Bitchin' Blog Posts
Wal Mart
by SB Sarah | by SB Sarah | November 05, 2008 | Wednesday at 12:30 pm | 111 Comments
In early October, Gennita Low started an online campaign to ask folks to write to Wal Mart’s headquarters and ask them to stock her book. According to Low, Wal-Mart didn’t stock her first book, Virtually His, and as a result her sales numbers were so low, Mira has delayed the release of the sequel, Virtually Hers.
In an open letter that was posted several places online, including Karen Knows Best, Low invites people to contact Mira, and to contact Wal Mart’s book buying department to try to get her book in stock. Several fans have posted comments saying how eagerly they were awaiting the book, and many have mentioned that they’ve contacted Wal Mart on Low’s behalf.
One reader wrote to me that she was hella pissed off, because she’d pre-ordered the book and been told by Amazon that it was delayed again and again. She was livid that so much power of what she was able to buy in her romance selections was determined by Wal Mart.
Virtually Hers appears to be available starting December 1, so perhaps the nudging helped? Who knows.
CORRECTION: Per Gennita Low’s comment below, she received the rights back from her publisher. Virtually Hers will not be released Dec. 1. I hope it finds a new home.
But this is not the first time I’ve heard of Wal Mart putting the sinker on someone’s sales.
An author who asked to remain anonymous told me:
Walmart placed a HUGE order for my first book (68% of the print run). They returned 80% of their order almost immediately (aka 50% of my print run), meaning it’s likely those books never even saw the shelf (I lost my slot to a backlist title of a NYT best seller most likely). As far as I know they didn’t order book two at all (honestly, I just don’t want to know). Walmart basically trashed my career before I even had a chance. No amount of great reviews or awards is going to offset a 49% sell though (the book sold VERY WELL at book stores, for all the good that does me).
I asked her how she knew about the Wal Mart connection to her sales, and she replied that her info came straight from her editor:
My editor told me my numbers were “in the toilet”. Nice. I was surprised, since my agent had told me that my numbers were great (cue the lesson that Walmart doesn’t report to things like Bookscan, so your sales numbers can look fab when they’re not). I expressed this surprise and my editor said, “Let me poke around a bit and call you back. I remember something really wonky happening with your book and Walmart . . .”
Most authors check their sales figures by subscribing to Bookscan and calling the Ingrams’ number incessantly. These two sources get their info from actual sales (Ingrams from stores ordering from their warehouse and Bookscan from bookstores that report in their actual sales). These two numbers have historically been considered fairly reliable (kind of like polls). There are all sorts of formulas people use to get an idea of what those two numbers equate to in total sales (like triple your Bookscan total or multiple your Ingrams # by 6, etc.). But the idea was that if your Bookscan and Ingrams #s were healthy your book was doing well.
This is no longer the case.
Book sales have begun to be heavily driven by big box stores (Walmart being the most important one apparently), and those stores don’t report to Bookscan. So if it’s true that something like 47% of all mass market fiction is sold ad big box stores (I think) and your book isn’t in said big box stores (because it wasn’t picked up, or like me, they trash you right out of the gate) you’re royally screwed. But you may not know you’re screwed until you get blindsided by your royalty statement and the fact that your publisher isn’t picking up your next contract.
Now, I know next to diddly about Bookscan and sales numbers, and how sales and success are quantified. So I asked an editor: What’s up with Wal Mart?
Does Wal Mart have that much power?
The answer: an unequivocal “Oh, holy shit, yes.”
Wal Mart is the single largest bookseller in the US. Period, full stop. Most books in this country for retail sales are sold to Wal Mart. And so they have the most power, according to my source.
The completely wonky part is that they don’t make as much money selling books as they do selling, say, tires or automotive supplies or groceries. Books are a very small part of their selection, and a small part of their profit margin.
But books at Wal Mart are a holy hopping damn huge part of of the profit margin of your average romance publishing establishment, because when Wal Mart orders a book, it is an order that often has many, many more zeroes in it than orders for all the other retailers combined. It is not far fetched for editors and marketing staff to ponder amongst themselves, ‘But how will this sell at Wal Mart?’ Selling to Wal Mart is crucial for any author, any publisher, and anyone who hopes to realize a profit in publishing romance, particularly as predictions of the financial future of publishing in general turn dire indeed. Wal Mart is the most powerful figure in romance publishing, bar none (after Dear Author and us, of course) (snort).
Some of the email I received regarding Gennita Low’s campaign thought that readers of romance should boycott Wal Mart in protest of their outrageous market power. This is not the first time I’ve heard anti Wal Mart sentiment. As the nations largest retailer, they have attracted more than one lawsuit for alleged discrimination against women.
In the Fall 08 issue of Bitch Magazine, there’s an article about Wal Mart’s latest marketing campaign, which asks if moms have “formed their ‘momtourage’ yet,” targeting female readers and television viewers as potential customers. This is troublesome to the article’s author, because
[t]he superstore is currently involved in the largest workplace gender-discrimination lawsuit in history, with more than 1.3 million female employees suing the retailer for failing to equally promote and pay women…. In one 2005 ruling, [Wal-Mart] was fined $188,000.00 by the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission for violating state law when it refused to reinstate a woman after she completed her maternity leave.
Now, personally, I don’t have a Wal Mart within driving distance, so I don’t shop there. I don’t know if I would had I the choice, given what I know colloquially of their labor practices from friends of mine who worked there while we were all in college.
But I also know that for a lot of people looking to mind their budgets and feed and clothe their families, Wal Mart is the only option in town. Literally.
And for those of us concerned with the health and continued viability of the romance book market? Wal Mart might as well be the only option in town as well. They are literally the most powerful, and books aren’t even their main source of income. How do you fight such a behemoth with that much power over an author’s career future? Is it even possible? Or do we have to play within that power structure to advance our cause - the continued availability of romance novels? According to those with whom I spoke, it’s not possible to circumvent Wal Mart and survive in the current market. They buy in such quantity and sell in such volume that it isn’t possible to go without them. There is simply no way to avoid them.
When I asked my editorial source what readers could do, the answer was immediate: shop there. “We should all get down on our knees and thank God for Wal Mart. They buy romance, we have jobs, you have books to read.” It might leave a sour taste in one’s mouth, but we should go out of our way to shop there, according to this editor, because if more people shop for romance there, and it becomes more of a profitable enterprise for them, then they’ll buy more. If they buy more, there’s room to publish more, and there’s more for us to read. Turning-page economics, if you will.
I’m not pretending I know the answer to this one, and for the time being shopping at Wal Mart or deciding not to isn’t a question I face. But I know a lot of our readers look to Wal Mart for their book needs. GrowlyCub mentioned recently in a comment to my review of Lori Borrill’s Unleashed that:
I went and read the excerpt at Amazon and holy smokes, I want to read that book now! Our local Walmart does not carry Blazes any longer, so that means either a trip 80 miles down the road or waiting till Bamm.com can deliver.
No Blazes in the Wal Mart means one reader waits for shipping, or goes without. Even in the isolated cases, that’s a lot of power for one store to wield.
What’s your take? Do you shop at Wal Mart for books? Or do you avoid it? And if the biggest of the big box stores has that much market power and control over the genre, will that ever change? And how?
Filed: General Bitching, Random Musings, Ranty McRant, The Link-O-Lator
Tagged: walmart, store, shopping, magazine, history, bookstores, bitch, authors, amazon
Charlene said on 11.05.08 at 12:58 PM • [link]
This surprises me. My local Wal-Mart has about fifteen feet of one side of a single aisle dedicated to books - and that includes fiction and non-fiction. They have more shelf space dedicated to those cheap nasty evil plug-in perfume things, and about eight times more dedicated to bottled water.
I think Safeway has a larger book section.
ev said on 11.05.08 at 02:00 PM • [link]
Wally World is the last place I shop for books- I may look if I am wandering or bored when I am there and need something, or on my way to lunch and for some odd reason don’t have a book with me. Or, *gasp, walk out of the house without one.
Border’s is still my go to for books. At least there is something to choose from since they don’t censor what they sell. I do think Walmart does censor some of the books that they sell. I know they do it with the music, so what is to stop them from doing it with books?
I try to split my shopping dollars between them and target. My daughter used to work for wally world and I know how she was treated.
phinea said on 11.05.08 at 02:12 PM • [link]
Wal-Mart is evil and I refuse to shop there no matter how close it is. I will drive or
online to get a book. I would never go without just because some dumb ass
store won’t carry the book I want.
Leslee said on 11.05.08 at 02:36 PM • [link]
Unfortunately, I am one of those people that has a limited income and I live in a small town. I shop at Wal-Mart because my wallet cannot accomodate my outrage at their labor practices. My husband calls them Evil But Cheap. Also my town has two Walmarts, a Target, and NO BOOKSTORE!!!! It kills me that we have all kinds of stores coming to our little slice of heck but not a single bookstore. So a lot of the time, if Walmart doesn’t have it I go without until I can get to a bookstore which isn’t often. I hate that they have so much power but they are the only game in town for me. I like Target as well, but their book section is not the best, Wal Mart just stocks more stuff.
Ezri said on 11.05.08 at 02:46 PM • [link]
I do remember this happening with “Contact” by Susan Grant - Walmart refused
to sell it because it was published shortly after 9/11 and involved an airplane hostage
situation. Of course, in the book, the folks were taken hostage by aliens, so the
comparison doesn’t really hold up well. I know it was a struggle for her to get the book
out after that though.
Anonymous Author (hiding out from Walmart goons) said on 11.05.08 at 02:51 PM • [link]
a) Walmart is the only option in my town;
b) their book section is the size of a rat’s ass, with similar entertainment value;
c) I don’t even walk by that part of the store, because their book choices are so limited;
d) which means I do most of my book shopping on Amazon.
As an author, I also hate the power wielded by Walmart, but fighting them is a bit like
finger wrestling with Godzilla: too big, too nasty, too easy to get crushed.
Kathy said on 11.05.08 at 03:50 PM • [link]
I used to big a book buyer at Walmart until they stopped stocking the books I like to read. It seems now that just have a shit selection and only one author on the shelf that I like, plus it takes them a week to stock a new release. I’m with Ev, I go to Border’s. And if that doesn’t do it, I just have to break down and order from the internet. And the waiting is a pain in the arse.
December Quinn/Stacia Kane said on 11.05.08 at 03:57 PM • [link]
Wow, this is an excellent point—buy more books there, and they’ll increase their book selection.
It never occurred to me that WM was such a big book supplier until I started learning more about publishing, because like Charlene said, both of the WMs within driving distance of my old house had barely a scattering of books; a couple of dozen titles, tops? Ten feet of shelf space next to the greeting cards. Target and Walgreens used to have more; I bought books from both all the time (in addition to B&N;and Borders both.)
Heck, just buy books anywhere you see them, lol.
I guess that’s abnormal.
Tibbles said on 11.05.08 at 03:58 PM • [link]
Used to work at Wal-mart (stay at home Mom right now). Horrible employer and horrible at stocking stuff. Tried to go back after second child. No go. “Hiring freeze.” Married white female btw. Go in the other day, several new (not trying to be racial or anything) black and latino faces at front registers who are slow as all get-out due to lack of experience (not calling anyone lazy). Meanwhile people with experience are turned away. Ours has about one half an aisle for all books. Got Barnes & Noble and thought things were looking up. Nope. University book store. Crappier selection than Wal-Mart. And Wal-Mart is the only place to go in this backwater University town. Ain’t it great? We get a university, but can’t get anyone other than a B & N university book store, a Food Lion, a Kroger, and a Wal-Mart.
Lorelie said on 11.05.08 at 04:14 PM • [link]
I’ve got a Super Walmart about three miles from my house. And I shop there. I’ve heard about how they treat employees, and it sucks, and I hope people keep suing the hell out of them, but my budget won’t let me abandon the cheap for the moral.
And I do buy books there. B&N;is my first choice, but sometimes it’s just handy. And their selection isn’t bad. About 15 feet devoted to Romance alone. I think they get every single Harlequin from every line put out every month. ;)
JanLo said on 11.05.08 at 04:14 PM • [link]
I do not shop at WalMart specifically because of its labor practices. I think if folks do shop there, they should start demanding the titles and publishers they want. It’s called customer service, although it will take many, many voices for WalMart to even begin to listen. As our wonderful reviewer Doc Turtle said: it has the turning radius of the QE2. But if no one tries, the corporation will go along its merry way oblivious to censorship and upholding social values that not everyone shares. There, that’s my 2 cents.
Gennita Low said on 11.05.08 at 04:21 PM • [link]
The best way to help authors (and not just me) is to write a letter to Walmart (local and HQ) asking for your favorite authors’ books. The person I talked to used to work at Walmart and knew its policies. Walmart will sometimes contact the person and ask for recommendations because, as this person told me, “they like to say they have anything asked in stock.”
I don’t think my book is coming out Dec. 1, btw, since my publisher gave me back the rights to my book last month ;-).
BTW, my royalty statement reflected that I sold a hella number of books and I’d mistakenly thought that my publisher was going to be pleased with the numbers…until the “retail” column was pointed out to me and I was told that THAT was the column they all looked at. So I’m still looking at my statement today wondering how a good report card can be so bad.
Tina C. said on 11.05.08 at 04:21 PM • [link]
I guess I’m lucky because I have a multitude of sources for books in my town, with local bookstores, chain bookstores, Walmart, Target, all of the chain drugstores, and the grocery store. I can buy books anywhere and I’m still a fairly regular customer of amazon.com, too.
That said, I’m a pretty regular customer of Walmart, also. Yes, I hate Walmart’s labor practices and the way they cause local businesses in small towns to go out of business because they can’t compete. However, my wallet can’t afford to fund my antipathy because you really can’t beat the prices. If I need clothes, I try to hit the consignment stores first, but I can’t find what I want, then I hit Walmart. If I need bedding or electronics or cookware, I hit Walmart. I simply can’t afford not to. And if a store I’m in carries books, I look at the books. And as a book junkie, I often buy at least one if I stop to look at them. So, while I don’t specifically shop there for books, I do buy them when I’m already there. After reading what about how they can destroy an author’s career without even trying, though—damn.
ev said on 11.05.08 at 04:24 PM • [link]
For used books I have been also using the Border’s site- the selection is good and the delivery is quick.
I tend not to use Amazon, because i think it is getting to big for its britches,and don’t want to see it taking everything over. Which it seems to be doing in some cases.
I hate WM hiring practices also and the way they treated my daughter. I think she should have sued them but she is young. Unfortunately, to get anything I have to travel a bit and WM is cheaper. Besides, they know me and no one questions that I am using my husbands credit card instead of mine. (I accidentally threw mine out and haven’t gotten around to cancelling it yet- always need the danged thing)
ev said on 11.05.08 at 04:27 PM • [link]
Our little city did fight them on putting in a Super Walmart for just the reasons Tina C. said- putting local businesses out of business. We won. So they just redid our store and although it doesn’t sell the quantity of food like a Super does, it does have a decent selection of stuff.
Keri Ford said on 11.05.08 at 04:35 PM • [link]
My Super WalMart recently remodeled and boy am I happy they did. The book section is so much larger. There’s one aisle that’s completely category books and one much longer aisle that carries romance off all genres that I can tell. My biggest beef is they’ve got all the genre’s mixed together and strictly ordered them by author name (best I can tell, anyway). Makes it hard to find someone new in a genre you like. I haven’t started picking up my books there, but I’ll start if it helps in the end. And just maybe I can track down a Wal-Mart in charge person and get them to explain to me while they’re stocking like they are.
So glad to see Gennita got her rights back. With all the talk that’s been with this book and the anticipation behind it, maybe someone will pick up and get it on the shelf.
www.EverybodyNeedsALittleRomance.com
Chasity said on 11.05.08 at 04:37 PM • [link]
I live in the woods. Literally we’re in a tiny “holler” in the middle of now where. Our “town” has a post office and gas station. To buy groceries I have to drive 30 minutes to another small town that has a Food City. That town has a dollar store, a library, and several fast food restaurants. If I’m feeling frisky, which isn’t often, I’ll drive the hour it takes to get to the “bigger” small town, where I’m limited to Super Walmart or Kmart with a few other small business types around. Walmart is the place to be in that town, which sucks. I hate that place with a passion unlike any I’ve ever had. I do arse myself up to go there once a week simply because it’s the only place to buy certain items.
As for the book section, the selection sucks and the shelves are always messed up. To find any book, you have to dig through all the other shit in front of it. I do on occasion buy books from there, but it isn’t often. I’ve been bitching for years now that we need a bookstore since the closest one is 2 hours away. If there’s a book I’m completely dying for I’ll hit up amazon. After reading them I usually donate them to our local library. I must say our local library selection is the bomb. Those ladies sure do know how to stock their romance section. They usually have most new releases a few days after they are available, but there are just some titles that they are forced to wait on. That’s where I come in :) I buy them up, devour them, and then donate.
Jane O said on 11.05.08 at 04:41 PM • [link]
There is a Walmart near me, but it has a tiny book section, and romance is a tiny section of that. I’m amazed that they are somehow a major seller of books. The local Target has a much larger and better selection.
I also have a Borders and a Barnes and Noble nearby, but I still end up most often using Amazon, where I can get the books I actually want.
Susan G said on 11.05.08 at 04:48 PM • [link]
Keri - I wish your Wal-Mart would talk to my Wal-Mart!
We recently had a remodel, too, but our book section became considerably smaller. That was quite disappointing to me because before the change I could count on new romance releases being available on or before the drop date with the very nice Wally discount. Now I rarely visit the book section because there is so seldom something of interest.
Elizabeth Wadsworth said on 11.05.08 at 05:08 PM • [link]
I dislike shoppping at Walmart for many of the reasons already mentioned here, but do so on occasion for the sake of convenience and price. However, the selection of books, even at the closest “super” store, is pretty limited from my point of view—most of it seems to be taken up by celebrity bios and religious books, neither of which interest me. I do most of my shopping for books at Borders, or online, and my favorite is a semi-local used bookshop, where I can literally get lost for hours.
help83: help out 83 starving novelists and buy their books today!
DS said on 11.05.08 at 05:11 PM • [link]
I wrote to Walmart after the Susan Grant fiasco. I never received a response and that pretty much ended my book buying days there, Well, I told them in my letter I was going to quit buying books there so I did. I don’t buy much else there either.
Angela James said on 11.05.08 at 05:16 PM • [link]
I don’t buy books at Walmart either, but I know a lot of people who do, and I used to when I lived in a town where Walmart was the only option. But if I’m being honest, I buy very few print books these days and even fewer from brick and mortar stores.
I hope Gennita finds a home for Virtually Hers soon both for her sake and for the sake of fans of Virtually His.
Antonella said on 11.05.08 at 05:20 PM • [link]
“Wow, this is an excellent point—buy more books there, and they’ll increase their book selection.”
But at what cost? Giving Wal-mart even MORE power over what we read? We’ve seen the censoring they’ve imposed on some CD’s and DVD’s. Do you want them doing that to books as well? I hate the idea of any bookseller wielding that kind of power over the publishing industry. I’d much rather buy my books elsewhere and spread the power around.
As for their lower prices - I’ll pay the extra buck or two to shop at a store with clean aisles and employees that don’t look like they’ve been chained to an oar.
Denise said on 11.05.08 at 05:44 PM • [link]
I live in a big metropolis, so I can avoid Walmart 90% of the time and still find good deals with other competitors. That being said, I’ve stopped in the book section of my local Super Walmart to see what they have.
The physical size of the book section is impressive, quite large for a store that sells virtually everything from apples to transmission fluid. However, the book selection sucked. Honestly, if I was a Nora Roberts fan, I’d be in heaven. Three shelves and four display racks devoted to her titles alone, with 75 copies of each available to the buyer.
While I admire la Nora’s professionalism, I’m not a fan of her writing, so it’s frustrating to see this much retail space devoted to a single author. I understand why they do it. She’s a powerhouse of book sales, and Walmart’s business is to make money. Still, I’d love to see some of those displays changed to showcase newer, less well-known authors.
Lori said on 11.05.08 at 05:44 PM • [link]
Books are not the only area in which WM has this power. Anyone trying to get a new home-related product into the market has to basically kiss WM’s butt to have any chance of getting it off the ground. If you have a great idea and want to start a business to sell it WM pretty much holds your fate in its big corporate paw. The truth is that WM isn’t cheap & evil, it’s cheap because it’s evil.
I’m certainly sympathetic to people who have few or no other choices by virtue of location or budget. At one time I lived in a “one stop light & a WalMart” town and you do what you have to do to. Still, I agree with Antonella that giving WM more power is not the solution.
TracyS said on 11.05.08 at 06:00 PM • [link]
If I want to stay in budget (and I really do! LOL) I have to shop at Wal-Mart and Target. I buy as many of my books as I can there (because they are a little cheaper, and I’m already at the store, and the nearest bookstore is 35 minutes away).
Our local Wal-Mart cut back on the Harlequin books for awhile. That lasted all of 2 months and they were back in stock.
They don’t carry most erotica, but my walmart has a huge selection of Romance. In fact Romance is about 75% of the books in stock.
Suze said on 11.05.08 at 06:03 PM • [link]
I wonder if Walmart is the reason that so many of my newer paperbacks fall apart so easily, even though I don’t buy them there. In my experience, even the brand-name stuff at Walmart is badly-made crap that won’t last. They have to make it cheaply to sell it cheaply, so it falls apart, and it’s more cost-effective to just buy new, creating a vicious cycle of crap.
So Walmart has turned everything they sell into disposable products, even lawnmowers. The only thing about Walmart that I approve of is that the parking stalls are big enough to both park in AND open your car door.
I’ve managed to avoid setting foot in Walmart for about 5 years. It’s not that I’m strong and ethical, it’s just that they don’t have anything I want badly enough to go into that depressing, dirty, crowded building.
I buy my books at the grocery store, on-line, and on my occasional trips to the city where they have nice big box bookstores.
It’s yet another argument to re-think the whole process of publishing books. If we could just get someone to apply the cheapness and availability to e-readers, then mass-market authors wouldn’t be so dependant upon sell-through numbers. I think.
And Congratulations on your election, you Yankees!
rebyj said on 11.05.08 at 06:34 PM • [link]
Walmart here in Nashville changed their book section last year and since that change I haven’t bought ONE book there . Their selection sucks. There is a “best seller” rack,(usually way out of date) an African American shelf with about 12 books , a hard back non fiction section full of Jesus and Oprah , a handful of Harlequin series and a perpetually full Harry Potter display.
Our Kroger’s and Walgreens carry a more up to date and bigger selection. 95% of what I buy, I purchase online at Amazon.com, Overstock.com or at the used book store more than buying retail new anywhere.
I hope you get “Virtually Hers” published Genita!
Madd said on 11.05.08 at 06:40 PM • [link]
I’ve never bought a book at wally world. I think that’s really saying something when you take into consideration that I spent 3 years living in a place where you had to drive 20 miles just to get to a wal-mart, the only source of non-food/farm equipment items in the area. And even though the grocery store was only 13 miles away, their selection was limited, so we usually just picked up groceries at wally’s.
I either ordered from Amazon or waited till we “went to town”, a 60 mile drive up to the closest city, and got my books at Books-A-Million.
I don’t know why I never buy books from wally’s. I never even browse them. *shrug*
Jane said on 11.05.08 at 06:43 PM • [link]
I don’t doubt that WalMart has significant buying power and can help make an author’s career, but there are plenty of books that sell and plenty of authors with successful careers that never got stocked at Wal-Mart during the building period.
Jody W. said on 11.05.08 at 06:47 PM • [link]
I get most of my books online, electronically when I can. The physical shelves, they have overflowed! I avoid WalMart but often can’t afford the extra $$ and time it takes to shop elsewhere. Maybe when I start making the big bucks with this “writing” thing *chortle*.
His mom is chained to an oar at a WalMart and they are indeed evil, horrible employers who seem to hire evil, horrible management, if her situation is anything to go by.
It does surprise me WalMart is such a book gorilla because their book sections are always weird and limited and disorganized.
mirain said on 11.05.08 at 06:56 PM • [link]
I’ve never gotten a book at Wal-mart. Even if they stocked anyther other than best sellers and inspirational texts, I refuse to buy books or music from a place that practices censorship. I do live in a town with bookstores (lots! feel free to visit santa rosa for your new and used book needs) but actually get most of my reading material from the library. Suggestion for folks lacking bookstores and/or money: most library systems can now search for and borrow books from other systems. Ask your local librarian or book-bus driver about starting to do this, if they don’t already.
GrowlyCub said on 11.05.08 at 06:59 PM • [link]
I’m kind of surprised at people saying ‘do you want Walmart to start censoring books, too?’
They are already doing that! Our local Walmart used to carry Blaze titles, then they took them out of the racks to make room for more inspirational books.
For what it’s worth, we have a FoodLion, a Kroger and Walmart, a CVS and a Walgreens. FoodLion, Kroger, CVS and Walgreens have one rack each of bestseller paperbacks and Walmart has half a shelf length that is being taken over by more and more ‘Christian literature’.
Those are the only entities that carry books in our hamlet.
I’m all with the righteous indignation at us evil Walmart shoppers, but when a fully stocked alternative (such as Target) is 50-80 miles away one way, options become really limited, not just for books. Our little town made the national news because gas was $5.29/gal after Ike hit Texas.
Now, thanks to the recently opened Murphy aka Walmart gas station, our gas is some of the cheapest in the country, since they started a price war. I’ll be watching to see when the Conoco right across the street will go out of business.
Btw, on an unexpected trip to the vet 25 miles up the road I did find Lori’s book at their local Walmart. That town does have a Hastings which pretends to be a bookstore, but they do not stock any categories.
The joys of life in rural America! And I know we don’t have it all that bad compared to others!
Shiloh Walker said on 11.05.08 at 07:00 PM • [link]
It’s dilemma, although I’d say those who do buy their books at Walmart might find it worth their while to write their customer service department when they aren’t finding the books they’d like to find. Even if they, or especially if, they buy them elsewhere.
I don’t buy books at Walmart-I love the Borders in downtown Louisville and I always manage to pick up quite a few titles whenever I do a booksigning.
ChrissyV said on 11.05.08 at 07:02 PM • [link]
I never shop at Walmart, for any reason. Not only are their labor practices atrocious, but this discussion of what power they have over the book industry is not the only industry they have that power over. They have the power to make or break. Because of their business practices companies are forced to do business only with them. Let me explain. Walmart buys so much of a company’s stock that they can say “We only want it shipped this very specific way.” In order to do business with Walmart, they have to change the way they pack and ship a product. If they choose not to do business with Walmart, they won’t sell any where near the same count because Walmart just buys so much. If they do not adhere to Walmart’s guidelines, Walmart can do a “chargeback”, essentially charging the company for not complying, and this isn’t a small fine, it’s often close to the cost of the shipment. Why do I know this? Because my husband programs manufacturing software that tracks these types of costs. It’s not an uncommon practice and Walmart isn’t the only company to do it, they are just the only ones who are so huge that they can break a company with them. So why do they have to do business only with Walmart? Because they can’t afford to not do business with Walmart and it’s not cost effective for them to ship to other companies in addition to Walmart who don’t order the same amount as Walmart.
I’m not going to tell anyone not to shop there. That’s a personal choice. But if you are not happy with them you can take you money else where. Some folks have mention Amazon, they are a choice. If you aren’t comfortable with them, you could try Powells.com, an independent bookstore in Oregon - they stock everything. You can also buy directly form the publisher in many cases, eHarlequin.com for those of you looking for Blaze titles, for example. I you like Walmart, it’s OK, shop there. If you don’t, shop elsewhere, don’t let them make you think that you don’t have a choice.
Gennita Low said on 11.05.08 at 07:09 PM • [link]
Thanks to all the well-wishers. I’m going to try finding a new home for VHers. But the most important thing for me was that I can now submit my RS manuscripts to other publishers too. I couldn’t while under contract (and possibly with no book out for another year or two).
I’d like to clarify that Walmart downsized its romance section circa Mar 2007, just before VHis came out. My editors told me then that they were going to buy the top tier authors only and that’s why you see so many Nora Roberts and even older bestselling books in the bigger Walmarts now. They were also going to buy less romance books, and since 2007, I’ve definitely noticed less and less new finds in the Walmarts in my area.
The last couple of months, I’ve discovered that my regular Super Walmart doesn’t even stock Presents any more, which is like the most popular pick-ups among shoppers here. I had to order mine online.
You have to understand, though, that Walmart doesn’t know what names to buy or not. They just tell their main book supplier to get them the NYT names and leave it to them. Their supplier’s representative then pick the names off his/her list and there’s no telling that he/she know her genres. When a customer writes to Walmart, Walmart sends the info to the rep, and if the rep is looking to expand that list, he/she asks the customer.
With the smaller romance selection, the rep really doesn’t need to expand that list too much these days, unless, of course, the customer (through Walmart) keeps telling them they want so-and-so (umm, feel free to plug in Gennita Low in place of so-and-so ;-P).
Hope my simplified explanation here makes sense.
MoJo said on 11.05.08 at 07:12 PM • [link]
I love Wal-Mart discussions. This is an old article, but fascinating and it buttresses ChrissyV’s point.
Nadia said on 11.05.08 at 07:13 PM • [link]
This doesn’t surprise me. Over ten years ago, when I worked in banking, we were aware of WM’s practices with various suppliers - they would get an operation dependent on them by becoming their main source of business, then put the squeeze on pricing. As bankers, we kept an eye out for customers in this position because of added credit risk.
I live in the suburbs of a major metro area. I have many shopping choices, and I choose to not shop at WM for a variety of reasons. I haven’t even set foot into our nearby Supercenter, so I couldn’t tell you what their book section is like. I buy new from Target or Kroger for bestsellers; Amazon if I can wait or it’s a lesser-known author; and Half-Price Books, a local UBS, and Amazon Marketplace for backlist. The Barnes & Noble is a bit of a slog, but certainly another option as well.
Kismet said on 11.05.08 at 07:45 PM • [link]
I shop at Walmart… but I hate it :( . Walmart and Target are the only book stores within a 20-30 minute drive for me. They have crappy selections and service is crappy at Wallyworld. I will gladly send a letter to Wallyworld though… and if that fails I suppose I would support a no-walmart campaign. I could always shop on line at B+N.com (I’ll just make myself wait until I have enough books to last a while and get free shipping ;) ).
On place I will never again buy books from is Samsclub. I bought a 5 pack last year from there… the cover was on each side of the pack were cute enough to attract attention, but you could not read the backs. Turns out they weren’t just inspirational… they were flat out preaching (they had bible study questions in the back). I’m sure some people like those, but had I been able to crack the book open and check it out, I would have passed (also, the writing was nothing to call home about). Books are too expensive to toss a 5 pack away…. and I just couldn’t bring myself to be preached at through a romance novel (my dad is a minister… I get enough preaching already ;0 ).
Hortense Powdermaker said on 11.05.08 at 07:52 PM • [link]
Whoa. They sell more books than Amazon?
WalMart has always had a misogynist corporate policy. In addition to discriminating against women in pay and benefits, they refused to stock emergency contraception (the so-called “morning after pill”) in their pharmacies for over six years. It was their way of pandering to right-wing conservatives. They only ended this policy after being sued, and they still allow individual pharmacists to refuse to fill a prescription.
.
Would you shop in a store that discriminates against blacks, Jews, or gays?
I realize they are cheap. But at some point you have to put your money where your mouth is.
Lynn M said on 11.05.08 at 08:04 PM • [link]
I used to work for a kids video company, and we would have to design special DVD displays and packaging just for use by Walmart. We’d do the “normal retail” versions of everything, then separate versions for Walmart and Sam’s Club. And my company had to absorb the expense of multiple versions of the same basic thing or we wouldn’t get the large WM orders. So, yes, this control WM has covers far more than books.
I have a love/hate relationship with WM. I live about a 1/4 mile away from one, and it’s where I go to pick up all of my household stuff - laundry detergent, kleenex, dog food - because it is so much cheaper than grocery stores or even Target. And I do swing by the book department, which is so-so in my particular store. It’s actually a great place to pick up new authors for me because I can get the book for cheaper than via Amazon or B&N;or Borders.
But the choices are so limited, I never go to WM looking for a book. If I want to buy 500 copies of each of the Twilight Series titles or Nora Roberts seventh reissues of ancient releases, I’m sure to find them there. But if I want a specific title or a specific author, I head to the bookstore or order on-line. The idea of supporting WM in order to try to change the situation seems counter-intuitive, although I do see the point. Unfortunately, I just can’t imagine that the community of romance readers willing to write and complain is large enough to make any difference. It’s like an ant poking at an elephant.
JenTurner said on 11.05.08 at 08:19 PM • [link]
My husband used to work overnights at Wal-Mart and he told me to chime in and let everyone know that the book sections physically in Wal-Mart stores aren’t handled by the employees in said store. Another company came in once a week and rotated the book stock and put more/new releases out. Wal-Mart employees are specifically told not to touch the books, as they are a “vendor controlled item”.
Now, I don’t know if our store is the only one like that…but that makes me wonder who really controls the books. My hubby says the woman who used to stock our WM said she wasn’t a WM employee, but an independant contractor.
I’m wondering if maybe WM purchases the books, but contracts the “handling” out to someone else so that if a book is put out early, they can claim ignorance?
Either way, I just think it’s odd that Wal-Mart has such power when their store employees don’t even handle the books…
Just thought I’d share.
Gennita Low said on 11.05.08 at 08:28 PM • [link]
Yes, that is the rep I was talking about. I believe it’s Levy Home Entertainment that’s the distributor, but I could be wrong. Walmart employees don’t know who/what/where to order. That’s why my friend told me that it is best to write to Walmart HQ. It’s all bureaucracy at its best, that’s all.
Mary said on 11.05.08 at 08:37 PM • [link]
In case anyone doubts the power of Walmart in an author’s career. This is from 3 years ago, but still valid. Anderson has the bulk of Walmart distribution.
“Over a three week period this summer, the following sales numbers were recorded for a NYT bestselling thriller writer’s most recent book:
B&N;: 4,140
Waldenbooks: 4,888
Borders: 3,993
Anderson Merchandisers/Walmart: 47,671
Target: 16,341
Price/Costco: 17,291
Sam’s: 14,108
Amazon: 320 “
Source:
http://www.sarahweinman.com/confessions/2005/07/there_is_no_bet.html
MoJo said on 11.05.08 at 08:49 PM • [link]
They distribute for Target. Anderson distributes for Wal-Mart.
I don’t know if there is crossover from one to the other, but I highly doubt it. The Coke vendor at your local convenience store doesn’t stock for Pepsi products and vice versa.
Julianna said on 11.05.08 at 08:54 PM • [link]
I live in a city, and probably only see the outside of a Wal-Mart a few times a year. I do end up shopping for books at chain stores with good selections - they’re handy, they have the books, I get a discount, and I’m lazy - but I’m in a position where I can afford to snub Wal-Mart, at least.
It’s no secret what they do to small towns - open up, undercut the local stores, hire away all the salespeople, and then shut down when they decide it isn’t profitable enough. By then, the local stores are long out of business and everyone’s seriously shafted. Add what they do to their employees and their suppliers, and yeah, they are seriously scary.
DeeCee said on 11.05.08 at 09:05 PM • [link]
I hate Walmart. I’m a disgruntled ex-employee (overnight stocker). I learned the hard way that you don’t know ANYTHING about an employer until you’ve worked for them around Christmas. I had 6 bosses all wanting different things, and not one of my co-workers was happy to be there. They expected long hours (but didn’t want me to get overtime), they wanted no backstock (which no retailer wants, but eventually you do run out of room to stock crap), and complete subservience.
I used to buy everything from Walmart when it first came into town. They had deals on everything. Then after a few years they weeded out the competition and their prices jumped.
Now I avoid them if at all possible. The only thing I buy there anymore is DVD’s when they are on sale and the occasional book.
They remodeled the book section, and its a lot bigger with a lot more choices. They cut out the 2nd section of Mormon books and replaced it with “spiritual” books. They expanded their YA books. They have 5 extra feet of romance. Unfortunately their romance section consists mostly of Nora Roberts, Lavyrle Spencer and Danielle Steel. I usually check there for new paperbacks first, but they almost never have what I look for.
So I make my membership at Barnes and Noble worth it. Last year I ended up saving almost $500 dollars using their coupons and extra online discounts. Which IMO kicks Walmarts ass.
Jennifer said on 11.05.08 at 09:13 PM • [link]
I can’t say I’m proud that I’ve bought books at Wal-Mart, but I’ve done it. Not that often (I don’t live near one, so I only go if I’m following someone else along in another town), and I’d rather buy at an actual bookstore WITH GOOD SELECTION, but occasionally I’ll find something I was going to buy anyway, saw it at Wal-Mart first, threw it in the cart.
Their selection is so low, though. Really pretty paltry. That’s what really annoys me about this is that they are so big and it is so LIMITED.
Courtney said on 11.05.08 at 09:14 PM • [link]
I’m like many others—I hate Walmart’s practices, but I can’t afford to put my money where my mouth is when it comes to buying things like cleaning supplies, generic OTC meds, diapers, and cat food. Those things seriously add up and since I’m a stay at home mom, we need to make one income stretch. If we’re flush, I’ll head to Target, whom I used to work for and had a good employment experience. (Except I don’t buy Walmart clothes. Crap quality and they don’t have a maternity section, which means they expect us pregnant women to get plus size clothes instead, which is an insult to both pregnant women and plus size women.)
It’s sad that Walmart has such power over authors, but the same authors have little power due to how small WM’s book sales are relative to their overall profit. Same goes for many other types of goods, it seems. In a better economic climate where I have the luxury of eschewing WM because doing so won’t jeopardize my ability to put decent food on the table, I’ll switch to Target fully. Until then, what few books I can indulge in will come from Walmart.
DeeCee said on 11.05.08 at 09:23 PM • [link]
That’s true. Almost all of the major retailers have a vendor come in and stock. I also used to work for Shopko. They have a magazine/book vendor, American Greetings vendor and a dvd vendor. Nothing gets put on the shelf without an ok from the vendor. The vendors are third party employees given partial access to stock rooms.
Now, if a vendor item had to be returned, the vendor doesn’t do that unless its a quanity controlled/full refund item. But for general releases, store employees (of Shopko atleast) would repack dvd’s. Books were destroyed (stripped) by the key receiver and discarded. Magazines were returned to the vendor for a partial refund, and AG would take back all of the excess holiday stock in cards.
The only major thing that the store controlled over a vendor item was the sale price.
Marsha said on 11.05.08 at 09:29 PM • [link]
I’m very sympathetic to Ms. Low’s position and regret that circumstances may make it yet more difficult for me to read her work in the future. Even so, I cannot wrap my head around the suggestion that to preserve reading options I need to shop more at a company that has at its core a business process that exploits and creates a *lack* of options. I fear that if I transferred my book buying dollars to Wal-Mart and the book providers I abandoned went out of business I’d be at the mercy altogether of whatever it is that Wal-Mart wants me to be able to read. In other words, buying books at Wal-Mart may be a good idea in the near- and mid-terms but I’m pretty sure that it would be a terrible strategy for long-term positive results.
In this season of my life I can afford to take advantage of choice and spend in ways consistent with my values. This may not always be the case but while it is I’m going to do my best to avoid Wal-Mart . If more people who could had done so in the past, perhaps Ms. Low would not be in the position she is in today.
Leah said on 11.05.08 at 09:33 PM • [link]
It’s really interesting reading about everyone’s experiences with WalMart. For 3 yrs, we lived in a small town where the WalMart wasn’t even super, and the nearest bookstore was a BDalton or something, 40 mins away. I ordered from Amazon, like, twice a month. Now we live in a small city that is a regional hub. I tend to buy my books from Books-A-Million, but when I’m really waiting for something—a magazine, one of the new Heather Graham books, WalMart gets it faster, so I succumb. Our book section is all right, really, and has 2 columns of categories—including, right now, my favorite title of all time, “Ruthlessly Bedded by the Sicillian Billionaire,” and a bunch of Spanish Drs who have mistresses in one book, and babies in another (you’d think they’d know how that happens).
But I had no idea how much power WalMart had over book sales—given the small variety of titles they have, that’s really insane. Joel Osteen and Oprah don’t need that much money, I’m sorry. I don’t see how my buying books there, just to get them faster, is going to make them shelve more romance/suspense, because they don’t need to sell the number of titles other stores do. They’ll just keep on doing what they’re doing. This article makes me think I need to be more patient and wait for stuff to come out at BAM, or order it from Amazon.
(Oh, and let me just add to the WalMart gripes…
1. Very pregnant young cashiers standing during holiday rush. Don’t tell me you can’t get them stools)
2. Cashier last week who asked for 4 days off a month ago, not given them and told to “find people to switch with.” Yeah, right. Her coworker urged to to quit. I (standing there with my cart and boys) told who who was hiring right now.
3. NO sweaters for kids! No pretty dresses for girls above size 5T; tons of thin, short sleeved crap, most of it with Hannah Montana or HSM on it. Where do their buyers think we live? Florida?
Must stop now. BP rising…..
Please let us know what happens with your books, Gennita!
Teresa said on 11.05.08 at 09:39 PM • [link]
I NEVER shop at WalMart. Not after reading the book Nickel and Dimed
http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides3/nickel_and_dimed1.asp
Last year we managed to stop WalMart from opening here on the Coast, at least for now. The protests were HUGE and they finally gave up after local bylaws were changed to prevent a store of their size from going into the location they wanted.
After reading about the power they have over authors and their sell-throughs, I’m now even seriously considering forgetting being published. How they hell can I reconcile my success as an author being dependent on sales to WM. It is NOT right that any one retailer has that kind of control AND practices censorship to boot. Utterly disgusting.
I’m fortunate for my book buying needs that we have not one but TWO great indies here on the Coast who will special order anything I want. Yes, I have to wait, but I’m willing to do that if it means avoiding buying from WalMart, Chapters or Amazon.
Even if there was a WM here, I’d find a way to scrimp so as not to buy there. My cats get their food/litter from the vet or from the indie pet stores - I doubt WM would even carry the litter we use (it’s earth friendly etc).
That said, for those people who live in towns where there is no other choice, you have my sympathy and understanding. Must really suck to be beholden to Evil and Cheap.
KG said on 11.05.08 at 09:51 PM • [link]
Not that I’m some huge fan of Wal-Mart, but I don’t see how deciding what they want to sell in their own store can be considered ‘censorship.’ They can sell whatever books they like. If they want to be the next big Christian bookseller, that is their right. No store should be forced to have any book or item on their shelves.
I’m one of the people who lives in the middle of nowhere. Groceries are 20 min. away. Wal-Mart is only about 30…and I can save so much more buying food there, the extra drive pays for itself with just a couple of items. However, they do have an odd selection because it is not a high-demand area. The weirdest thing? ONE brand/type of pretzels. That’s it. If you don’t want Hanover small pretzels, you’re out of luck. They also just took their tofu off the shelves because it is considered ‘seasonal.’ When did tofu become a summer-only food? But that’s what the shelf-stocker told me when I tried to find some.
Wal-Mart will never die until they are either unionized by their employees or sell so many defective and deadly Chinese items that they end up bankrupted in some huge lawsuit.
GrowlyCub said on 11.05.08 at 09:55 PM • [link]
Leah,
I’m curious, why don’t you buy at Bamm.com online?
Dani in NC said on 11.05.08 at 09:59 PM • [link]
I don’t buy books that often, but Wal-Mart is not a place that I would even consider if I was looking for a book or magazine. I am a Wal-Mart shopper for many other things, but it wouldn’t cross my mind to buy books there. Since we don’t have any independent bookstores here, I don’t really see the advantage in shopping locally. I go with Amazon.
Teresa said on 11.05.08 at 09:59 PM • [link]
If they want to stock Inspirationals, no problem. But if they do it by pulling Blazes off the shelf, then I see that as censorship. And look what they did to Susan Grant? I mean, do they think their customers are THAT stupid?
As for unionizing, it’s happened twice here at WMs here in Canada, and within months, WM closed down those locations. They will NOT allow a union in. Yet more evidence of their pure evil intention to make money of the backs of people who deserve way more than the pittance they’re paid and the horrible treatment they receive while working there.
KG said on 11.05.08 at 10:04 PM • [link]
So, since Wal-Mart doesn’t carry every book available, is that also censorship? Maybe the Blazes were not selling well for them…maybe they had customer complaints about them. It’s their choice to carry books/products or not. Even if it seems ridiculous to you. It is a business, not a library.
My library doesn’t have Blazes available for me to read…are they also involved in censorship?
I don’t like Wal-Mart’s practices either, but this argument doesn’t fly with me.
Tara said on 11.05.08 at 10:19 PM • [link]
I hate to say it, but this is called “capitalism.†That’s the way things work. And it’s not just retail, it’s everywhere. California does the same thing. They pass laws that products have to have certain kinds of labeling or be packaged a certain way, and the manufacturers can’t afford to not sell to the huge population in California, so they retool their factories and redesign labels and packaging and do all of their products the California way and pass the cost on to the rest of the country. Walmart isn’t the only 600-LB. gorilla throwing their weight around, it’s just that some folks find them less, er, entertaining than some of the other gorillas in the big, American, capitalist cage.
I also think the word “censorship†gets bandied about too much. We’ve already seen from the responses here that some of the Walmarts carry all the Blazes and others don’t. Some have a large selection, some small. Some carry a lot of religious books, some have a ton of romance, others are all Harry Potter all the time. That’s not censorship, that’s marketing. Like it or not, they are in business to make money, and each store manager is going to stock what he thinks will please his customers, make them spend more money and let him keep his job and maybe even earn himself a raise. He may be clueless about how to do that, but, really, that’s his goal. From that standpoint, yes, buying more books there and writing letters requesting that they stock certain items will eventually get a response. If it doesn’t, if the manager is clueless or has some agenda other than serving the customer, enough letters to corporate offices will eventually get him fired and get someone else in there. And, if they finally stock the books you want, and you’re the only one buying them, then those books will go away again and they’ll go back to stocking the previous shlock that they were able to make a profit on.
Having said all that, I rarely shop at Walmart and I’m pretty sure I’ve never bought a book there. The closest one is 30-35 minutes away and I’d spend about the same amount on gas as I’d save by shopping there. I’m over that way a few times a year, and I stop in sometimes to buy cheap clothes that I don’t mind mucking about in the garden in. I think I bought a clock and a skillet there. The clock no longer works, the skillet is cheap crap and I only use it when I get lazy and it’s the last clean thing to cook in.
The town I live closest to has two places to buy books. An Albertsons and a used book store. I’ve stopped buying books at the Albertsons because I can get them cheaper (and therefore buy more) from Amazon. The used book store is where I find new authors to try and find older backlist books that are out of print. I can’t afford to give them up. I can’t get books cheaper anywhere else, but I still spend more on new books than I spend on used because I’m too impatient to wait for some other reader to give up the goodies from her keeper shelf when she runs out of space.
fire88: probably means about 88 rounds fired in my direction because didn’t agree Walmart was evil personified.
EmmyS said on 11.05.08 at 10:30 PM • [link]
We don’t have a Wal-Mart near me, so I can’t comment on any of this. But am I the only one to get an immature giggle out of the author’s name? If I’m EmmyS, she’s GennitaL!
Leah said on 11.05.08 at 10:32 PM • [link]
Um, because I am a doofus? Seriously—I guess I’ve got a word association thing going where “books=Amazon.” I’ve not even thought of bamm.com before! (smacks forehead)
GrowlyCub said on 11.05.08 at 10:49 PM • [link]
Leah, :) I switched completely to Bamm.com because they have the best prices (after club discount, which I get for free because we are military, otherwise $15 a year, half of what B&N;charges for their club).
The only ‘issues’ are that I have to pay sales tax - I don’t know if that applies to every state or just to a few - and that they recently took away the 10% discount they had on paperbacks, booo hiss!
But even though a minimum order (just over $25 for free shipping), usually costs me about 50 cents or so more than Amazon, they deliver faster and they aren’t trying to take over the world as Amazon.com has lately.
Can somebody who is a B&N;club member elucidate on the coupons? How many, how much, what do you have to do to get them? Bamm.com doesn’t seem to have those, or if so, I’m not signed up for them.
Teresa said on 11.05.08 at 10:50 PM • [link]
It’s not just me that mentioned WM and censorship. Others mentioned it further up the thread. PBS has also done a show on the topic:
http://www.pbs.org/itvs/storewars/stores3_2.html
There’s nothing anyone here can do to convince me WM is a good thing. Sorry.
Teresa said on 11.05.08 at 10:55 PM • [link]
This in particular, from the PBS webpage, caught my eye:
“Magazines don’t escape Wal-Mart’s “family values” rule, either. Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, Vibe and others have been pulled off the shelves because the retailer deemed the covers too provocative. Some magazines willingly send advance copies to big retailers like Wal-Mart for their approval, and will even alter cover artwork to avoid losing sales. “
No one company should have this much power. Not that I think it’s a bad idea to shelve Cosmo up higher on a shelf, away from small kids (though considering some of the stuff they see on TV and at the movies…), but altering covers JUST for WalMart? Huh? And publishers do this? Cater to the whims of these people? Puh-leeze.
KG said on 11.05.08 at 10:57 PM • [link]
Look up the definition of censorship…Wal-Mart ain’t it.
Never said Wal-Mart was a good thing. Just that I find it useful for my needs. But I mostly buy groceries there, not products.
When we start telling stores what products they can and cannot carry, that is a sad, sad day in America.
GrowlyCub said on 11.05.08 at 10:58 PM • [link]
Tara,
you are correct to an extent. It’s entirely possible that the Inspies sell better than the Blazes. I do after all live smack in the middle of the Bible Belt, but if the decision may have been based on customer complaints, then I’d indeed call that censorship.
I shop online a lot, but not only do I lack patience, which makes this a frustrating enterprise on occasion, it often leads to the books finally getting here, but I’m no longer in the mood and they then languish on the TBR mountain range. If you read about a woman slain to death by the books stacked on the headboard of her queen sized bed, that would be me, grin.
I’m also sure I’d buy lots more new books if I had a brick and mortar with a good romance, SF and science section.
Leah said on 11.05.08 at 11:06 PM • [link]
I’ll have to try it. I have a vested interest in BAM staying solvent. Where else would I go for that new-book-and-coffee smell?
GrowlyCub said on 11.05.08 at 11:06 PM • [link]
KG,
if your library decided not to carry Blazes because they do not have enough money in the budget then that’s not censorship. If the acquiring librarian however decided not to carry them because s/he considers them ‘dirty books’, then that’s censorship. Naturally, it would be hard to prove that’s what happened.
WM makes decisions on which products to carry mostly for economic reasons, but not always. When the decision is not economically based, but on ‘family values’ then I consider that they are committing censorship. That said, I do not know that’s what happened at our store. Nobody knows who the stocker is, when s/he is supposed to be there and I have not yet lucked into going to WM when this mythical entity is actually in the process of fulfilling its job function, so I couldn’t ask why the Blazes went off the shelves.
Susan said on 11.05.08 at 11:08 PM • [link]
I guess I’m in the minority here, but if I buy books, I buy them at Target or Walmart. I love going to Borders and Barnes and Noble to look at their selection, but I don’t buy romance there. I know it will be at least $2 cheaper at Walmart or Target. I can’t justify spending those $2 and clip out coupons for $.25 at the same time. I actually try to wait to buy a new book. My sister (who has pretty much the same taste) buys books the minute they come out at her local Walmart, so I just borrow them from her. Or if she doesn’t buy it, I’ll wait and go to a Half-Price Books to look for it. I actually have a gift card for Borders and I still can’t justify buying romance there. I’ll buy other books that Walmart and Target don’t carry. I rarely order from Amazon since they also seem to have higher prices and I might have to pay shipping too.
Leah said on 11.05.08 at 11:20 PM • [link]
Growlycub—
Our WalMart book stocker is there pretty much every day, between 9 and 11 (the time when I run errands because my boys are in preschool). And yeah, lately it seems like I’ve been at WalMart pretty much every day.
spam detector—times 19. Ok, ok, I’m busted!
Kim said on 11.05.08 at 11:27 PM • [link]
I know someone who works in a warehouse that ships music to Walmart and she told me that they have seperate CDs for Walmart and for the rest of the stores they ship to. Why? Because Walmart requires all the naughty words be taken out of music. I didn’t believe her until I had to buy a CD twice. The first CD was at Walmart. All the words that George Carlin said you can’t say are cut. I bought the second CD at a music store and nothing was cut. Needless to say, I no longer buy my CDs at Wally World.
I would bet dollars to donuts the reason Walmart doesn’t stock certain romance novels is that they cross whatever morality line Walmart execs have drawn in the shifting sands. That would explain why a book got bought then shipped back before it hit the shelves - someone holding a different moral compass checked up on the buyer and vetoed the purchase.
Tara said on 11.05.08 at 11:33 PM • [link]
Hmmmm, I’m not sure if I agree with that. I’ll have to think about it some more. I mean, one side of my brain says that if the complaint comes from a customer, and they’re not pissing off a lot of other customers by pulling it, maybe it’s still just playing to your market. But the other side of my brain, the one that rants a little more often says, if you don’t like the cover, keep your damn kids up in the children’s section, bitch! Yes, I’ll think about that some more….
What really pisses me off, and I’m damn sure it’s censorship, is when non-patrons (of a book store, library, music store, whatever) feels the need to bitch about what’s on the shelves, even though they never go in that establishment. A religious group in a nearby town recently got the book “The Joy of Gay Sex†taken off the shelves and put behind the desk. Some of the members of the group were from that town, and some actually held library cards, but a lot of them were from other towns in the area and never went to that library. And yet, these religious f— um… folks, religious folks wanted the book off the shelves so that kids couldn’t see it. Not their kids, just kids in general. Yeah, God forbid some kid trying to figure out his sexuality could go to the library and learn a thing or two. I guess it’s better to just go take a wide stance out in an airport restroom. You can learn so much more that way, right?
Come to think of it, I think Larry Craig grew up not too far from that particular town. That may explain a lot…
Rachel said on 11.06.08 at 12:02 AM • [link]
If you live in Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, or California, I can’t recommend WINCO Foods highly enough. They are employee-owned, and their book and magazine section is great. They also discount all books and magazines. They also have the lowest-paid CEOs for a company of its size. Not so top-heavy as the other warehouse stores.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinCo_Foods for more info.
Joanne said on 11.06.08 at 12:56 AM • [link]
I’m not an advocate for Walmart… or any other store that makes me walk 4 miles to peruse a half-stack of books. I grab whatever credit card isn’t smokin’ and order my books so I’ve bought books at Walmart .com. When I just looked they were still carrying Harlequin Blazes there—available online only.
Just for my own curiosity I did put Ms Low’s name in the search and they have two of her back list books available…. which is sort of weird. (and I know I’m not saying that right but I mean no insult to the author, for sure, just that not to carry the new releases and still have these is odd)
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_constraint=3920&ic=48_0&search_query=Gennita+Low+&Find;.x=24&Find;.y=9
SusannaG said on 11.06.08 at 01:31 AM • [link]
I don’t buy my books at Walmart ... because I don’t shop at Walmart.
I just can’t stand the shopping experience there.
Their business practices are just the icing on the cake.
Luckily I live in a town where I have options other than Walmart!
Gennita Low said on 11.06.08 at 02:21 AM • [link]
I can’t explain that either, Joanne, but yes, two of my titles by Avon Books are available at Walmart ONLINE. I’m not sure how Walmart Online works. All my Avon books were available at Walmart when they came out.
I’m not the only author this is happening to ;-) even though it seems so that way because of my newsletter. I felt, at the time of writing it, that I had no choice but to make my situation public since, from the way it was explained to me, my next book coming out or not depended on Walmart ordering it (or not). I did not mean for readers to boycott Walmart or any businesses; nor did I mean to tell anyone to go buy at Walmart and Walmart only.
What I was aiming for was to make some decision-makers at Walmart realize that shoppers who buy books at their stores are looking for variety, and not just the top 3 or 4 bestsellers and their backlists, that’s all. It used to be, even two years ago, I could browse at their book section and pick up five to ten books that I might be interested in. Last week, while I was looking for the Presents books Jane recommended at DA, I found none—no Presents/cat. section any more, no other newest titles that we recommend to each other online.
As an author, I really had no desire to learn about the marketing part of the book business. So when I received news about my book not being in Walmart last year, I didn’t have a clue how it would affect my future. Some of the newer authors aren’t affected because they don’t have numbers that publishers compare and contrast during each contract negotiation, but I had five books sold at Walmart before Virtually His, so you have to understand how devastating that particular column (retail) looked to the bean counters when they compared and contrasted with my past numbers.
So, I’m putting myself out here with my numbers as a lesson, I guess, for other writers who, like me, thought the TOTAL units sold was the all-important number. Not so.
Sure, I could have just taken this lying down and keeping quiet. But so many of my readers have been so patient and supportive. So I decided I would try to do something positive, which is, to try to get myself back on Walmart shelves. Maybe not VHers, but hopefully, with enough letters, the vendor rep. will get my next book.
To be sure, if this strategy works, I’ll be the first to tell you guys ;-) because I’m all for more romance books in Walmart or any department stores where readers shop.
Thank you again, everyone, for letting talk about myself. I appreciate the opportunity.
DeeCee said on 11.06.08 at 03:57 AM • [link]
Some finer points of being a B&N;member:
*Regular membership discount is 10% on almost every book
*Coupons add 10-35% discount on top of regular discount
*Extra coupons and/or discount sent through the year from B&N;with better deals
*Sale exclusives
*Highest discount rate applied to most expensive book
*IN STORES: 1 coupon per book, not per order.
*ONLINE: 1 coupon per order
*No restriction in stores on coupon (you can have 5 copies of the same coupon and they will all work with your one membership)
DeeCee said on 11.06.08 at 04:02 AM • [link]
Hi Tara! Isn’t the censorship at Nampa Public Library craptastic? I live one town over in Meridian and the censorship reigns over here. I couldn’t believe those people advocated so hard to have that book removed…wasn’t there another one too. And what the local media said about random complaints…nope, not true. It was one central group complaining, and what made me so angry was that the book has been on the shelves for a long time. Not one week or one month, but years. And a few religious fanatics want to censor the libraries….not right. Didn’t it take almost a year for the people against the censorship to win too?
I second your thoughts on Larry Craig…what a hypocrite. Did you watch him on the news last night at the Republican headquarters? He sure wasn’t in any of the acceptance speeches. :))
clessiesgirl said on 11.06.08 at 04:05 AM • [link]
I don’t buy books at WalMart. Period. I either buy through amazon.com or at Border’s if I’m there. I didn’t realize WalMart had such a big say-so over what books get sold when I’ve seen there book selection, and there’s not much to it. OTOH, I’ve dealt with them when they come into a town through real estate and when it came time to do the old soft shoe that we real estate folks love to do, WalMart pretty much just puts their foot down and says “We don’t negotiate. We’re WalMart.” WTF?? So they sell religious or semi-religious books, some secular books, and screw authors who are starting out?? Why am I not surprised. After all, they’re WalMart.
DeeCee said on 11.06.08 at 04:07 AM • [link]
WinCo is awesome. Its a like Sam’s Club without the miserable experience. Great prices and the workers are competent and suitably paid. The WinCo’s in my area don’t have many books though. Pretty much 8x8 areas…but if they ever did expand them over here to include more romances, I’d probably buy more. :)
Jen said on 11.06.08 at 04:09 AM • [link]
I have a hard time thinking that buying more at Walmart will make them stock more variety. Seems to me that it’ll just make them think one more person is satisfied with limited selection and gawdawful cheap manufacture. Everything I’ve been given from Walmart (because I haven’t shopped there in six years—they don’t get my business and if I have to get a little strategic in order to afford other options, then it’s worth it. But actually in my town, our Walmart often *isn’t* as cheap as the other options).
I have to wonder, though, if Ms. Low’s publisher isn’t revealing a little via the editor’s suggestion to “buy more at Walmart.” Sounds like it would be a very easy revenue stream to encourage consumers to buy more from the biggest retailer and thereby reduce the numbers and maybe the viability for the publisher to *have* to deal with other retailers.
Or perhaps this speaks to the backwards way that publishing has traditionally worked. In an era of lean and just-in-time manufacturing, the sheer waste in print publishing is baffling.
As for the charges of censorship, yeah, Walmart does it with music, and the music companies let them.
I wonder if the publishers are under similar pressure—if Walmart caters to only certain subject matter, is it surprising that more and more manuscripts are bought which fit those standards? Now we might consider it simply Walmart’s choice of what to carry but think of this—when the retail outlet dictates to the producer what kind of things they find “unacceptable” *before* the buying public has had the chance to accept or reject through their purchases, that’s not really capitalism, is it?
spamalot - walked35 - yeah, I’d've walked 35 extra miles to avoid a stop at a Walmart. The lack of quality of the products, and the implied assent to abhorrent business practices just are not worth it to me. But I’m also lucky enough to be able to have that financial wiggle room.
GLG said on 11.06.08 at 04:11 AM • [link]
I bought ONE book at WM once. I liked the cover and the description sounded interesting. Unfortunately I was being rushed and I missed the part where it says that it was the second book of a series. Since I had not read the first book, I went to return it two days later. That’s when I was told that I couldn’t because they did not accept returns on books. Unless the book was return the next day I had to keep it. I never bought another book from them.
I buy books from amazon.com, booksamillion.com and I have a borders not far from home. They recently open a BAM near my house and I swear that place is a threat to my budget. To be honest when you compare the selection of any of those retailers vs. WM, it makes WM look pathetic. I can’t look at the book section of WM because most of what they have is old stuff and inspirational. Another perk of those stores is that if they don’t have the book they will order it for you. This comes in handy for me since I also read books in spanish.
I understand that some people have to buy from WM, they have no other choice. My heart goes out to you. However, I strongly recomend them amazon, BAM or borders. The selection is amazing and you can shop in your pajamas.
Martha Lawson said on 11.06.08 at 04:18 AM • [link]
Hi! Well, just thru reading all this (very interesting) and I have got to throw in my 2 cents worth!! Local Wal-Mart stores can be persuaded to carry the books you want to see there. It happened at my local Wal-Mart. I pitched a big hissy fit about thebooks in my store. They have deemed our area as African-American and so they cater strictly to that population! They were carrying only 4 or 5 white authors and 3 or 4 long shelves with AA authors. some of those authors had over a 100 copies of a single title! Not the big name authors either! Now, our store is more equal in the books dept. CALL the main office, pitch a hissy fit with them, then notify the district manager, and then see the store manager. Keep after them, tell them you will take your business elsewhere (make sure you tell the store manager) the workers don’t give a shit!! I kept after them and finally got results. If I had a choice locally and could afford to shop elsewhere I would. I do buy from BAMM alot, on line and a couple times a year at the store (100 miles away!)
charmed said on 11.06.08 at 04:24 AM • [link]
Very, very true. Their concept of selection is to have a current title, and 6-10 back titles by a single author. Fiction wise, they have maybe 2 dozen different authors, on a good day.
I’m fortunate to have shopping options, both for books and mundane items, but I hate how much power they have. When my budget is tight, I do go there but I avoid it when I’m able.
Willa said on 11.06.08 at 04:29 AM • [link]
When I asked my editorial source what readers could do, the answer was immediate: shop there. “We should all get down on our knees and thank God for Wal Mart. They buy romance, we have jobs, you have books to read.†It might leave a sour taste in one’s mouth, but we should go out of our way to shop there, according to this editor, because if more people shop for romance there, and it becomes more of a profitable enterprise for them, then they’ll buy more. If they buy more, there’s room to publish more, and there’s more for us to read. Turning-page economics, if you will.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s not buying this argument. Fun-ky.
Off-topic-ish, but I remember when I worked at Wal-Mart as a college student that unions were THE VERY SCOURGE. I remember in the Wal-Mart back room there were posters warning about unions and that unions will NOT be tolerated and basically If You Learn of Anyone Planning a Union at Wal-Mart, Alert Us Immediately!
Crazytown.
Leah said on 11.06.08 at 04:57 AM • [link]
Funny. When I was a kid, I remember that the UAW helped provide my dad and others with jobs that paid enough and had good enough insurance that my mom could be a SAHM with 14 kids. Granted, we didn’t live very high on the hog, but we had the basics. Occasionally, I think unions shoot themselves in the foot, but I would hate to think of a world where we didn’t have them. Oh, wait—isn’t that China?
spaminator: friend 82. Yep, the union was our friend in 1982, and in 1983, when my dad got sick and died. If it hadn’t been for the union, we would have been bankrupt. This thing is eerie
DeeCee said on 11.06.08 at 05:17 AM • [link]
amy lane said on 11.06.08 at 05:27 AM • [link]
Big business has never been particularly conducive to original thought and literacy. I remember checking out Wal-Mart’s book section (because yes, I DO have to shop there occasionally, as distasteful as that may be to me—HATE Wal-Mart’s store layout and business practices, H.A.T.E. them, but I love my kids and the kids need clothes and food) and discovering that the one I was in barely had ANY book selection at all. The reason this pissed me off was that it was occupying what used to BE a book store, and there wasn’t anything CLOSE to a book store for a multi-mile radius. I’ve always associated Wal-Mart with a particular corporate spawned level of illiteracy—if it isn’t so mainstream as to hardly possess an iota of independent thought, as far as big business is concerned, it doesn’t exist.
Cora said on 11.06.08 at 05:43 AM • [link]
I come from a country where Wal-Mart left in a huff, basically because their clueless managers couldn’t grasp that what works in the US doesn’t necessarily work elsewhere (We can’t fire people for joining unions? Say it ain’t so. And people here don’t understand why we pay a person for standing around and saying “Welcome to Wal-Mart” when that person could actually be doing something productive? Clearly those barbarians have no concept of friendliness). Plus, Wal-Mart tried to market themselves as a low price retailer, when it should have been clear for everyone with half-a-brain that they could never beat the local discount chains (which use a completely different business model) at their own game.
I must confess I felt a little smug that my country drove out the behemoth Wal-Mart, mixed with regret, because while I previously could choose to shop either at Wal-Mart or at the local big box rival, my choice for things not carried by the local low-price discount chains is now limited to the local big box chain and a couple of smaller grocery chains controlled by the same conglomerate that controls the local big box chain. And to be honest, I still prefer two retail giants battling it out to one dominating the entire retail landscape. Plus, Wal-Mart’s selection was better in some areas (they had a great fish section and a better toy section than the local chain) and worse in others (no bottled milk, crappy cheese selection). And due to our laws, they couldn’t pull some of the crap they pull on their employees in the US. Though I do boycott one of the local low-price chains for treating their employees like crap.
The book selection of my local Wal-Mart was always pretty bad (whereas their local rival has a pretty good one, for a big box store), though their magazine selection was good, except that they imported their odd American moral qualms to a country where people do not think it’s the end of the world if a child sees a naked breast. You could not buy a copy of Playboy at a German Wal-Mart, because some Americans think that Playboy is the stuff of the devil, but the independent newsstand housed in the same building as Wal-Mart would offer mags that were far racier than anything ever seen in Playboy. And yes, I actually complained about the lack of Playboy on one of those comment cards, because I don’t want the morals of some conservative people in the US limit my reading and shopping choices.
That’s also why I find this disturbing. I don’t want my reading choices limited or censored by the purchase policies of a retailer that doesn’t even exist in my country anymore. Since I prefer to read books in their original English form rather than in translation, I make most of my purchases online anyway, since the foreign language sections aren’t all that great in most bookstores and non-existent in big box chains.
Besides, I really hate the practice of censoring CDs and altering the lyrics, because someone somewhere is offending by a few swearwords. It’s always a pain sifting through a stack of CDs at a store, looking for those with parental advisory stickers, because you know those will be uncensored, whereas the ones without the sticker usually contain the censored lyrics.
Willa said on 11.06.08 at 05:52 AM • [link]
Er, regarding my previous post, let me just say that I am thoroughly pro-union. Not sure if my post was too sarcastic. And Wal-Mart is most definitely evil and disgusting.
DeeCee, I also remember those propaganda movies! Very enlightening. Ick.
mingqi said on 11.06.08 at 06:11 AM • [link]
my heart goes out to those authors who got screwed over by walmart. I’m so glad that I don’t live near a Walmart and can buy my books at B&N;and Borders (Borders rewards card sends out a 20% off coupon like 3 or 4 times a month). Or I’d go on amazon- sometimes used. and sometimes new- but I have to wait for the new ones -until i have $25 worth of books I’d like to buy- then i’d get super saver free shipping!
I’ve been to a Walmart once but hadn’t noticed its books section. But if it’s as small as many say it is- I still can’t understand why they’re selling so many books because the selection must be horrible.
Shiloh Walker said on 11.06.08 at 07:06 AM • [link]
I don’t think it’s just buying more…it’s making them aware that readers want more variety. Which is going to require people writing them, requesting a broader variety.
Ann Bruce said on 11.06.08 at 07:06 AM • [link]
I buy most of my books at the Superstore (Loblaws), a major grocery store chain in Canada, because it’s convenient and all books are 25% or more off the cover price. Wal-Mart books are now 30% off the cover price, but it’s out of my way. If it wasn’t, yeah, I’d be buying books at Wally World instead of Superstore. If neither of them carries the book I want (very rare), I hit up Amazon.
Yes, I’m an evil person who gives her business to evil corporations who want to squeeze out the little guys.
I refuse to shop at indies because the indies around me do not carry romances and I don’t buy used books unless I can’t hassle the publisher into reprinting them. The local Chapters sales staff snicker when they ring up my purchases (one girl actually held up my purchases, turned to the girl next to her, and mocked them RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME—I’m not ashamed of my reading material, but that behaviour ensures I’ll never shop there again) and they expect me to pay full price!! (It’s $11 CAD for a MMP…at approximately 500 books a year… No way in hell.)
But, hey, even with the global economy in the tank, I’m still buying all my books new and my book budget has grown by 5% over last year’s so I’m contributing to a lot of authors’ royalty cheques.
Shiloh Walker said on 11.06.08 at 07:09 AM • [link]
I’m kind of confrontational, but I would have pointed out that the sale of those books accounts for one huge part of booksales…which kinda enables bookstores to stay open…and kinda enables them to have..well, job. ;) Matter of fact, I think I’ve actually done that a time or two. Odd how I get greeted with silence when I do that. :D
Ann Bruce said on 11.06.08 at 07:27 AM • [link]
I don’t bother. I just happily cash my own royalty cheques and think of them making $10/hour.
Teresa said on 11.06.08 at 07:49 AM • [link]
Ann, you and I will have to agree to disagree on the topic of Chapters vs the Indie. Having actually been to bookselling school, I know why the selections vary from store to store. My local ones are more than happy to order anything I ask for, withOUT any snickering.
I do occasionally by books at the local Superstore, but recently have been borrowing all my reading material from the library.
Ann Bruce said on 11.06.08 at 08:40 AM • [link]
Actually, Teresa, I don’t buy books at Chapters (last purchase was at least five years ago) or indies (never have). It’s not a Chapters vs. indie kind of thing for me. It’s a neither Chapters nor indie thing. :)
I buy books from Superstore, Wal-Mart, and Amazon, and e-books directly from e-publishers. (If NY publishers would remove the DRM from their e-books OR decide on one format to rule them all, I would buy e-books instead directly from them too and cut out the middle man.)
SonomaLass said on 11.06.08 at 08:45 AM • [link]
I can get romances special ordered at my indie bookstore, too, but that doesn’t replace the fun of browsing a romance section, which they don’t have. So I end up at Borders, or surfing Amazon. I have occasionally come across a book I wanted at Target, but those are almost always books that I was on the lookout for because I saw them recommended, usually here or at DA.
I don’t think I ever bought books at Wal-Mart when I shopped there (same story—small town, limited choices, very limited income). I stopped shopping there as soon as I practically could, because I’m a union member in my own profession and a big supporter of organized labor and living wages.
Diane/Anonym2857 said on 11.06.08 at 09:49 AM • [link]
Sigh. I’m sure some will hate me for saying it, and I’ll most likely regret it in the morning, but this type of conversation is one of my pet peeves and it’s been a sucky day anyway, so what the heck. Allow me to dive into the flames …
I was reading through the beginning of this thread and thinking how nice it was to see that people were expressing views about the merits of Wal-Mart book sales without throwing around the big “C” word. How refreshing. Then of course it devolved into a censorship issue. Sorry. That’s incorrect. It’s not censorship. It’s marketing. It’s capitalism. Even corporate greed, if you wish – but the intent is not censorship.
Are they preventing you from buying the book elsewhere? Telling you you aren’t allowed to read it? Damning you because you even *want* to read it so there must be something wrong with you? Telling a publisher they can’t publish it and sell it elsewhere? No. They are simply stating what they will and will not stock on their own shelves, based on what they expect will sell to their customers. As one or two others ably pointed out above, Wallys may be one of the biggest entities to do this, but they are far from the only one. In fact, most if not all purchasing entities of any size do this. It’s just more noticeable, and more acceptable, to blame Wallys for this behavior, since everyone knows it is Teh Ebil.
Wal-Mart, and most other stores for that matter, is not concerned with censorship. Nor are they concerned with “family values,†even though they may profess to have certain values in their business model. They care about the bottom line first and foremost, and will modify their business model to suit the demands of their customers to achieve higher sales. If customers demand “family values,†then that’s what will be emphasized in the marketing. OTOH, if Wallys weighed the cost of selling books containing torrid bungee monkey sex, and determined the revenue gained from TBMS book sales was higher than the revenue lost due to storewide boycotts from those opposing TBMS, they’d blow off the opposition and ramp up marketing to bring in more book sales. And obviously *someone* is buying all those religious books and Nora reprints, or else they wouldn’t continually be stocking them. It wouldn’t be cost-effective otherwise.
My guess is that the type and quantity of books stocked depend on your region and your store. If the demand is insufficient, they won’t supply it. I live in a big metro area, and the SuperWallys around the corner from me has a very large book/magazine area – at least 900 square feet, with four inner aisles and walls on three sides. There is the requisite wall of Noras, Osteens and Bibles, but there are also entire racks (not just a shelf or two) of romances, mystery, westerns, sci-fi, thrillers, AA, kids, classics, Y/A, Espanol and non-fiction. They stock NYT, mid-list and even the occasional newbie author. They also sell all of the category romance lines – including Blaze.
Based on my experience, I would say there is some truth (or at least some logic to the premise) that continued/increased sales, coupled with communication with management about what you want to see on the shelves, could indeed make an impact. This could indeed be a positive thing for some pubilshers, at least some of the time. Also, I know I’ve seen some of Gennita’s other books on the shelves, so it certainly is worth asking and expressing an interest in her current/future books. If you don’t ask, they will stock what other people ask for instead.
I’m not discounting the whole Evil Empire thang, nor am I overlooking the impact on small towns or defending Wal-Mart’s business practices, labor policies or anything else. There are lots of reasons to loathe everything Wallys stands for. There are also lots of reasons to shop there – including the 40% markdown on books. By all means, love ‘em or hate ‘em. Shop there or boycott them forever.
Just call it correctly. It’s not censorship. It’s business.
Diane
stepping off the soapbox now
Laurie Breton said on 11.06.08 at 05:13 PM • [link]
I was told by somebody I consider a reliable source that Wal-Mart had cut its mass market offerings to allow more space for “inspirational” books (which I had already seen happening in my local Wal-Mart store at the time I was told this). This same person told me that Wal-Mart had notified publishers (or at least certain publishers) that it would no longer stock their midlist authors, only their superstars. After six books with the same publisher, my contract was not renewed, and I was told that a great deal of the blame for that lies directly with Wal-Mart.
I’m sorry to see this happening to Gennita Low. I would have thought that she was a big enough name at this point so she wouldn’t have to worry about this kind of thing happening.
It frightens me not only from the viewpoint of an author whose books suddenly cannot find a home; it also concerns me deeply that there are so many people whose only book-buying outlet is their local Wal-Mart. Does this mean the only book choices they’ll have are inspirationals, Danielle Steel, Nicholas Sparks, and Nora Roberts (I could live the rest of my life reading only Nora Roberts, but that’s not the point!)?
Scary times, indeed.
Tara said on 11.06.08 at 06:41 PM • [link]
No, we’ve already had several comments here about how their local WM had a large, varied book section. Bad book selection doesn’t seem to be an evil corporation problem, but more of a clueless store manager problem.
So, go clue them in folks. People seem to have adapted “you can’t fight city hall†into “you can’t fight WalMart,†but according to several of the commenters here, you can. They said that writing/talking to the manager worked for them and got the book sections changed. It just required an action on their part instead of just a reaction.
I know, it’s easier to try and grab the moral high ground and say that you’ll never shop at WM because mean people suck, but I think 99% of the problems people perceive with WM could be solved if everyone just stopped bending over and taking it. And that includes their labor problems.
And it doesn’t necessarily mean unionization. There are so many labor laws and standards in place today that unions have nearly run their course, anyway. Two things today make it relatively easy to screw with a big corporation: the internet and the sheer number of lawyers looking for a big payday. If you see a problem with a corporate policy, go home and research it on the web, if it’s valid, use the web to hook-up with others who have the same problem, then find a lawyer who will take on a class-action suit. (Hint: they’re everywhere and they all want new McMansions.) You admire the Erin Brokovich’s of the world? Great! Go be one.
Okay, enough of playing devil’s advocate. It’s kind of tiring…
Bonnie L. said on 11.06.08 at 06:43 PM • [link]
I found out about Gennita Low’s loss from a used book store owner. Sad to say, his response was, “I resent Ms. Low’s request to write a letter to Wal-Mart because it isn’t my job. It’s her fault and her publisher’s fault for not having a better contract. I’m not going to do her job for her.” I just wish I didn’t have so much unused credit there; he was a total jerk.
Tara said on 11.06.08 at 07:00 PM • [link]
Hey, DeeCee,
I’m over in the boonies between Emmett and Ontario. I couldn’t believe it when the Nampa Library actually pulled that book. Apparently they approached several other libraries around the valley, and they all said “Bite me†but Nampa caved. If I remember right (but I could be mixing it with another incident in my wonky memory), the librarians wanted to leave it on the shelves but then the city council got involved. To paraphrase Aaron Sorkin, trust a politician to appease to keep their job instead of doing their job. It just beats you down sometimes, doesn’t it?
Suze said on 11.06.08 at 07:44 PM • [link]
Are the numbers quoted the initial buy only or have they been adjusted to reflect the returns? It seems to me that if they have huge initial orders, but end up not selling them through, they would be a BAD customer. If those ginormous numbers are their actual retail sales, that would indeed be something.
However, if Walmart is selling huge numbers of only a limited selection of books, then the books they’re not selling would have higher numbers with other retailers. Unless I’m looking at this all wrong.
Huh. I need a lesson in how the cycle of bookselling works, because a lot of my righteous indignation may be misdirected. I vaguely understand that:
- The publisher prints X000 books
- Sells them to retailers
- Retailers sell individual books to readers
- Retailer report back the numbers sold
- Publisher somehow pays the retailer for the books not sold
- Unsold books are “destroyed”
- Huge wastage occurs
- Authors don’t earn out their advances and live in penury
Can anybody tell me how very wrong I am?
Maria said on 11.06.08 at 08:43 PM • [link]
Im not a walmart fan. I would rather buy my books from Amazon or the local book store..
walmart, dose’nt sell certain, Books, Music, or Video Games, because it goes against there “moral” righteousness.
Im a big girl, I dont need a store to tell me what i want to read. Plus they dont have a good selection.
DeeCee said on 11.07.08 at 07:15 AM • [link]
I love Emmett, except for the hill the scares the beejesus out of me. :|
Yup. The librarians were ok with just leaving things alone. People made it sound like they were walking up to patrons and flaunting the books. Plus, as human nature will attest, it only made the books that much more interesting to the media, the parents, and all of the children. :)
It’s just like that incident a few years ago with the 10 Commandments and people “wanting” change. Totally useless in the end. Millions of dollars later, people don’t care anymore. I personally see it as a huge waste.
ev said on 11.07.08 at 07:28 AM • [link]
My daughter, who used to work there, was raised in a union household. I used to be our rep for my division at the county. My dad was a Teamster for years. If the employees don’t want to unionize, that is one thing. It’s when the company refuses to let them consider the option that is wrong.
Wegman’s grocery stores, which have been in the top 5 businesses to work for, for a long time, have done something right. Union organizers like to gather at a store, by the road entrances and picket. These are not employees- and they are not allowed on the property since it is always privately owned (they don’t lease)- and try to encourage customers to get Danny Wegman, et al. to unionize. It never works. Why? Because the employees don’t want it. They know how to treat their people- their philosophy is “Take care of the employee and they will take care of the customer.” And they do. When a customer compliments and employee (an email, at the counter, in a post card, whatever) they recieve some kind of recognition- gift certificate, movie tickets, etc. Not something that I have ever seen happen at Wally World- or likely to.
One of Wegman’s practices is to hire the disabled (especially those with Down’s or Autism). The high school kid who came off the bench a couple of years ago, as a senior, because the team wanted him to say he played, and then proceeded to make numerous 3 point shots? One of their best employees. (And he’s getting a movie too!). They have scholarships- I don’t know if Wally’s does or not.
The biggest bitch I have about living here is that I have to travel home to go shopping-they have everything- including a big book section. Anyone on the East Coast who has one nearby is so lucky.
The only ones who win class actions are the lawyers.
thanks for the Bamm.com link. I never knew about it. I will check it out. Although I enjoy shopping in a store and just wandering more, if I can find what I want cheaper, I go for it!
Awasky said on 11.07.08 at 06:38 PM • [link]
People are talking a lot in this thread about the overwhelming power of Walmart as a bookseller, and it’s definitely true. But they’re not the only ones. Publishers change book covers and titles to appease the Barnes and Noble book buyer, and that’s not an unusual occurrence. Amazon has enough pull to force publishers to offer huge discounts on the prices—discounts that are translated through to authors in less royalties per book.
I’ve also seen mention of how Walmart’s book buying practices are squeezing out midlist and newer authors in favor of the bestsellers, but that is true all over. Earlier this year, there was a lot of talk about Borders’ Face-Out strategy (before all the talk switched to Borders’ precarious financial position). The idea behind this strategy would be to put most or all of the books on their shelves face-out, which means a much smaller selection of titles, since backlist titles are usually spine-out, but bigger sales for the titles that are left. Barnes and Noble has been reacting to the current economic crisis by being much more conservative in the titles that they are buying. Libraries used to buy enough copies of books to make it viable to publish books just to the library market, but over the past five to ten years, those numbers have been steadily falling, making it not profitable for publishers to keep their smaller authors.
Walmart certainly has a lot of weight by itself, but these things—smaller sales for midlist and backlist authors, fewer titles getting most of the shelf space—are general trends in publishing right now. 86% of book buyers list author name recognition as one of the reasons they buy books, and as long as that’s the case, you’re always going to see an entire bookshelf of Nora Roberts instead of a selection of debuts.
desertwillow said on 11.09.08 at 04:01 AM • [link]
Where I live, you cannot swing a dead cat without hitting a Wal-mart. They are everywhere, along with the problems they bring.
Committees are always being formed to try to stop them from going up - they lose everytime.
I go there for things that I cannot find elsewhere except perhaps at Target (not that many and not accessible). Was there today as a matter of fact. But I can’t recall ever buying a book there. All the WMs here sell inspirational, kids, and - crap that I’m not interested in.
If I want to buy locally I go to B&N;or a UBS. But mostly I buy from Amazon.
I got to tell you, I don’t want to start buying all my books from WM for any reason - not happening. They get enough of my money already. Sorry. This is depressing….Makes e-publishing look that much more attractive.
Monica Robinson said on 11.12.08 at 05:45 AM • [link]
We have 2 Wal-Marts near by and I don’t go to either friggin’ one of them. I go to Target instead. 1) I’m a warehouse receiver for our local military department store and every single one of my drivers have nothing but HORRIBLE things to say about Wal-Mart. 2) I have never gone into a Wal-Mart without being treated poorly.
If the former reason isn’t reason enough not to go, then the latter certainly is. I’ve put a bug in my publisher’s ear about going with a distributor who supplies Target around here and I’ve been informed that they will look into it. I hope so, because if MIRA and Harlequin Blaze can’t see the light of day in Wal-Mart, then there isn’t a chance in hell Samhain will get that consideration.
Suze said on 11.13.08 at 06:28 AM • [link]
Somehow I missed this earlier, and feel I must address it. The labour laws and standards that are in place today (mostly thanks to unions) are completely useless if not adhered to. And they are not adhered to unless somebody is watching.
Providing emotional and financial support to union members who have run up against management who are ignoring contracts, labour laws, and safety laws is a very time-consuming and very much current, necessary activity for our Local. Even with the laws in existence, and lots of precedence, lots of documentation and backup, the stress and expense of calling management on its violations, and going to court over it, is too much for most people, and they’d rather just quit the job.
In spite of the great effort put forth by union-busting organizations, I don’t think unions are going to run their course any time soon.
Teresa Rozich said on 05.24.09 at 05:44 AM • [link]
Oddly enough, our walmart had a better selection of books BEFORE they became a super walmart (they also had a better garden section). Prior to the change there was a little store about the same size as the beauty shops, that was nothing but books. In fact, it’s where I discovered JR Ward.
But I find it a shame the publishers only read a column that is outside of the control of the author and fully in control of the publisher and the stores in question. If Walmart won’t sell the book and walmart is the deciding factor, why put out a book at all? I don’t understand why a publisher would put out a book and then not FIGHT to get it in walmart so it can make money if that’s their determining factor.
I buy all my books on Amazon, or B&N online site. I used to go to the local stores, BAM and B&N, but when gas prices spiked it was better to just order online. I haven’t bought a book at walmart in 3 years… simply because they haven’t had anything I wanted. I do wander past every time I’m in there, and still dont’ find anything. There was one book, I forget now what it was, where I had heard they had the book in a friend’s walmart in her town so I headed to go get it. Nope. My Walmart didn’t stock that particular book. Why not? Didn’t want to. Uh huh! gotcha!
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