Linda Ruth's Page

A publisher recently asked me: How hands on should a publisher be with their bookstore distribution? Should they take copies out of lower-selling outlets? Can they put those copies into higher-selling ones?

The process of moving copies from lower selling outlets into better selling ones is what we call order regulation. Order regulation is being done continually, by publishers interested in their sales by store and by the distributors that distribute to the bookstore chains. In addition, decisi… Continue

The annual conference of magazine publishers, distributors, and wholesalers convened last week in Phoenix, Arizona. Attendance appeared to be at an all-time low, but meetings continued as usual, new titles were presented, business was transacted.

Spotted: Samir Husni, AKA “Mr Magazine” giving his message of hope to publishers eager to receive it.

With the sobering news from Conde Nast kicking off the week of meetings, a pall settled over the proceedings. Have we gathered together to preside ov… Continue

Some publishers have been finding that their national distributor reps have been more silent, less available of late than they were in the past.

Believe me, they’ve had good reason.

Think about all those outlets that had to be transitioned when Anderson News Company went out of business.
Thousands of outlets, carrying hundreds or even thousands of magazines suddenly were without a wholesale distributor.

The News Group and a few other wholesalers stepped in, and with really heroic efforts they… Continue

What’s with the notification on the pink sheets? Single copy sales for this period impacted by Anderson News closure.
The question really is: what period is that? Is it, as it seems to be, the February/March/April issues? It should be…shouldn’t it? After all, Anderson went out of business in early February. What they would have had in their warehouses were some February issues, some March, already on sale, some April, on their way to Anco and with nowhere else to go just yet, maybe. So are those… Continue

Anyone who Twitters even occasionally learns that a long link posted as part of the tweet will be shortened automatically. Many who use Twitter more frequently shorten their own links, using TinyUrl or Bit.ly.

I love the name TinyUrl. It’s so descriptive—like what we look for in a good cover line, it tells its story at a glance. But since Twitter has standardized its link-shortening function on Bit.ly, there is indication that the service will be around for the long haul, or at least as long as… Continue