BCA | The Bookseller

BCA could be rescued from failed Webb Group

Publication Date: Wed, 07/03/2012 - 10:10

The former owners of Book Club Associates (BCA) have said they would like to see the business “go to a good home” but admit its contribution in sales was not enough to keep parent company The Webb Group in business.

Yesterday it was...

BCA | Home | Lisa Campbell | The Webb Group
BCA parent company enters administration

Publication Date: Tue, 06/03/2012 - 16:00

The catalogue-based bookselling company Book Club Associates has collapsed following the administration of its parent company The Webb Group.

Leeds-based administrators BDO has been appointed to handle the sale of The Webb Group's assets, and has told press it is actively looking for a buyer. Besides BCA, the other companies...

BCA | BDO | Claire Rose | Home | Lisa Campbell | Retail | The Webb Group
BCA readies e-books for 2012

Publication Date: Thu, 17/11/2011 - 15:52

Book Club Associates plans to redesign its catalogues and begin selling e-books next year.

The catalogue bookseller said it was speaking to customers about offering digital books alongside physical titles. It plans to offer them in the first quarter of next year through its BooksDirect catalogue, which is aimed at women aged 45-plus....

BCA | digital | ebooks | Home | Lisa Campbell | Retail
Bertelsmann formally disbands its book club division 'Direct Group'

Publication Date: Wed, 15/06/2011 - 07:46

Bertelsmann has disbanded its Direct Group division having all-but completed what it described as the scale-back of its book clubs business. Its remaining book club interests, most notably in Germany and Spain, will now be run out of "Corporate Investments", a division that also includes BMG’s music rights business, as well as...

BCA | Bertelsmann | Book Clubs | Bookseller Staff | Germany | International | Todays Picks
Ex-Continuum man sets up music publisher

Publication Date: Wed, 29/09/2010 - 15:39

A new publisher specialising in popular music titles has been set up by Phil Godsell, previously business development manager at Continuum.

The first title from Soundcheck Books will be Jumpin' in the Fire, an autobiography of ex-Ducks Deluxe and Tyla Gang frontman Sean Tyla, with a foreword from Ian Dury-biographer Will...

BCA | Charlotte Williams | Continuum | independent publishing | Soundcheck Books
BCA

Publication Date: Thu, 12/11/2009 - 12:35

Book club business BCA is seeking to double its children’s books sales within a year by attracting casual online book buyers and developing its Books for Children (BFC) club offer, according to the company’s c.e.o. Phillip Wagner.

Children’s books currently account for 25% of BCA’s sales, while the adult Books...

BCA | Caroline Horn | children's | Home
BCA to target book buyers with website relaunch

Publication Date: Wed, 11/11/2009 - 13:40

Book club business BCA is planning to re-launch its e-commerce site for adult book buyers in early 2010. It recently launched a new version of its Books for Children club website, aimed at giving book buyers the opportunity to browse the site and buy books without joining the club.

Chief executive Phillip Wagner said: "As part of...

BCA | books direct | e-commerce | Graeme Neill | Home
BCA split into two divisions

Publication Date: Fri, 06/11/2009 - 05:45

BCA has been divided into two distinct divisions, following a strategic review that was implemented earlier this year, shortly after Munich-based investments group Aurelius bought the business from Bertelsmann.

The company's buying and marketing arm, which includes Books Direct and Books for Children Direct, will now work alongside...

BCA | Bertelsmann | Catherine Neilan
BCA appoints new c.e.o

Publication Date: Wed, 18/02/2009 - 14:00

Phillip Wagner has been appointed as chief executive of the BCA with immediate effect, following the departure of George Saul, who left last week.

Wagner was appointed by Munich-based industrial holding Aurelius, which took over the book club business at the end of 2008. Wagner was previously working for Aurelius’ as a managing...

BCA | Catherine Neilan | Phillip Wagner
Aurelius to bring in BCA 'task force'

Publication Date: Mon, 22/12/2008 - 14:49

The new owner of Book Club Associates intends to bring in a team of industry experts to help turn the business round. Aurelius said the "task force" – probably consisting of around 20 specialists recruited from a range of disciplines from publishing to accounting – would look at all aspects of BCA in order to help it get...

Aurelius | BCA | Bertelsmann | Book Club Associates | Katie Coyne