Local Authors > Robison E. Wells

Deseret Book vs. Seagull Book

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Firemeboy:
Yeah, I might need somebody here to submit my next manuscript under their name...  :)

EUOL:
I'll add a slightly different perspective here.  I spoke with some people who are a little closer to the editing side of the industry today, and one offered this perspective.

Deseret Book feels VERY threatened.  Not by a rival bookstore, but by the Seagull book marketing philosophy.  What they do (in the DB perception) is use DB books as their 'loss leaders.'  In other words, they sell the DB books very cheaply (at cost, virtually) to draw people into the store.  Then, they make money by selling those same people the Covenant books which appear discounted, but are actually produced in such a way that they're making full profit off of the 'discounted' books.  

DB, then, is being undercut soundly on its own products.  They have been loosing money big time lately (while they were once profitable) because nobody (in their opinion) buys their books at their stores--they go to Seagull and buy them because they're discounted so far.

This would all be fixed, of course, if the LDS publishers would adopt a more standard publishing format.  You know, selling your books at a flat rate to everyone, not counting on your own retail stores to make your publishing company profitable, that sort of thing.  

Firemeboy:
Seagull just put out a press release.

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20060719005677&newsLang=en


"Seagull Book and Deseret Book have begun discussions to explore options for addressing the differences that have existed between our two companies," said Jon Kofford, executive vice president of Seagull Book. "In the meantime, Deseret Book has extended Seagull Book's ability to purchase Deseret Book products through the end of August 2006."

No additional details about the relationship between Seagull Book and Deseret Book will be forthcoming at this time. "

Firemeboy:

--- Quote ---Then, they make money by selling those same people the Covenant books which appear discounted, but are actually produced in such a way that they're making full profit off of the 'discounted' books.
--- End quote ---
 

Very interesting.  Do you know if this is a saving on the actual production of the books, or the money spent on marketing, or what they pay authors?  Or a combination?  And is there a reason DB doesn't adopt the same production processes to become more competitive?  

stacer:

--- Quote ---This would all be fixed, of course, if the LDS publishers would adopt a more standard publishing format.  You know, selling your books at a flat rate to everyone, not counting on your own retail stores to make your publishing company profitable, that sort of thing.  
--- End quote ---


I agree. I think publishing books and being in the bookselling business just cross too many conflict of interest lines.

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