What Do Bookstore Buyers Look For?

A bookstore buyer is ultimately deciding whether a title deserves scarce physical shelf space. That decision can involve several factors:

• Demand: Is there an established audience for the book? Does the author have a platform, publicity, events, or other marketing activity that can drive readers into stores?

• Category and positioning: Can the buyer immediately understand where the book belongs and who will buy it?

• Price and wholesale terms: Is the retail price competitive for the category, and do the wholesale terms allow the store to make an appropriate margin?

• Returnability: Returnable books generally present less financial risk to bookstores. IngramSpark notes that some booksellers will only purchase titles on a returnable basis.

• Metadata: Accurate title, subtitle, author, category, description, price, publication date, and other metadata help buyers and booksellers discover and order the book.

• Professional presentation: Cover design, trim size, binding, and overall production quality need to meet readers’ and retailers’ expectations.

• Reviews and publicity: Reviews, media attention, awards, endorsements, and other third-party validation can help demonstrate potential demand.