The Reader Experience Publishers Can Offer, Retailers Can’t

What could you offer a reader that no retailer can? A retailer can sell any copy of a book. Only a publisher can offer the signed copy, the special edition, the proof with the editor’s notes, or the story of how the book came to be.

What only a publisher has

Every title has a history that sits with the publisher. There is the manuscript and the changes it went through, the conversations between author and editor, the design decisions, the early proofs and the launch. Most of it never reaches the reader.

Some of what a publisher can offer:

• Signed and numbered copies
• Special and illustrated editions
• Proof copies and early printings
• Manuscript pages, annotated extracts and notes from the editor
• Behind the scenes writing from the author or the production team
• Tickets or recordings from author events

These all come from the making of the book, which happened in your office and with your author. Your own website is the natural place to bring them together.

Why readers will pay for it

The readers most likely to buy from your site are the ones who already know the book or the author, and many of them will already own a copy. They have no need to be convinced the book is worth reading. What they are weighing up is whether this edition is worth having, whether it is a signed copy, an illustrated edition or one that comes with a look at how the book was made. For a reader who loves the work, that can be an easy yes.

For those readers, a signed copy or a closer look at how the book was made is a reason to choose your site over a retailer’s. It can also change the kind of purchase. A reader who would have bought the paperback may happily buy the special edition, or buy a second copy as a gift for someone who loves the author as much as they do.

It should feel like part of the book

A page that simply lists extras next to the price won’t do much. The best offers read as part of the book itself. The page tells the reader what they are getting, why it is special, and what the book gains from it. A limited run of a hundred signed copies, a note from the editor about why this book mattered, or a page of the manuscript with the author’s own changes all give the reader a reason to care.

It also helps to be clear about what is on offer and for how long. Scarcity works when it is true, and readers can tell when it isn’t.

Retailers still matter

None of this takes anything away from bookshops and online retailers. Most readers will buy the standard edition where they always have, and retailers do that job very well. A richer offer on your own site sits alongside retail and is aimed at the reader who wants more.

Done well, the two help each other. A reader who finds the book through a bookshop may come to your site for the special edition, and a reader who buys from you may carry on buying from their local shop.

Which of your titles has a story to sell?

Think of a title in your catalogue with a good story behind it. Perhaps it was a long time in the making, or the author has a following, or the manuscript has a story of its own that readers would find fascinating. That is where to begin.

When you have a special edition worth selling, we can help you sell it online, with a page and a buying experience that do it justice.