News

Sainsbury

28.06.09 | Graeme Neill

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is to relaunch its adult book club and introduce a children’s book club as part of its increased focus on books. The chain will also unveil a three-for-two offer across children’s books and has secured its book supply by signing up entertainment distributor Technicolor.

All three initiatives were due to launch this week. In April, the supermarket increased instore space devoted to books by 10% as part of a move to generate a double-digit sales uplift. As part of the adult book club promotion the supermarket will select a mass market, literary and key backlist title each month with one being highlighted as "Book of the month" and the other two as "Recommended". The books will sell for £3.99. Barbara Delinsky’s While My Sister Sleeps is the first book of the month, with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and David Wroblewski’s The Story of Edgar Sawtelle recommended.

The book club—run in conjunction with HarperCollins—first launched in January with a book a month promoted instore and online, alongside author interviews and reading material. Book department manager Phil Carroll said: "We were keen to revamp it and we challenged HC to come up with something completely new. As it was, it wasn’t really a club but what they have come up with now is more than we asked them for."

Key accounts director at HC Wendy Neale said the change was made following customer feedback. She said: "They were very interested in being offered a choice of titles as well as a similar children’s campaign."

As part of the children’s book club, the supermarket will select three titles a month, for children aged 3+, 5+ and 7+. As with the adult book club, one title will be "Book of the month" and the other two will be merchandised under "Recommended". The first book of the month will be Darcey Bussell’s Magic Ballerina: Summer in Enchantia. The two recommended reads are Michael Bond’s Paddington and the Marmalade Maze and Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful.

The three-for-two offer on children’s books will only exclude those that are part of a "buy one, get one free" campaign. Pricing on the children’s books will vary, but all book club selected titles will be in the three-for-two offer. Carroll said: "It’s an important part of our offer to drive sales."

Carroll also revealed that Sainsbury’s has signed a one-year contract with entertainment distributor Technicolor to fulfil its book offer. It had previously been using a mix of Gardners and Technicolor following the collapse of wholesaler Entertainment UK last November. The distributor already supplies Sainsbury’s with DVDs and games.

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By Clare Diston

Great idea about the children's book club, but one question - why not include a category for older readers, i.e. 11+? Teenagers are keen devourers of fiction. You only have to look at the 'Twilight' phenomenon to see this in action. As teens are becoming more financially aware, the savings involved in a '3 for 2' deal might well appeal to them.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By alex milway

"Try something new today" as long as it's published by HarperCollins or an imprint owned by HarperCollins? The stickers are a touch misleading. Only one of those six books is published by someone else. Will the customers know that?

I guess deals like this are going to be the norm soon, especially after the WHSmith Travel stores deal with Penguin.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Different Planet

Yes, my freedom of consumption is already restricted by only offering Harvey's Bristol Cream. Now freedom of speech is flushed down the toilet... only offering HarperCollins books, how dare they! Yawn yawn yawn, change the record.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Tj

A book club?

How exciting!

How do I join, do we all meet on Wednesdays?

When do we get to discuss.. what? No biscuits?

Oh so its just a book sold cheaply? I get it.

Great idea.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By downbythebeach

Different Planet. It's a booktrade forum. He makes a legitimate trade point. Stifle your yawns.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Different Planet

downbythebeach, yes and the forum nature of it allows me to express my sentiment. I'm bored with people lamenting 'freedom of speech', the Net Book Agreement, 'E-books are going to fail' etc etc etc. It's time to get with the programme.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Alex

Different Planet: Nothing stopping you getting with anything you like - but like the man says, this is a forum where views are supposed to be shared. Puerile frustration that people don't necessarily agree with you is hardly productive. It's not "time" to "get with" anything, thank you.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Bertie

Alex, presume your comments would be the same were they all Faber titles ?

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Alex

Bertie, my comments, read correctly, were to do with Different Planet's comments, not with the
article - so of course they would apply whatever the publisher.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Clare Diston

Great idea about the children's book club, but one question - why not include a category for older readers, i.e. 11+? Teenagers are keen devourers of fiction. You only have to look at the 'Twilight' phenomenon to see this in action. As teens are becoming more financially aware, the savings involved in a '3 for 2' deal might well appeal to them.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By alex milway

"Try something new today" as long as it's published by HarperCollins or an imprint owned by HarperCollins? The stickers are a touch misleading. Only one of those six books is published by someone else. Will the customers know that?

I guess deals like this are going to be the norm soon, especially after the WHSmith Travel stores deal with Penguin.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Different Planet

Yes, my freedom of consumption is already restricted by only offering Harvey's Bristol Cream. Now freedom of speech is flushed down the toilet... only offering HarperCollins books, how dare they! Yawn yawn yawn, change the record.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Tj

A book club?

How exciting!

How do I join, do we all meet on Wednesdays?

When do we get to discuss.. what? No biscuits?

Oh so its just a book sold cheaply? I get it.

Great idea.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By downbythebeach

Different Planet. It's a booktrade forum. He makes a legitimate trade point. Stifle your yawns.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Different Planet

downbythebeach, yes and the forum nature of it allows me to express my sentiment. I'm bored with people lamenting 'freedom of speech', the Net Book Agreement, 'E-books are going to fail' etc etc etc. It's time to get with the programme.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Alex

Different Planet: Nothing stopping you getting with anything you like - but like the man says, this is a forum where views are supposed to be shared. Puerile frustration that people don't necessarily agree with you is hardly productive. It's not "time" to "get with" anything, thank you.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Bertie

Alex, presume your comments would be the same were they all Faber titles ?

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41
By Alex

Bertie, my comments, read correctly, were to do with Different Planet's comments, not with the
article - so of course they would apply whatever the publisher.

Thu, 27/01/2011 - 12:41

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