Comments on: A Peephole into the Wonderful World of Publishing http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing Writing and Reading. Commerce and Art. Fantasy and Science Fiction. Discuss. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:52:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Katharine Kerr http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36647 Katharine Kerr Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:07:43 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36647 <blockquote>people don’t scream abuse at you while they buy it (normally, anyhow).</blockquote> Unless they've drunk too much of it. :-) Kit

people don’t scream abuse at you while they buy it (normally, anyhow).

Unless they’ve drunk too much of it. :-)

Kit

]]> By: Leon Stauffer http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36510 Leon Stauffer Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:05:13 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36510 Yup. All sorts of retail industries use it. For an odd example, most convenience stores/gas stations make very little money on gasoline (the big cut goes to the refiners, producers and the government), the profit is in inside sales. Coffee is a heck of a lot more profitable than gas, and people don't scream abuse at you while they buy it (normally, anyhow). Yup. All sorts of retail industries use it. For an odd example, most convenience stores/gas stations make very little money on gasoline (the big cut goes to the refiners, producers and the government), the profit is in inside sales. Coffee is a heck of a lot more profitable than gas, and people don’t scream abuse at you while they buy it (normally, anyhow).

]]> By: Katharine Kerr http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36498 Katharine Kerr Sun, 29 Jul 2007 08:20:56 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36498 I think that's called a "loss leader" in other kinds of marketing, like food stores. Its goal is indeed to get people into the store in hopes they'll come back for other stuff. I think that’s called a “loss leader” in other kinds of marketing, like food stores. Its goal is indeed to get people into the store in hopes they’ll come back for other stuff.

]]> By: Madeleine Robins http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36492 Madeleine Robins Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:40:43 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36492 My family did the Potterwatch at Borders. Sarcasm Girl dressed as Bellatrix LeStrange; I was Delores Jane Umbridge (and was roundly hissed). It was all grand. But Borders not only sold the book at a 40% discount but handed out a poster of the cover art to everyone who picked up the book on that opening night. Granted, the poster probably only added a few cents to the price of the book, but all that hoopla wasn't cheap--at the very least they were paying for extra security and lots of staff working very unorthodox hours indeed. Plus, we got a 20% off coupon for our next purchase. My family did the Potterwatch at Borders. Sarcasm Girl dressed as Bellatrix LeStrange; I was Delores Jane Umbridge (and was roundly hissed). It was all grand. But Borders not only sold the book at a 40% discount but handed out a poster of the cover art to everyone who picked up the book on that opening night. Granted, the poster probably only added a few cents to the price of the book, but all that hoopla wasn’t cheap–at the very least they were paying for extra security and lots of staff working very unorthodox hours indeed. Plus, we got a 20% off coupon for our next purchase.

]]> By: Kevin Andrew Murphy http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36483 Kevin Andrew Murphy Sun, 29 Jul 2007 05:00:41 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36483 I actually did the "patronize your local independent booksellers" business by going to the Bookshop Santa Cruz, but that was also because my sister and her family had trecked all the way down from Truckee for a visit and wanted to go to a big opening. The Bookshop Santa Cruz did something hard to do: Have a shop more crowded than the main hall at Comicon. And lines around the block. However, my niece and nepphew had fun, dressed as Moaning Myrtle and a Dementor, and even my sister got some horrific pink clothes at a thrift store and came as Dolores Umbridge. And Shakespeare Santa Cruz did some fun stuff with setting up a fireplace with Sirius Black's head in the flames for kids to talk to. Of course, my copy was $7 more than it would have been via Amazon. But a reasonable price for some entertainment. I actually did the “patronize your local independent booksellers” business by going to the Bookshop Santa Cruz, but that was also because my sister and her family had trecked all the way down from Truckee for a visit and wanted to go to a big opening.

The Bookshop Santa Cruz did something hard to do: Have a shop more crowded than the main hall at Comicon. And lines around the block.

However, my niece and nepphew had fun, dressed as Moaning Myrtle and a Dementor, and even my sister got some horrific pink clothes at a thrift store and came as Dolores Umbridge. And Shakespeare Santa Cruz did some fun stuff with setting up a fireplace with Sirius Black’s head in the flames for kids to talk to.

Of course, my copy was $7 more than it would have been via Amazon. But a reasonable price for some entertainment.

]]> By: Lois Tilton http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36478 Lois Tilton Sun, 29 Jul 2007 04:39:37 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36478 "We lose money on every copy we sell, but we make it up in volume!" “We lose money on every copy we sell, but we make it up in volume!”

]]> By: David Louis Edelman http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36471 David Louis Edelman Sun, 29 Jul 2007 02:41:38 +0000 http://www.deepgenre.com/wordpress/madeleine-robins/misc/a-peephole-into-the-wonderful-world-of-publishing#comment-36471 Personally, when I stood in line at my local B&N last Saturday morning for my copy of <em>Deathly Hallows</em>, I also took the occasion to buy a $40 programming book that I've been putting off buying for weeks. And it seemed like at least half of the people in line with me had other books in their stacks too. Undoubtedly few of those people would have been at a B&N at 9:30 in the morning without Harry. Personally, when I stood in line at my local B&N last Saturday morning for my copy of Deathly Hallows, I also took the occasion to buy a $40 programming book that I’ve been putting off buying for weeks. And it seemed like at least half of the people in line with me had other books in their stacks too. Undoubtedly few of those people would have been at a B&N at 9:30 in the morning without Harry.

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