Books-A-Million
Tags: BAM, Books-A-Million, distribution, distributor
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Amanda Dowdy on -
BookMasters is thankful for this kind of feedback so that we can have an open discussion. Even though this comment didn’t come to us directly, we do work with SPAN and saw this post, so we would like to make a response.
The role of a distributor is key for anyone wanting to get their book into bookstores. Distribution includes much more than getting a book listed with Amazon Advantage. Books are also made available to and through all the major national chains, independent bookstores, libraries, and many specialty stores. This is a huge service that most small and independent publishers would not be able to do on their own. This is the main reason for working with a distributor. But we do much more.
I want to clear up a misunderstanding. Like Biblio, AtlasBooks does have regional booksellers—real salespeople who are out selling titles. We list them on our website here. These people have been carefully selected to understand and meet the needs of our publishing partners. We also have an internal salesman that sells to our national accounts. Randy McKenzie has a long history in book sales and has strong relationships with our national buyers. His primary job is selling books into national accounts.
So yes, as was mentioned in the post, we do have salespeople that sell our services as tools for our publishing clients, but on the other end, we also have a fine sales team that is out selling books to our accounts.
Another misunderstanding is that the publisher is cut-off from access to online stats once a contract is terminated. That information is active throughout the publisher’s closing period.
However, Dawson does have an excellent point about P.O.D. and ebooks. The industry is changing. Quickly. Doomsday stats come out every year: 40% of hardcovers are returned, 7 out of 10 books don’t recoup their costs (Library Journal, May 1, 2009), the economy is poor, bookstores are closing, and so on.
For many small and independent publishers, P.O.D. and/or ebooks are the way to go. If or how many books to print is always a question that the publisher must grapple with. And this is the decision that the publisher must make. No one can make that decision for you, not a printer, distributor, or a trusted friend.
BookMasters has a wide range of tools to help with whatever conclusion the publisher comes to. We offer large and small print runs, ebook distribution, and hybrids.
Though it sounds like Dawson has already closed the account, I do want to use this as a teachable moment. It sounds as if the book had hit the end of the long tail. The lifespan of a book can be very short in this industry. Most book buyers will not consider stocking a book that is past a publication date and does not perform to a certain sales standard (different for every bookseller).
Though some books can continue to have steady sales for a length of time, most books hit a threshold when administrative fees and returns outweigh sales. This is the time to either come out with new product or end a contract.
We want to stress that terminating a contract is not a bad thing. “Terminate” or “close” sound like such negative terms, but if a publisher is not putting out new books each season, it makes good business sense to end the relationship (another negative phrase, it sounds too much like breaking up!) But it is time to move on.
Finally, I want to refer to a recent blog post on why we are thankful for our publishing partners. I want to point out the part about how we succeed when our publishers succeed:
“The simple truth is that we succeed when our publishers succeed. This is especially true for our distribution program, which is largely percentage based, but it is true of our other services as well. For a print customer, when that book sells well, the publisher comes back for a reprint. We both win. When a book sells well at the bookstore, we win. When a book does well for a while and the publisher wants to put together an updated edition, we do the new layout. Again, everyone wins.”
We thank SPAN for their role in advancing the success of independent publishers and authors and for providing the forum for this discussion. -
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Permalink Reply by John McClure on -
This is a really good discussion from both Alex Dawson and Amanda D. It contributes in a very real way to the education of publishers especially in this environment of a rapidly changing industry. No platitudes here, just keeping it real. Thank you both!
Just to offer some of my own insight. I have looked at signing up with various distribution partners for our books (Signalman Publishing), but so far the only one I have applied for (and have been accepted) is with Quality Books. Quality focuses on the library market and they do a great job of representing small publishers. Plus, they don't have outrageous fees and they don't nickle-and-dime you to death (Alex is So right on that!!) Now, my volumes through Quality aren't necessarily huge, but I am at least in the black with them.
I think Amanda is correct that for most small publishers, POD and ebooks are the way to go unless you are expecting to invest a lot of marketing bucks and/or your author already has a big following/audience. We as publishers have to do our due diligence. If we don't, we could be in for a rather expensive learning experience.
Good luck and all the best to you!
John
www.signalmanpublishing.com -
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Permalink Reply by Alex Dawson on -
John,
Amanda is trying to do a little PR spin, but it's all baloney. The truth is ATLAS BOOKS / BOOKMASTERS is a predatory Vanity Press, and God help any publisher/writer who gets involved with them. You will not see a penny in profit, and in fact you will LOSE your full investment. So be prepared to wave bye-bye to 7 to 10 thousand dollars, because YOU WILL LOSE THAT with these people.
Their distribution is "passive" distribution, not active distribution. If you've published novels, be aware they do nothing to help you, except to offer or SELL YOU outdated services that will mark you as a VANITY PRESS author, which is something you absolutely don't want. Publish with ATLAS / BOOKMASTER, as I have, and watch your whole print run sit in a warehouse, which is really what they're about. And YOU will be blamed for the books not selling, no matter how hard you market the book.
To emphasize:
They have salespeople, yes, but TO SELL SERVICES AND GOUGE YOU, the publisher or author.
They DON'T help you sell your book, but just "make it available," which means nothing.
They will GOUGE you for ever single service they can, including ACCESS to YOUR OWN SALES STATISTICS -- $40.00 a month, just to see your online stats, like they're available to you for free on Amazon. ATLAS and BOOKMASTERS are just horrible and predatory.
I've printed with them, and they will try to charge you for a $400.00 "overrun" before they even print the book. Then send you a bill for "taxes" 6 months after your full payment. Their printing services are absolutely inferior, producing the lowest quality product imaginable. It's just mind-boggling; I've never dealt with such incompetent people, ever.
This customer tells the truth. Absolutely the truth. I was gratified to see others finally "coming out" about ATLAS / BOOKMASTERS -- because I knewI couldn't be the only one. Go here: http://www.atlasbooks.org/
If you seek a distributor -- they should ONLY be a distributor, not a "manufacturer and warehouse" company, which is what ATLAS is all about.
They will produce the absolute worse product they can, do anything they to impede sales of your book, to fouling up the online information, book cover pics, so-called "catalog" description ... everything. They mess up everything they touch.
To any publisher or author -- my heart goes out to you; I'm with you 100%. I've published various times, and in the past I've used other printers. Believe me, and listen to me: AVOID ATLAS / BOOKMASTERS.
They tried to gouge me creating an EPUB / ebook version of my last book: $650. to convert it an eBook. Imagine? The eBook Services they offer are another losing proposition. $30. to "store" your ebook file ... then endless chances to make it "available."
Just hideous. -
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Permalink Reply by Alex Dawson on
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I need to emphasize that I've produced 5 books total, so this is not just a "one time" bad experience, like with the person who printed the coffee table book.
This person: http://www.atlasbooks.org/
Let me tell you, he is not exaggerating.
Just try to get out of your contract, and you will be charged in the thousands. And overcharged in trucking shipping expenses, etc.
It's a nightmare. They will suck you dry. But this is the nature of a Vanity Press like Atlas Books / BookMasters. -
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Permalink Reply by Amanda Dowdy on
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Unfortunately, due to BookMasters pending law suit with Mr. Dawson I am unable to comment past the fact that it is quite unfortunate that he has chosen to publicize erroneous and libelous statements.
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Permalink Reply by Alex Dawson on
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There is no lawsuit. This is just another attempt by the phonies at BookMasters and Atlas Books to close the discussion.
But I'm looking out for all YOU fine creative people! All you writers and publishers who pour your heart and sweat into your book projects.
Avoid Vanity Presses!!!! Avoid predators like Atlas Books and BookMasters!!!
That's all I have to say. God bless all of you -- but especially the artists! -
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Permalink Reply by John J. Fox III on
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Actually AtlasBooks is charging $50 a month to access their website w/ sales info.
John Fox
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Permalink Reply by Alex Dawson on
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Just amazing to me how greedy they are. Perhaps I wasn't clear when I used the term Vanity Press earlier.
Here's my defiinition of a Vanity Press: a company (printer/book manufacturer/distributor) whose sole aim is to profit from publishers/authors NOT book sales.
Thinks of it: what incentive do they have to actually "distribute" books they can earn a greater profit charging YOU, the publisher, for everything else?
Just pulling a bill from AtlasBooks: here's a typical list of AtlasBooks / BookMaster charges:
1) Administrative fee (which is the $5o a month you mention)
2) Order fulfillment charge
3) Returns Processing Charge
4) Shipping Charge
5) Storage Charge
6) Miscellaneous Charges -- (I'm not making this up -- just transcribing it directly from a real bill.)
7) Publisher Remittance -- this will be your "profit" which will always show in the negative, always.
8) Atlas Books Commission -- which should be the ONLY way they should be making money off
YOUR product, but obviously this is not enough for them.
9) Collection Net of Returns --- on this bill it shows $-150.00 (this is profit I WON'T be making with
AtlasBooks / BookMasters ... 'cause it's money I OWE them for their
so-called services. Typical.
So, in the end of this bill, as with every month I OWE them money (on top of any profits they already sucked up > $-150.00 ) ... and this will go on and on and on.....
Welcome to AtlasBooks / BookMaster ... a prime example of predatory Vanity Press. (Yes, they earn their living from YOU, dear small publisher.)
Let the truth speak for itself! Pass the word! Please pass the word, so everyone is informed.
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Permalink Reply by Leticia Amador on
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Have you or any one else heard anything about Partners West in the Seattle area? Leticia
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Permalink Reply by Bradley Flora on -
One of SPAN’s primary goals in providing this online community is to encourage the type of dialog and education that has occurred in this thread. Since the parties that are involved this discussion have had the opportunity to comment, and these comments will remain on view for the entire community, we are requesting that those parties refrain from further posting on this topic, unless there is different, or new information that pertains to the discussion.
Thank you.
bradley flora
SPANnet.org -
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Permalink Reply by Kyle L. Miller on -
Thank you Bradley for this opportunity to hear it straight from the horse's mouth. The are thousands of great want-to-be-published writers out there seeking options for printing, and publishing who need first-hand guidance and insight from those of us who have been there and done that - profitably or not. Hurrah for SPANnet.org!
Kyle Miller
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Permalink Reply by Mark Oetjens on
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John,
I started Conquer Publishing to publish my 1st book The Staff of Rahgorra. My book is already listed in their online store. I recently emailed BAM from the online store, support@booksamillion.com, with the same question. The email I got back gave me a phone number to call. The number was for the American Wholesale Book Co. They provided me with an address to send a copy of my book for review. I sent my book in last week. I hope this helps.
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