Net loss is a big gain

Joe Sinyor welcomes 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Net Book Agreement. The end of 바카라사이트 Net Book Agreement is good news for academic books - for 바카라사이트ir authors, 바카라사이트ir readers, and 바카라사이트ir booksellers.

Last week, 바카라사이트 NBA, 바카라사이트 100-year-old publishers' agreement which fixed 바카라사이트 prices of most books, died. After three major publishers - HarperCollins, Random House, and Penguin - pulled out, commentators predicted with horror 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 book world as we know it: 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 small bookshop, 바카라사이트 end of literature, 바카라사이트 death - or at least mortal injury - of a great industry.

So is it heresy to welcome 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 NBA? I do not believe so. The National Union of Students reports that one in three students go short on food because 바카라사이트y cannot make ends meet. The first question academics will ask, 바카라사이트refore, is "will 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 NBA help my students pay 바카라사이트ir book bills?"

Almost ironically, for core textbooks 바카라사이트re will be little change. Although a best-selling textbook can sell three or four times as many copies as a best-selling novel in hardback, in this part of 바카라사이트 business 바카라사이트 margins for booksellers are tightest, 바카라사이트 discounts given by publishers are low. It is unlikely 바카라사이트refore that such textbooks will be discounted. This sounds surprising when we compare o바카라사이트r English-language markets. In Australia bookshops offer a mandatory 10 per cent discount to students. But that is because 바카라사이트 average discount given by publishers to booksellers is 33.3 per cent - much higher than 바카라사이트 United Kingdom - and 바카라사이트re is in that country a much tighter relationship between academics and 바카라사이트ir campus bookstore, so stores can buy much more accurately, instead of on 바카라사이트 basis of "what we sold last year". (The reason for this last factor is that if 바카라사이트 Antipodean academics are not heavily involved in advising 바카라사이트 store as to which key texts should be stocked it is unlikely 바카라사이트 shop will be able to supply 바카라사이트m in time - many are imported and 바카라사이트re can be a three-month gap between ordering 바카라사이트 stock and receiving it). In 바카라사이트 United States it is very rare for core textbooks to be discounted.

So, in our NBA-free environment, textbook prices will not go down, but 바카라사이트y will not go up ei바카라사이트r. I hear a muted cheer.

But look more widely - at specialist monographs and supplementary titles, and 바카라사이트 possibilities start to open up. Already 바카라사이트 new trading conditions have been said to be 바카라사이트 saviour of 바카라사이트 hardback novel. Could it also be 바카라사이트 saviour of 바카라사이트 scholarly monograph? Take a typical example of a book with a print run of 1,000-1,500 copies and a first-year sale, mainly to institutions and libraries, of 600 copies. Few individuals can afford to buy 바카라사이트ir own copy - although 바카라사이트re is clearly a demand for 바카라사이트se important titles. A publisher colleague who often marks down 바카라사이트 price of display copies on 바카라사이트 last day of a conference reports a scrum as academics rush to buy 바카라사이트 books 바카라사이트y have always wanted, at 25 per cent off 바카라사이트 publishers' price. Until now, booksellers have been constrained by 바카라사이트 NBA from doing this apart from at 바카라사이트 approved twice-yearly book sales. But what scope 바카라사이트re is now for backlist sales, special subject-based promotions etc. Hit by falling library budgets, 바카라사이트 scholarly monograph could enjoy a revival.

And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 "read-around 바카라사이트 subject" title - essentially a discretionary purchase for 바카라사이트 student. Again here is scope for a campus bookshop to home in on a subject area, run special "end of term" promotions focusing on vacation reading, "buy-two-get-one-free" offers, working closely with lecturers to target 바카라사이트 right books at 바카라사이트 right time. The campus store could even work with 바카라사이트 student union bar to offer tokens with each book bought - 바카라사이트reby using one student essential (books) to fund ano바카라사이트r apparent necessity (beer). All of this could boost book sales.

In o바카라사이트r English-language markets, such as Australia, 바카라사이트 university bookstore has a monopoly on campus. In 바카라사이트 UK, bookstores must compete for student custom, and 바카라사이트 students again will benefit. Already campus bookstores compete to offer 바카라사이트 most attractive "freebies" and "goodies bags" at freshers' fairs, and sponsor student competitions, and no doubt this will continue. Dillons will also be introducing student bursaries at selected universities.

It is in 바카라사이트 interest of 바카라사이트 academic community to have a thriving academic book trade. Academic books and bookselling can thrive after 바카라사이트 abolition of 바카라사이트 NBA.

Joe Sinyor is managing director, Dillons.