Retail | The Bookseller

Friend or foe?

Publication Date: Mon, 15/04/2013 - 09:17

The high street bookshops I represent are cultural and community beacons on the high street. They are full of enterprising and passionate booksellers, who run local events, innovate and—what’s more—are a key to the “discovery” of books for many book buyers.

However, there is no doubt they are facing...

amazon | blogs | Home | London Book Fair | Retail | Tim Godfray
French high street hit by Chapitre closures

Publication Date: Mon, 15/04/2013 - 06:30

The announcement last week that Chapitre.com will close nine of its 57 bookshops across France is just the latest in a string of bad news to hit cultural products retailers in French high streets.

Jörg Hagen, chairman of parent company Actissia, formerly DirectGroup France, said 271 staff out of...

Actissia | Barbara Casassus | Chapitre | France | International | Jörg Hagen | Retail
Hilco confirms HMV will continue books offer

Publication Date: Fri, 12/04/2013 - 09:23

A new-era HMV will continue to sell books, restructuring company Hilco has confirmed.

Former Waterstones employee Michael Neil will also remain as the chain’s commercial director.

Hilco announced last week (5th April) that it had bought 141 of the 230 HMV stores, including 25 previously earmarked for closure, in a deal...

Borders | Flame Tree Press | Hilco | HMV | Home | Lisa Campbell | Michael Neil | Pan Macmillan | Retail | Valco Capital Partners | Waterstones
In the bag

Publication Date: Thu, 11/04/2013 - 15:57

The genius of the Books Are My Bag promotion is its simplicity. In many ways it has echoes of the more haphazard “Super Thursday”. Both work because their central messages are clear. One is the day a lot of big books are released. The other...

blogs | Books Are My Bag | campaigns | Home | Marketing | Philip Jones | Retail | Trade
Book sales fall 6% at W H Smith

Publication Date: Thu, 11/04/2013 - 10:16

Book sales at W H Smith dropped 6% like-for-like in the six months to 28th February, according to the company's latest half-yearly financial results. However its range of Kobo e-readers and accessories saw a "strong performance", the company said.

W H Smith Group profit-before-tax increased 5% to £69m, even though...

digital | e-books | e-readers | Financial | Home | Kobo | Lisa Campbell | Results | Retail | W H Smith
Authors campaign to save Venice's bookshops

Publication Date: Thu, 11/04/2013 - 09:30

British novelist Michelle Lovric and Strega Prize-winner Tiziano Scarpa are among a large group of authors backing a campaign to save Venice's bookshops.

There have been several recent losses due to rising rates and rents.

Around 100 authors have signed a manifesto with ideas to save bookshops in the city and at a public...

Authors | City of Readers | Home | Independents | International | Lisa Campbell | Michelle Lovric | Mondadori | Retail | social media | Tiziano Scarpa | Venice
Postage hike hits indies' margins

Publication Date: Mon, 08/04/2013 - 08:30

Independent booksellers are concerned the latest changes to postal charges will have a further negative impact on their businesses this year. Business rates increased by 2.6% this month, and Royal Mail changed its postal pricing at the same time.

Royal Mail began charging 30p more for a first-class parcel weighing up to 750g to...

David Ford | Home | Independents | Lisa Campbell | post office | Retail | Royal Mail | Saltaire Bookshop
Mantel on IBW shortlist

Publication Date: Wed, 03/04/2013 - 09:40

Man Booker and Costa-winner Hilary Mantel could be in line for another prize for Bring Up The Bodies (Fourth Estate), after scoring a place on the Independent Bookseller Award shortlists, with fellow nominees David Walliams and Rachel Joyce thanking booksellers for their support.

Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of...

Independent Booksellers Week | Independents | Lisa Campbell | Prizes | Retail