The Bookseller.com

1st December 2008

New rep force launches

10.04.08 Tom Tivnan

London-based publisher rep David Segrue is seeking to buck recent rep force trends by launching an independent sales company. The new firm, D J Segrue, has hired seven reps to cover the UK and Republic of Ireland. They will work on a commission-only basis. Segrue has thus far signed on two independent publishers, Haus Publishing and Oneworld Publications.

The move flies in the face of recent consolidation for independent sales forces. In February, Compass Independent Book Sales and Derek Searle Associates merged to create a new independent sales company, Compass DSA. Last October, Troika, which represented 100-plus indie publishers, went out of business after selling into bookshops for more than 25 years. Segrue admitted he was starting his company in "interesting times". He added: "I do think we are offering what both publishers and booksellers want. Publishers need to know what is happening on the shop floor. Booksellers are realising again how important a tool we can be in feeding back to publishers."

Segrue has been a rep in London for more than 16 years and is continuing separately to rep for several independent publishers.

tom tivnan reps David Segrue

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