Vendors report solid sales at Spring Book Show 2010

March 31, 2010 - PRLog -- ATLANTA, Ga. (March 31, 2010) - According to Spring Book Show 2010 co-owner and Freight Management Systems CEO Larry May of Knoxville, Tenn., the show was once again a positive for remainder book dealers.
   Vendors and book buyers attending the show were almost universal in saying the upscale Cobb Galleria Centre location resulted in an intimate sales atmosphere, great customer contact and excellent sales.
   While vendors at the show reported strong sales, some also felt that the number of buyers was down from 2009.
   Larry May, in the best position for gauging show attendance, explained, “We had almost as many business units at this year’s show as at last year’s, although the economy probably caused some of the big buyers like Barnes & Noble to send fewer persons to represent them. A business unit is a company that buys remainders like Barnes & Noble, Half Price Books, Citi Trends or Hastings. We had 315 businesses buying at the 2009 show in Atlanta. We had 300 businesses buying at this year’s show, down very little despite the economy.”
“The show went very well for us,” said Jerry Rosenbaum of JR Trading Company of Monmouth Junction, N.J. “We added new customers to our client list, and everyone was happy with the inventory we brought to the show. We’re already looking forward to next year.”
   While most of the buyers and sellers came from the United States, a large contingent of vendors from the United Kingdom - particularly Great Britain and Canada - were present and doing a brisk business. David Crane of Columbia Marketing, located in the London area, chatting with Bill Sjolander of Armadillo Trading, told Sjolander that coming from Great Britain to the show was well worth the expense. Sjolander responded that the show had been “terrific” for Armadillo.
While international buyers were present from a number of other countries including  Australia, Pakistan, Korea, Japan, Nigeria, Ireland and France, the largest contingent of buyers and sellers came from the U.S., especially the Southeast.
   Many of the buyers present were members of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA), which covers independent bookstores from Louisiana through the Virgin Islands on up to Virginia and West Virginia. SIBA held training sessions for member bookstores in conjunction with the show.
   Larry Austin, owner and president of East Tennessee Trade Group of Madisonville, Tenn., was enthusiastic about his sales at the show. “Great show!” he summarized. “It was extremely profitable for us, and well attended.”
   Tom Post, who handles remainders for the University of Tennessee Press, said the show was good for academic presses like his for three reasons – it clears dead inventory from expensive warehousing, creates immediate cash flow and brings in new contacts for sales down the road.
   Sherri Goodknight of Inspirational Closeout Solutions, who handles remainders for a wide spectrum of Christian publishers like Zondervan, said her sales to both Christian and secular bookstores were “excellent,” and that she was busy writing orders all three days of the show.
   While the show’s main emphasis is on books, sales of CDs, DVDs, computer software and specialty merchandise also did well.  “It was a great show in a great venue for us,” said Terry Hailwood of Piccadilly Journals, Gifts & Stationery of Del Mar., Calif. “We had buyers not only from chain stores and independent bookstores from throughout the U.S. but from countries like Nigeria and Great Britain.” He said it was the best Spring Book Show ever for him since he began attending annually.
   Rick Towner, the owner of Bullseye Calendars of Raleigh, N.C., said the Spring Book Show has consistently been the best show he attends annually. “We really appreciate the time and effort that goes into staging it,” he said.
   Heidi Wells of The Innovative Alliance (TIA) of Denver, Colo., said she was “pleasantly surprised given the state of the economy.” She said she and her staff were busy throughout the show writing orders.
   Wyman Cook of World Publications Group of East Bridgewater, Mass., which had one of the largest presences at the show, complimented the show staff, saying “Larry May and his group do a great job.” He thought that World was less busy at the 2010 show than in 2009, although his company had an excellent Friday.
   Even the smaller vendors appeared to be happy. “Among many small orders, I sold eight skids of Marvel graphic novels,” said Noel Griese of Anvil Brokers of Atlanta. “I think that one was the biggest single sales I’ve had at a Spring Book Show.”
Mike Paper of Bradley’s Book Clearance of Pittsburgh, Pa., had a helpful suggestion. “The show should be earlier,” he said, “in February or early March. The late March date comes too close to BEA and the London show.”
   Larry May said that as soon as he and his staff follow up on Spring Book Show details, the emphasis will shift to getting ready for the Great American Bargain Book Show scheduled for Thursday-Friday, Aug. 19-20, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. May said that more than two-thirds of the available exhibitor space for the GABBS show was sold to vendors attending the Spring Book Show.

   About the Spring Book Show: The Spring Book Show is one of the three largest bargain book shows in the United States, and the largest in the Southeast. It is staged annually in March to provide retailers with merchandise for the summer beach read season. The show is organized by L.B. May & Associates of Knoxville, Tenn. Further information at www.springbookshow.com.

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Anvil Publishers is an Atlanta-based company currently marketing $16.5 million in books and $8.5 million in literary properties.