consider the following when dealing with book distributors and wholesalers news and trends:

1. Sign up for one of more industry RSS feeds for daily updates on the book distribution world.

2. Review the latest popularity trends in all types of wholesale books.

3. Stay in close contact with your book distribution company.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Subscribe to book distributor and seller RSS feeds and blogs to stay ahead of the crowd

Book distribution companies like all businesses have daily changes, new technologies and trends to keep track of. Industry feeds can be set up to give you daily news alerts and important trends. Feeds directed towards both buyers and sellers offer the best balance for your industry current events education.

I recommend: The American Bookseller Association allows you to subscribe to their online newsletter, blog and online forums to help you stay up to date. IBS offers a variety of book distribution news, white papers, trend articles and upcoming events. Go under the contact tab to subscribe to online newsletters.

Research wholesale book dealer statistics and historic trends

If you are very new to the business of buying and selling books, it is a good idea to read a little bit about recent trends that may or may not appear in daily blogs or RSS feeds.

I recommend: BookWire offers both industry history and statistics and also how to guides on niche book markets. Metrics 2.0 is a blog to which you can subscribe but they have an industry insights section that offers the latest trends and compares with the historical data. This provides a compare and contrast for those still learning the industry.

Stay current on wholesaling and not just the wholesaler of books

Wholesale book dealers operate in two worlds: that of books and publishing but also the world of wholesale and bulk selling of all kinds. Its a good idea to stay abreast of changes and news in the world of wholesaling as a whole to help steer your way through a mountain of online information, companies and economic trends that affect wholesale prices and distribution.

I recommend: Wholesale Industry Reviews offers reviews, news and industry trends across the world of wholesalers. They include pitfalls to avoid and events to attend. Sumner Communications' WholesaleCentral.com has both news on trends in the wholesale industry as well as informative articles on both a wholesale company and new technologies to help the wholesale business.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Besides staying current with book distributors and wholesalers news, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the latest in paper, printing and inks to round out your knowledge.

Publishers and self-publishers benefit from using book wholesalers or book distributors. Many major bookstores will not stock a book unless it is available for sale through book distributors and book wholesalers. Bookstores prefer dealing with book distributors and book wholesalers for a few reasons:

1. Book distributors and book wholesalers are usually more reliable than and tend to ship faster than publishers.
2. Bookstores can usually get better discounts from book distributors and book wholesalers than from publishers.
3. Bookstores can return unsold books to book distributors and book wholesalers, which they can’t do with many publishers.

Even though they offer many of the same benefits, there are some key differences between book wholesalers and distributors:

1. A book wholesaler works for the book store and offers minimal marketing support.
2. A book distributor works for the publisher and assists in marketing the books sold.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find the right book distributor

Choose a book distributor that handles all of the order fulfillment and warehousing requirements. This will take the burden off you having to find storage and possibly hire staff to help fulfill orders. Most book distributors employ a sales staff that markets your books to major bookstore chains and independent bookstores. It pays to take time to research various book distributors or book wholesalers that carry books in your genre.

I recommend: Writers-Publish is loaded with resources for writers and publishers alike, including contact information for many of the industry's leading book distributors and wholesalers. Scroll down to view the list.

Sell through wholesale book distributors' catalogs

Choose a wholesaler to carry your book in a catalog. The wholesaler usually offers little marketing other than a catalog, so if you are able to do most of the marketing yourself, a book wholesaler may be your best bet.

I recommend: Small Publishers Association of North America (SPAN) offers advice and information on selling through a wholesaler.

On your own terms

Book distribution companies and wholesale book dealers offer various discount terms to bookstores. The amount you pay them to distribute your book may vary based on the net sale price, which can vary depending on the discount given to the buyers. Ask the company how the discount is figured on each sale to the book stores.

I recommend: ParaPublishing explains the breakdown of the discounts wholesalers give to bookstores and distributors give to wholesalers and bookstores.

The company's backbone

Check to make sure the wholesale book dealer or the book distribution company is stable. Ask if it offers insurance on your books while they are in the warehouse. Find out how long the companies have been in business and how large the book distribution companies are before signing the deal. Also ask how many publishing companies the book distributors represent.

I recommend: Check out the business at the Better Business Bureau or Dun & Bradstreet for company history or complaints from other clients.

Shop til you drop

Request a catalog before making your decision. Browsing the catalog will tell you what genres the book distributor or book wholesaler markets. It will also tell you a lot about the company's professionalism and sales territories.

I recommend: Ingram Book Company and Baker & Taylor have information and catalog request pages.

Do a background check

As you would for a potential employee, find out what's lurking in the background of a particular book distributor or book wholesaler if you're unsure if its reputation. Request financial statements if you have questions about the viability of the distribution company. Make sure it's not hanging by a financial thread. Ask other publishers and authors what book distributors or book wholesalers they use. Talk to your local book store managers to see where they buy most of their books. Some publisher forums are a good source of advice also.

I recommend: Writers Write offers a list of blogs and forums on book distribution.

Gain some independence

Most independent distributors offer distribution of paperback books and magazines, but if your budget prohibits using a larger company, a smaller, independent company may be the ticket.

I recommend: Read John Kremer's Book Wholesalers & Library Jobbers Report or the Book Publishing Resource Guide for more information on finding a regional or independent wholesaler.

A list of the top independent book distributors can be found at Bookmarket.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use Ingram Book Company. Ingram Book Company is one of the largest privately owned book wholesaler to independent bookstores. Ingram Book Company is located in LaVergne, Tennessee.
• •  Use Baker & Taylor. Baker & Taylor is another major wholesaler. This company does not stock books; it orders directly from the publisher.

There are hundreds of book and publishing related terms and knowing which ones are key to the success of your business is important. Although there are numerous terms, only a few key words are necessary to initiate your relationship with book distribution companies and the average wholesale book dealer.

Every small business owner who sells books or wishes to include books in their inventory needs awareness to ensure they understand what they have ordered (the type and quantity of book), how much it will cost and how it will be shipped. Keep the following in mind:

1. Know there are a number of types of books and a number of wholesalers of books who specialize their inventory.

2. Be sure of your budget related terminology when dealing with wholesalers of books.

3. Conduct enough research to ensure the type of book distribution you seek and can afford to house in your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know the basic terms used by wholesale book dealers

Before focusing your education and understanding on the specific lingo of a particular book distributor or book wholesaler, its best to start with the basics. The online business world has added to the wholesale book dealers term list and a combination of old basic lingo and new basic lingo is an absolute must to the small business owner.

I recommend: Booksurge offers both the buyer and seller terminology you’ll need to enter the world of wholesale book dealers and includes the latest online terminology as well as traditional publishing lingo. Association of American Publishers offers both a list of American book publishers as well as a look up service to find out more information about a specific publisher.

Know the different types of binding when working with a book distribution company

Hard cover hardback are often abbreviated as HB on book selling websites. Board books covers are made of card. This binding is usually reserved for over sized children's books. Trade paperback are the soft cover version of the hard book and the most popular book style on book shelves. Mass market has a soft cover and is not meant as a collector's copy but as a quick read or reference copy of a book. Often a lot cheaper than a hard cover or first edition for both the buyer and the seller.

I recommend: The glossary of Copano Bay Books offers key terms when it comes to book binding. The Independent Online Booksellers Association has an interesting list of key terms with details on more specialized types of book bindings as well as industry key organizations and wholesale book distributors.

Understand the stages of a book's life as understood by book distributors

There is a life cycle to books that applies to different stages and prices in the book distribution process. If a book is not selling fast enough it may be stripped. This means the front cover will be removed, the book thrown away and the cover returned to the manufacturer for credit. Remainder books are books that are marked by the original publisher that indicate they cannot be returned to the publisher for credit by the small book store owner. Out of print books mean a book is no longer being printed. This can make it hard to find or expensive to buy. It also means if you buy them bulk and cheap and have a huge customer demand the chances of you replacing this stock are slim or costly.

I recommend: Rightreading.com offers a great glossary of book terms utilized by publishers and book wholesalers. Cirobe.com details different types of remainder books and the other terms used to describe them.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure the sites you view for book distributors and wholesalers key terms are focused on small business owners and book sellers rather than the libraries or book lending institutions as the jargon does vary.