W H Smith ‘had planned’ B&N buy-out W H Smith reportedly offered to buy struggling US bookselling chain Barnes & Noble (B&N) last year before the deal fell apart. According to the Wall Street Journal, the UK books and stationary company was B&N’s would-be-buyer described in its ex-head Demos Parneros’s lawsuit against his former employers. The filings had said that…
Apple tells publishers to ‘be ready’ for new audiobooks platform Apple has told publishers to “be ready” as it prepares to roll out its new audiobook platform. At a series of meetings held during the Frankfurt Book Fair, Apple did not disclose a launch date, but indicated that the go-live date was now close. One…
WH Smith unveils bookselling blueprint for the next decade WH Smith has unveiled a new books strategy for its High Street arm, designed to futureproof sales at the 611-strong chain “for the next decade”. With revenue in the High Street business falling year on year, new managing director Carl Cowling has been moved across from…
Half-price post-Christmas offers lure bargain-hunters Retailers have unleashed a range of post-Christmas sales promotions to lure in shoppers, both in-store and online. Waterstones’ bountiful half-price selection features Christmas Number One Bad Dad (HarperCollins) by David Walliams, hotly tipped stocking filler Bletchley Park Brainteasers (Headline) by Sinclair McKay, both retailing at £6.49, with Dan Brown’s Origin (Transworld) reduced to £10. Foyles is offering a “doozy”…
Foyles to launch subscription book club Foyles is poised to launch a subscription book club as it positions itself to capitalise on Christmas trading in the final quarter of the year. The “Year of Books” will initially be offered in six packages: hardback fiction, paperback fiction, hardback non-fiction, paperback non-fiction, children’s, and fiction in translation,…
PRH launches ‘inclusion tracker’ to measure diversity Penguin Random House UK is launching an “Inclusion Tracker” to measure the diversity of its authors and staff in the pursuit of a new company-wide goal to “reflect UK society by 2025”. The aim is to bring the composition of its authors and staff into line with that of UK society, in terms of social…
Acknowledgements: The Bookseller TimeOut travel guides to cease publication Bill Bryson cover infringes copyright over ‘Jolly Fisherman’ Non-book and gift product preview in The Bookseller Waterstones to close two London branches Millie Marotta releases colouring in app Review of 2015: Donaldson is top author, extends record run WH Smith’s luxury venture takes off at Terminal 5…