Do institutions really give enough time to publishers to promote their titles? Is content development really so vital in the wake of so many unethical competition from the trade controlling school books business? Should publishers continue to increase the price of books so that they are in a position to meet the unfair demands prior to prescription? These are just a few issues which are becoming challenges in the eyes of the publishers. While, the pre-primary and primary segment for the publishing industry is growing continuously, there are a few challenges which the industry is facing.
Every manuscript goes through various stages of evolution before taking the shape of a book. There are costs involved are - cost of book making, royalty to the authors, illustrators, designers, and fixed costs on editors and other support activities.etc. Every book of every publisher goes through these stages. But, the point of issue is all these efforts become an exercise in futility when it falls in to the wrong hands at the buyers' decision making stage. It is a pity. Books should be accepted by institutions purely on merit on its content development. The decision makers and the academic members of the institutions should sit more with the publishers to get to know the titles better. Trade and the commercial aspects should come in only later. Unfortunately the reverse is happening, not enough time is being given to the publishers.
The trade unfortunately understands only one language - discount and more discounts. Merit in their hands is a useless tool. Monitory aspect gets the preference. Often the publishers raise the MRP to meet the unethical demands of providing more discounts. But, this is no solution. It cannot work always. Sooner or later justification will have to be given up to higher ups where the high price factor of publishers is being scrutinised seriously.
Again, academic publishing is the only industry where publishers have to wait for anywhere between 120-150 days to realise the payments from the trade. The excuse for this is that the trade is not able to realise the payment from institutions on time. The payment comes in bits and pieces and the final dues are settled only after the trade gives the unsold books as, 'returns'. This percentage of returns in many cases exceeds the industry norm of 10 percent. And, in most cases when the books reach the warehouse of the publishers, the wear and tear is total.
Every manuscript goes through various stages of evolution before taking the shape of a book. There are costs involved are - cost of book making, royalty to the authors, illustrators, designers, and fixed costs on editors and other support activities.etc. Every book of every publisher goes through these stages. But, the point of issue is all these efforts become an exercise in futility when it falls in to the wrong hands at the buyers' decision making stage. It is a pity. Books should be accepted by institutions purely on merit on its content development. The decision makers and the academic members of the institutions should sit more with the publishers to get to know the titles better. Trade and the commercial aspects should come in only later. Unfortunately the reverse is happening, not enough time is being given to the publishers.
The trade unfortunately understands only one language - discount and more discounts. Merit in their hands is a useless tool. Monitory aspect gets the preference. Often the publishers raise the MRP to meet the unethical demands of providing more discounts. But, this is no solution. It cannot work always. Sooner or later justification will have to be given up to higher ups where the high price factor of publishers is being scrutinised seriously.
Again, academic publishing is the only industry where publishers have to wait for anywhere between 120-150 days to realise the payments from the trade. The excuse for this is that the trade is not able to realise the payment from institutions on time. The payment comes in bits and pieces and the final dues are settled only after the trade gives the unsold books as, 'returns'. This percentage of returns in many cases exceeds the industry norm of 10 percent. And, in most cases when the books reach the warehouse of the publishers, the wear and tear is total.