Today the New York Times reports that publishers are finding alternative retail outlets to be a burgeoning market for their books. Anthropologie? Restoration Hardware? Mike’s Deli? Check, check, check.
With the proper placement, a book displayed at a national chain like Urban Outfitters can easily sell more there than at any other retailer, including blockbuster stores like Barnes & Noble. A recent article in Publishers Weekly noted that one surprise fall hit, “Wall and Piece,” written by the graffiti artist Banksy and published by the Century imprint of Random House in Britain, saw its biggest sales at Urban Outfitters and independent bookstores.
Since few books can squeeze in with the regular stock at these stores, placement is key. I wonder, what’s the best non-bookstore for a tome like Pynchon’s 1,100-page Against the Day? Maybe this?
