Book
publishing is becoming political and commercial.
The obvious solution would be to encourage author-publishers, small scale
localized publishing ventures and for large scale, entering into sponsored
publications arrangement.
Dissemination – a problem
It is very easy to open a shop, but to keep it open is a difficult job.
So also one can produce one book without difficulty, but keep on
producing books would be the most difficult enterprise.
Because books once produced are to be marketed.
Publishers still echo the words of the 19th century German
publisher, who said,
"it is difficult to write a book
it is more difficult to publish it . . .
but the most difficult task known to
mortal man is to sell a book".
History of book production
If we trace the history of
book production we will be able to give an appreciation of the present
situation, based on all available information culminating into a plan of action
for dissemination of scholarly type of books round the globe.
For many many centuries books were written not for sale, but for
knowledge. The knowledge was
transmitted either orally or in palm-leaf manuscripts for many generations.
Hence an author/teacher will be most respected personality, which
concealed his poverty. At a later
stage, in
India
, publishing was depended on the
patronage of the feudal chief, Maharajas and the religious institutions and
remained merely as a service to the society at large.
Books
as a commodity
The
trouble initially started from the west where books were looked upon as a
commodity, sharing with the commodities, when normal problems of production
cists and sales promotion crossed roads.
Many revolutionary ways and means were introduced to boost the selling of
books by the publishing community, whose full impact and effects have not been
felt yet.
The importance and usefulness can be illustrated better by case studies
than by any theoretical discussions.
In a book exhibition held at the Maduarai city in Tamil Nadu, at regional
level, a sample survey was done to ascertain the reading tastes of the people.
Statistics
50% of the books sold were on subjects relating to cooking and religion.
Both are inter-related, probably, among educated ladies population.
20%
of the books were children's books. 20%
were scholarly type of books which includes pocket editions on modern poems.
And 10% wee on functional aspects.
Such statistical data are useful for those who are ready to publish to
suit the taste of the buyers. But
scholarly publishers that too directly involved in publications at the capital
investments made by the universities and other funding agencies are finding it
difficult to market books. At many
times they are answerable to the committee members, who are interested only in
the output.
Merchandising strategies
A book might secure a literary merit or an award but there may be no
buyers; its advertising media may be covering wide-range, but the readers may
not be attracted, sales representative may be turning dejected, printing and
production standards may be high but still there may be no buyers – something
is missing and that is merchandising.
As such merchandising strategies and tactics are to be followed for
maximizing the sale of books at reduced unit costs.
Merchandising means, moving books quickly from out of the publisher's
godown to the hands of the customer, who may be an individual reader or a
college or local library authorities or a retail book-seller or a wholesaler.
In other words, merchandising is a devise of the sales technique to get
the right book, to the right place, in the right quantity, at the right price at
the right time. The degree of
rightness in the publisher's evaluation corresponds to the accuracy of his
merchandising.
Merchandising includes marketing, namely, market research, sales
promotion, advertising and publicity, and actual selling.
When scholarly type of books did not pick up sale in the said
exhibition, it was so arranged for an interview with reporter of a local
newspaper and the press report appeared next morning with a lead stating that,
"The entire philosophy of the great poet Thiruvalluvar is being sold for
Rs.1/- with an additional reduction of 25% sales discount."
Buyers came in search of the stall of Publications Division of Madurai
Kamaraj University and sales picked up for other books also.
Tactics
for sales
A book which gave details of dissertations and thesis so far done by five
universities in Tamil was published. Many
had doubts about its reputation and sales. The
book was released in a seminar, when Tamil researchers and supervisors
participated to discuss about guidelines for research.
Then the particular book sold like hot cakes and the entire stock
exhausted within a period of three months.
Price : Selling
Hence it can be interred that each book is a business problem in itself
and in that respect merchandising technique differs from book to book, the right
price is determined not only by the manufacturing cost but also by the type of
book, nature and kind of audience for which it is intended, the size of the
edition or the quality in which it is printed and the timing of the book.