[Gary Wassner]

I went browsing through Barnes and Noble over last weekend. I searched the fantasy section and I could not find a single title that was not published by one of the major houses - DAW, ROC, TOR, Bantam etc. There was nothing from Wildside, Tachyon, Archon, Donald M. Grant, Meisha Merlin, Windstorm or the countless other small presses all over the Us and the world. Is this true everywhere or just in NYC? Has anyone had a different experience?
Then, when you go to a smaller, not chain size store, the situation is different. What gives with this?

[Miriamele]

I worked for several years in a large chain bookstore (Chapters) and I know what you're talking about. The problem is that even in a large bookstore, there is never enough shelf space for the huge quantities of books available--this is especially true with genre fiction, where you see some pretty long series--and as a result only the very top sellers are allowed to remain on the shelves. Every time a new batch of stock comes in employees must comb the shelves to find poor sellers to be returned.

This was frustrating for me working in the store because often I had to return what I thought were excellent books to the publisher, and keep books that were crappy just because they were better sellers. Every book has a rating in the computer based on sales--at our store it was A thru E. Generally C, D, and E books were never kept on the shelves for long.

However the non-bestseller books from the smaller houses were usually available to be ordered in if the customer wanted to do that.

At a smaller bookstore I assume the owner can choose to place the books he or she enjoys on the shelves rather than just what are the best sellers at the moment.

Does that answer your question?

[Gary Wassner]

Yes, thanks. But what i was also curious about is why the small press titles never seem to appear on the shelves at all? I understand the economics of the situation, and that after a certain period of time, if it's not selling and it's taking up valuable shelf space then it must be removed. But, my question really is why are they not there to being with?
The public I believe could care less who the publisher is as long as the book is nicely bound with an interesting cover or an appealing liner note. The major book chains rarely 'promote' any fantasy titles anyway except maybe for Jordan and Rawlings. Yet they still seem to rarely carry any other publishers.
Do you think it has something to do with the liberal return policy that big publishers have?

[Holbrook]

Ottakers, the british chain of book stores are not too bad for limited and small press books of all kinds. WH Smiths are hopeless.

It isn't just fantasy books. I often have trouble finding historical research books as well. It's either wait a couple of weeks for the library to find it in another branch somewhere, or get it from an online books shop like Amazon. Many of the small press books are there, some delivered in 24 hours.

I can order through Ottakers, but its petrol and parking to get into town, petrol and parking to go back to collect the thing a week or ten days later. Where as the online stores deliver to my door within 2 to 3 days. Also the price, even including postage is less than what the book store will charge me.....

[ezchaos]

Yes, I too am frustrated by the lack of books published by the smaller publishing co's available in the chain bookstores. Also, I wish chain bookstores would carry more imported titles. There are many books I see available in the UK that I'd love to get my hands on without ordering them on-line.
It obvously does come down to the almighty dollar or pound or whatever. If the chain bookstores would get rid of or reduce their stock of the serial fantasy/science fiction pulp, then maybe there'd be more room for the other stuff. But, that's what sells I guess.:mad:
I have noticed, however, that even the chain bookstores vary in their selection. My local Borders has a few bookcases devoted to only fantasy/science fiction hardback and trade paper back books. Sometimes there are some harder to find titles there.

[fortytwo]

Most of the book shops in my area of the UK are part of a chain. With regard to science fiction/fantasy they all seem to stock virtually the same books, and these all originate from the larger well known publishers. I have been told that all books (here in the UK anyway) are sale or return, so it would seem to be a win/win situation for the book seller...if you sell the book you get the money, don't sell the book, just send it back and you lose no money. You would think then, that it would be in their interest to exhibit as large a selection as possible. I was told by one assistant that customers will only buy authors they are familiar with, and this is why all sellers have the same books in stock, and these books tend to be from the largest publishers. Most independent book sellers that I'm familiar with are the same I'm afraid.
However, if you have the details of a particular book - and it's on their computer system- most book shops will order it for you, which is big of them :)

42

[Rob B]

I think it really depends on which specific bookstore you go to.

Example:

I live in North Brunswick and there is a B&N about 2 miles from my house-their FSF section is OK, they have the big publishers.

However, about 10 miles down the road in the other direction is the Princeton B&N, they have alot of the smaller publishers: Four Walls Eight Windows, Small Beer, Meisha Merlin, Golden Gryphon, Wildside, the few Gollancz books that have been imported through Sterling Publishers (Vance's Big Planet, which is part of the SF Masterpieces, our own NOM's Dawnthief plus a few more), as well as a few I don't remember off the top of my head.

Which B&N in NYC was it, GQ? There is a big one in Midtown (I think 56th & 6th as well as a pretty big one in Union Square).

I prefer B&N to Borders, but the Borders I have gone to generally have a decent small publisher selection.

[Gary Wassner]

If you are an author who has to depend upon special orders, forget it! You will never sell any quantities. The whole situation is sad. It should be just the opposite. In a way, the cream never rises to the top. It never even get in the cup!
I am not saying that all the independents publish gems and the big publishers publish garbage. But if the premise is 'nothing unknown will sell' then at the least, only antique gems will make it to the shelves over and over again, and the brilliant, little ones will never get to shine.

[Gary Wassner]

Princeton is a unique town. The presence of the University changes the complexion of all the stores. There is also a great record and cd store there that i would rather go to than any Virgin Mega store around! I wish it were the case elsewhere. I don't think that the public equates mass market bookstores with mediocrity yet. I don't think that the public is really aware of how many quality publishers there are out there that they have never heard of. So, I think that most people believe that if you are not on the shelves of B & N than you are not a good author. It's very sad and very frustrating.

[Rob B]

I think I know the record shop you are talking about, there was a nice write-up of it in this past Sunday paper.

think that most people believe that if you are not on the shelves of B & N than you are not a good author.
That may be changing a bit with amazon.com and the like, but there is that unfortunate preconception.