retail

Surviving REDgroup crisis and not doing badly, thanks.

“To say 2011 in the book industry was tumultuous would be a gross understatement.” – Australian Booksellers President Jon Page (pictured below).

Having survived the Productivity Commission’s attempt to further open the Australian book market to international players in 2010, the last thing the Australian book trade needed in 2011 was more disruption.

It’s now two days into February and we are really counting down to New Zealand Book Month!

Literally 4.3 million vouchers are currently at the printers – thanks Printlink and BJ Ball! – and will soon be jetting their way to a destination near you for easy pick up in March 2012...

Hardie Grant Egmont (HGE) adds ‘chirpy’ titles to its focused publishing list to consolidate their reputation for being ‘the early bird that catches the worm’ within the children’s market.

Christmas trading figures were flat, and for retail about one per cent down, according to Statistics NZ figures released this week. However, bookstores fall in the consumables and durable section of retail which did see a small rise, according to the report.

Nielsen Bookscan reported that sales for the last four weeks of 2011 were  2.3% down on sales for the last four weeks of 2010 (excluding Whitcoulls).

And that "up and down" scene was pretty much the picture book that retailers painted when  The Read  did the “How was your Christmas?” phone around.

I was reading the latest Bear Grylls book Mud Sweat and Tears (which by the way, is excellent and perfect for 14+) and came across this great quote from John F. Kennedy;

E-books, supply chain, IndieBound and the state of the industry locally and globally were among the topics covered at a two day meeting in Wellington last week.

Renée Lang, writer for The Read talks to two independent bookshops about the new IndieBound campaign.

One word sums up how Nevena Nikolic, responsible for marketing and book buying at Auckland’s Time Out, responds to questions about IndieBound, Booksellers New Zealand’s new initiative that ‘recognises that local booksellers are a key asset in ensuring the success of a new book or novel’. That word is enthusiasm.

Actually, make that two words: boundless enthusiasm, which has been bubbling up since Nevena, who describes herself as an ‘upstairs dweller’ in that she’s not actually on the floor selling books, but does ‘a lot of behind the scenes stuff’ learned about IndieBound.

Paper Plus took top honours in the hotly contested 2011/2012 Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards with the 100 percent New Zealand-owned retailer winning the Supreme Award for Franchise System of the Year.

Retail sales volumes rose 2.2% in the September quarter, reflecting a boost to spending by overseas visitors during the Rugby World Cup.

Spending in domestically-oriented categories was more mixed but showed signs of gradual improvement.

Books for Kids is the only specialist childrens bookshop in Hamilton. It is located in the thriving heritage, residential and retail area of Hamilton East.