| Author |
Message |
    
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
528
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 10:49 am: |   |
I have a question about books at Ingrams.
I have been calling various bookstores in Illinois (thanks phone card!) and the only real obstacle I have found is this: I was just told by one store that there are only 3 more copies of my book in stock at Ingrams. (they ordered them)
Ok, how does all that work? How many do they stock at one sitting? How often are they replentished? The only wall I seem to be hitting is the availability one (as in in stock)...most stores have really been great to me.
The book is available on Ingrams, B&T's etc... |
Kevin P. Grover
Unity Member
Post Number:
1050
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 10:56 am: | |
Ingrams stocks titles based upon the simplicity of demand...
The higher the demand, the more they stock.
Generally, a title will start out of the gate with a stock of 2. As demands increase, this will increase proportionately.
Example: Two Minutes To Midnight, which was just released, has a current stock of 2. Last year, when Strike Swiftly had such a demand that it was ranked at 4,000 on Amazon...they were stocking anywhere from 15-20, and maintaining that level.
Hope this helps!
P.S. Ingram numbers DO include Barnes & Noble. However, Amazon buys straight from the printer, which circumnavigates Ingram. Thus, Amazon sales do not factor in the demnad numbers for stock levels.
Steven, give me the ISBN and I'll log into the system and see what they have to say.
(Message edited by kevingrover on February 25, 2004)
www.winterwolfpublishing.com |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
529
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 11:16 am: | |
BULLETPROOT SOUL ISBN is 0-9747680-0-6
A store said they had 3 earlier... |
Todd Hunter
Unity Member
Post Number:
1149
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 03:42 pm: | |
"Generally, a title will start out of the gate with a stock of 2."
Which explains why on one of my earliest royalty statements from PA, there were 2 books I couldn't account for at the 55% discount rate...
"Last year, when Strike Swiftly had such a demand that it was ranked at 4,000 on Amazon...they were stocking anywhere from 15-20, and maintaining that level."
However, there must have been a demand elsewhere besides Amazon...as you mentioned, Amazon numbers don't get included in Ingram's demand calculations...with books from PA, then, only special orders through bookstores would increase demand through Ingram, and thus, increase stock level...correct? |
Kevin P. Grover
Unity Member
Post Number:
1051
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 06:18 pm: | |
Right on all counts Todd.
You have to remember that during the royalty period in question...Strike Swiftly sold approximately 350 copies. That many...over a 180-day period...certainly didn't all come from Amazon. Of course, at the end of that period, the ranking had risen to over 100k. For all of those to come from Amazon, the sales ranking would have easily been in the three-digit range for most of that period...instead of periodically in the the high four-digit range/low to mid five-digit range. Over most of that royalty period...the average ranking was 20-40K.
If you call Ingram and punch in the ISBN for Strike Swiftly, you will find that according to Ingram...it only sold 150. Now, take that away from the 150 and you have about 200. Figuring that an 8000 sales ranking number means about 3 books/day...AND that it only ranked there for a handful of days...means that over a 6 month period...200 copies sold from Amazon, while the remaining 150 sold from other venues.
The reason I know that Amazon buys direct from Lightning Source is because I had a problem with them picking up one title. Amazon conducts a weekly download every Monday.
I know that BN buys from Ingram because I called and asked why they had one title listed as not available. Simply put, if you ever see your book listed on BN as "not available" or "out of stock", that merely means that ingram is out of stock at the moment.
Every book that Lightning Source prints, automatically gets 2 ordered immediately because they print two and send over to Ingram.
Hope this helps!
(Message edited by kevingrover on February 25, 2004)
www.winterwolfpublishing.com |
Matt Dinniman
Wandering Member
Post Number:
140
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 11:36 pm: | |
There's a mathematical formula they use w/Lightning Source, and I've seen it posted somewhere but I can't find it now. They print two, and when those sell out, they print two more. Then two more. However, if the next two are sold in a certain amount of time, they order four. Then five. Then eight... all depending on a certain time X demand formula. And once the demand tapers off, the number ordered starts going down again. |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
530
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 05:23 am: | |
Thank you for clearing that up, Kevin. You were very helpful in the matter.
|
Kevin P. Grover
Unity Member
Post Number:
1052
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2004 - 05:49 am: | |
Not a problem!
After all...why shouldn't the authors understand how the system works?? I tell my authors everything. There is nothing I know that they don't know. Leaves no room for doubt, helps them understand delays and/or problems, and helps to make a better work environment for all.
www.winterwolfpublishing.com |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
534
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 27, 2004 - 05:20 am: | |
Great point.
Many of us who think they have this stuff figured out still are novices.
Great attitude to have and policy, Kevin |
Fred Dungan
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
565
Registered: 10-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 27, 2004 - 11:07 pm: | |
I heartily agree. If the world of publishing was "open source," nine-tenths of all disagreements could be avoided. Far too many publishers keep their authors in the dark. Kudos to Kevin for getting it right.
http://www.fdungan.com/publish.htm |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
756
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 12, 2004 - 06:24 pm: | |
This thread deserves to be brought to the top as I have been contemplating it alot lately...
www.stevenshrewsbury.com |
Dennis Collins
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
933
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 07:21 pm: | |
Is the Ingram automated hotline working any more? I haven't checked it since sometime last fall. |
Claudia Turner VanLydegraf
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1358
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 08:37 pm: | |
last I heard it was WORKING, but that was about two or threee months ago. Haven't had any reason to verify that info, though, so am not really sure if it is current.
Claudia |
Dennis Collins
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1064
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 11:06 am: | |
BREAKING NEWS!!!
This is from Dan Poynter's newsletter:
G. CHANGES AT LIGHTNINGSOURCE. LSI is going into the next phase of POD
books: no in^ventory. LSI/Ingram will not stock slow-moving titles. Unless
a title, has been selling well, the current (small) stock will be returned
to the publisher.
The issue is that then the Ingram computers will show the title is out of
stock—even though it can be manufactured and shipped to a bookstore within
24 hours. LSI and Ingram are aware of the issue and are trying to educate
the stores and otherwise solve the problem. |
Claudia Turner VanLydegraf
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1574
Registered: 06-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 11:27 am: | |
maybe my book will be reverted to me before November......
WOW!!!!!! |
Matt Dinniman
Wandering Member
Post Number:
213
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 03:26 pm: | |
I wonder what their definition of "slow-moving" is. 1 a year? 1 a week? Only 10 a week? |
Todd Hunter
Mindsight Moderator
Post Number:
1804
Registered: 02-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 05:42 pm: | |
How can stock be returned to the publisher, if they don't allow returns?
Strange.
Mindsight Moderator
Check out Who Needs a Hero?
|
Gloria Marlow
Unity Member
Post Number:
1123
Registered: 04-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 08:35 pm: | |
Some publishers using LS do allow returns. I think most publishers allow returns. Thus, the big problem with PA. Their no-return policy is not the norm. |
Jennifer Lynn
Unity Member
Post Number:
1429
Registered: 03-2002
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 27, 2004 - 08:41 pm: | |
Nuttin' about PA is the norm.
 Did I say that out loud??
Jenn
Jennifer Lynn
www.jenniferlynn.ca |
Steven Shrewsbury
Wisdom Member
Post Number:
962
Registered: 04-2003
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 28, 2004 - 12:06 am: | |
Interesting news...
www.stevenshrewsbury.com |
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