Last month, Fast Company did a great story on bookstore co-op deals, in which publishers pay booksellers for inclusion on front tables, end caps, face-out placements, etc. So, yes, those books out front at Barnes & Noble are there because someone paid for them to be there, not necessarily because they’re the best or most important—although, of course, bookstore buyers only allow placement for books they believe will move. (Also, the two indie booksellers we’ve asked, BookPeople and Vroman’s, say that featured “employee picks,” an upaid form of co-op, are completely at the employee and bookseller’s discretion.)
It’s an interesting negotiation, and as bookstore space shrinks and brick-and-mortar book shoppers dwindle, co-op placement for books becomes increasingly important. Adam L. Penenberg, author of Viral Loop, gives an good overview. Read it here, and have a Happy New Year!
Tags: Adam L. Penenberg, BookPeople, bookstores, co-op, Viral Loop, Vroman's
