Publishers Weekly on Romance
Publishers Weekly (subscription, sorry) put out their spotlight on the romance industry this week and talked to some influential booksellers about where the romance market was right now. First of all, news flash, paranormal is hot. Sigh. I bet you didn't know that, did you? Okay, you already knew, but what I thought was interesting is that publishers are trying their durndest to increase profit margins, and so what's going on? The move to trade paperback (those "bigger" paperbacks, with the softcovers). Trade is the new pink. Margins are higher, ergo, let's go to trade. However, the booksellers talked about how buyers are being more particular, and to quote from the article:
From a sales standpoint, trade is more attractive to booksellers as well. So, what's going to happen as the shift in format occurs? Sales volume will go down, revenues will go out. Mass market gets phased into a niche category. And for readers, they will be spending more money on books, but reading less. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I just don't know. I don't have any qualms about buying trade, but I've never bought books in huge quantities, so it's not a huge issue. Anyone willing to weigh on in this? Are you still buying mass market paperback? How do you feel about trade paperbacks? Ripped off, or do you feel like you're getting a Lexus with a Honda pricetag?
Chances are those covers are on mass market paperbacks. While publishers are offering more and more trade paperbacks and even hardcovers in the category, readers resist their higher prices. "Romance readers indicate that they prefer the mass market format for romance novels," says Grimshaw of Waldenbooks.
"Mass market will always be the favorite because the ladies can put it in their purse. Trade paperback is still the cost of two mass markets, and more for the buck is always going to win out," says Baker of Waldenbooks.
Greene of Borders refers to the increase in trade paperback titles as "a publisher thing" and notes that sales for such titles have generally been disappointing.
"This is an economically depressed area," says Schreckengost of the Book Depot. "It depends on the popularity of the author, but it is a little harder to sell those trades. If it's an unknown author, you're taking a bit of a chance."
"They don't want to pay for the trade," says Anderson of Books Connection. "It kills me when I go to buy a book and it's only out in trade. That's as bad as it being only out in hardcover."
"Pricewise, they want mass market," says Buck of Vintage books. "People are more willing than they were to get the trade paperback, but they still come out with a huge stack of mass markets."
Hardcover is even further out of reach. "The romance readers I have are voracious," says Greene of the Naperville Borders. "If they're going to spend $20 on a hardcover, they could get four to five mass markets for the same amount. It's much more reasonable to assume they're going to buy a mass market."
From a sales standpoint, trade is more attractive to booksellers as well. So, what's going to happen as the shift in format occurs? Sales volume will go down, revenues will go out. Mass market gets phased into a niche category. And for readers, they will be spending more money on books, but reading less. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I just don't know. I don't have any qualms about buying trade, but I've never bought books in huge quantities, so it's not a huge issue. Anyone willing to weigh on in this? Are you still buying mass market paperback? How do you feel about trade paperbacks? Ripped off, or do you feel like you're getting a Lexus with a Honda pricetag?
posted by Kathleen at 11:43 AM
3 Comments:
Kathleen, I think it's interesting, but not surprising. I don't tend to buy books in bulk, but I rarely leave the bookstore with just 'one' book in my hand. If I have the choice to buy two mass market books or one trade, I'll always go for the two...unless the authors in the trade are favorites. Of course, now that some mass market books are priced at $7.99, the choice is becoming more difficult. Jordan Summers
Basically, I have a budget for books and a mile-long TBR list. I buy the books I want most. When they're all trades, of course I end up with less. So I guess I'm spending the same amount of money, but reading far fewer books.
I prefer to buy mass market paperbacks, but a trade size (and price) will not deter me from a buying a book I want to read. :D
Y'all brought up the price point of mass market these days, and that is interesting because it has crept up on the big names. The gap between the two isn't that huge. I guess publishers approach trade as a "Super Sized" book. Just a few cents more, and look at what you get? :) Thanks for chiming in. I think it's the start of a change in the industry, but I'm not sure how it will shake out.
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