You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
Book-plus publisher Top That has replaced its eight-strong freelance rep force with representation by Bounce to help drive its trade sales. The company launched its fiction and novelty imprints Quest and Tide Mill Press last year and now plans to grow its presence in more traditional book retailing.
Sales director David Greggor said: "When Top That started we were very gift-oriented with our book-plus packages, which did not always fit with traditional book retailing. With our new imprints we need to develop a much stronger presence in the book trade and Bounce can help us do that." The publisher has retained its key accounts in-house.
With a fall-off in demand for book-plus products in the high street, Top That is now focusing its book-plus packaging business through Imagine That, its product development imprint that -develops own-brand products for retailers including Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury. Increasing production costs have also encouraged the company to expand its more traditional book range.
Later this year Top That will launch a new range of products through a new imprint, Pocket Money Plus, which will create activity-based book-plus products at lower price points of 99p to £3.99.
The company now employs around 45 staff and its turnover stands at just over £10m.
Bounce m.d. Robert Snuggs said: "Top That is creating in-novative formats at good price points and its list has been under-exploited on the high street." Bounce may take on an additional list next year. Snuggs said: "We have been approached by a number of significant publishers and the biggest issue for us is, can we manage another list and how do we go from here?"