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IPG News
It Takes Two
Booksellers must cooperate with publishers and distributors
— Publishers Weekly, December 1, 2008
The publishing business is on the brink of making a catastrophic mistake. No, this isn't about e-books or returns or high advances. It's about data. I'll explain: until recently, publishers and distributors imagined that their sales were the books they shipped to their customers. This was never accurate, but it was the best we could do. We had little idea what was selling through at the stores until reorders—or returns—showed up. The advent of BookScan was a major step forward, but what has really changed is that the major booksellers and wholesalers now share extremely detailed sales information with publishers and distributors.
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Amazon.com Books Recognizes IPG as one of three Amazon Books Distributors of the Year
Distributors Earn Top Rating for Providing Exceptional Customer Experiences Through Operational Excellence
— Business Wire, November 20, 2008
"'Independent Publishers Group, Macmillan and Random House Publisher Services are excellent examples of what collaboration and innovation can do to help us offer customers a great experience,' said Russell Grandinetti, vice president of books for Amazon.com. 'By working together, we're able to improve the rate at which their books are in stock on Amazon, lower prices through lowering operational costs and help customers find, discover and buy great books through programs such as Search Inside the Book, Kindle and print-on-demand. We're proud to work with such great distributors on behalf of their client publishers.'"
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IPG named one of the "Best Book Publishing Companies to Work For
— Book Business magazine, November 1, 2008
"The 'Best Book Publishing Companies to Work For' list is Book Business' annual ranking of companies that seem to embody the philosophy that a company's employees are the key to its success. But being a great company isn't just about offering a great benefits package (though that certainly helps). The companies that made the list this year create environments where employees are valued and respected professionally, but they also work to help enhance employees' personal lives."
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50 Under 40 – Brooke O'Donnell
Builds trans-Atlantic bridges as Trafalgar publishing director
— Publishers Weekly, May 18, 2008
"Growing up a self-described 'Air Force brat,' whose family moved between American military bases in Europe throughout her youth, Brooke O'Donnell is used to meeting large numbers of people on a regular basis and quickly sizing them up. 'That translates into making decisions on books,' insists O'Donnell, Trafalgar Square's publishing director. Her responsibilities include culling each season through 2,000 adult and children's titles in all genres from 50 of Britain's largest and most respected publishing houses, selecting from those approximately 500 titles that she believes will interest readers on—as she repeatedly refers to the U.S.—'this side of the pond.'"
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Finding its niche
Chicago Press Review continues to publish unique stories, eyes future of publishing with e-books
— Chicago Sun-Times, October 28, 2007
"Back in 1973, Linda and Curt Matthews were English teachers frustrated by the uncertainty of finding a teaching position at the college level. So they moved on, and one might say the couple found an even more challenging and frustrating alternate career—book publishing."
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One Man's Niche Is Another Man's Treasure
The improbable success of Chicago Review Press, Inc.
— Chicago Reader, June 1, 2007
"Book distribution is a difficult business. Distributors compete fiercely to sign the best and most lucrative of the independent presses, which typically take only one-year contracts. Warehouses are complex to manage, and profit margins are so thin—generally under 10 percent—that 'one mistake can be fatal,' says Jim Milliot, the business and news director at Publishers Weekly. Yet since 1987 IPG has doubled its sales every three years or so..."
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A Killer Bestseller
Don't blow it when good fortune comes your way
— Publishers Weekly, February 19, 2007
Curt Matthews, CEO of Chicago Review Press Inc. and Independent Publishers Group (IPG) discusses the benefits and pitfalls of handling a bestselling title, such as The Covenant with Black America.
"The top buyers at the big chains are notoriously tough gatekeepers. They hold the key to making a book a bestseller. When they grant you a favor, the tendency is to go wild with glee. Sure, it's something to celebrate—but don't go too crazy. Because without judicious planning, an unexpected bestseller can be devastating."
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Conferences
Independent Publishers Group will be in attendance or represented at these upcoming conferences.
Job Openings
To apply for positions at our distribution center, please print out and complete our application form and return to Human Resources, 814 N. Franklin, Chicago, IL 60610.
Internship Program
IPG is always looking for qualified applicants for full-time internships. The deadline for applications for participation in our spring internship program is March 15. Please send resumés and cover letters via email to John McGlothlin. No phone calls, please.
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