My retail division has been in disarray.
Not because of any weather disaster.
But from sheer disorganization on my part.
There have been many changes in the retail print business. It's tough to keep up.
Here's some retail gossip:
I've been writing quilt books for two publishers for quite awhile: Star Books from the Kansas City Star newspaper and C&T Publishing, which specializes in quilting and sewing media.
C&T recently bought Star Books. Now all my books and patterns are at one site:
If you do a search for Brackman at the C&T page you'll come up with quite a few items. If you buy $50 worth you get free shipping. And they have frequent sales so you will want to check the sale page often (it's a tab on the far right on their home page.)
You might go to used book outlets too---
But because the online pricing systems are run by computer algorithms that are not so sophisticated as one would hope you may pay more for a used copy than for a new copy from the publisher.
Al Gorithm.
His ways are mysterious.
For example, my 2008 book Making History: Quilts & Fabric from 1890-1970 is on Amazon. On the day I am writing this you'd pay $37 for a used copy and $45 for a new copy.
If you buy it new from C&T Publishing you'd pay lots less:
$29.95
So do check the C&T page before you think you'll save money by purchasing a used copy.
Depending on supply and demand the computer pricing system might tell you something outrageous. Above: the same used book for $320.17 at Amazon on a strange day a few months ago.
Here's another alternative. Go to my Etsy store and
see what books I have in my basement.
I try to keep the pricing consistent with what C&T is doing. If C&T is having a sale you may be able to find my books cheaper there. But you may save money by shopping in my store because I charge very little for Post Office Media Mail shipping.
And I'll be glad to autograph your copy for you or as a gift. I'll ask Karla & Deb to autograph the books they've worked on too.
PS: You'll find several model quilts we've made for the books at the Etsy store too.
Mary Stites Medallion,
which I made for America's Printed Fabric is on sale too.
When you buy a quilt model we'll throw in the book it's from too.
It seems things keep changing and not always for the better.
ReplyDeleteIt has been years since i have sold online, I buy from etsy, but have never sold on it since i do auction style.
Debbie
Thanks for alerting us to your move and for your shopping advice. You are too kind to Mr. AL Gorithm perhaps. More and more I find Amazon's prices high, sometimes crazy high, and I think with items for which the market is relatively small, they are counting on customers just assuming Amazon's prices are the lowest when in fact they are far from it -- "Al" would know better, I think. I've learned that when shopping for quilt books and any older book (not a recent release), I must use Google and check all the vendors, often at substantial savings. Sometimes it's shocking the wide price range for a particular item. I'm also glad to hear the KC Star writers have found a new home -- at least I hope they have.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I must say that I hate seeing larger publishing houses gobbling up smaller, more independent ones. With the computer age, I'd like to see more person-to-person marketing and cut out the corporate middleman, although I know it's a lot of work to set up. Just my 2 cents. Thank you, Ms. Brackman, for all you give to the quilting and history world.
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting info and photos here, thank you. I got a laugh from these current photos, Al Gorithm indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shopping advice. It's so weird how sometimes, things will cost a lot and other days they'll be lower. I prefer buying books directly from the author if I can or the product directly from the person who made it. It's tough to do in the industrialized world we live in, but I do what I can.
ReplyDeleteAndrea Hart @ LeetWeb
I always enjoy reading your blog, I always get to learn something new. I'll definitely take a look at C&T Publishing next time I buy a book. With all those weird algorithms that some websites use, it's good to look around at a couple different places to find the cheapest. It's silly that each vendor sells at a different price.
ReplyDeleteJames Holmes @ All Web LLC
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