Advice for Self Published and Independent Authors
We are happy to consider your book for sale in our shops but please bear in mind that booksellers are offered many hundreds of books every month from both publishers and self-published authors so the competition to get onto the shelves of any bookshop is fierce.
In the first instance please email details of your book to us at info@gulliversbookshop.co.uk and/or books@westbournebookshop.co.uk. Please don’t call in unannounced - bookshops are busy places with customers and publisher’s reps on appointment and we don't have the capacity to accommodate unsolicited visits.
We judge books according to our knowledge of the local market, specifically our customer base. Please provide as much information as possible, and while it is useful to include links to books for sale online, please remember that to booksellers 'Ama*on' is a dirty word! Books published through Ama*on will not be considered unless the book meets very specific criteria.
We want to treat all authors fairly, so if we agree to stock your book the following terms apply:
We will stock your book on a sale or return basis for a minimum of three months, displayed on our shelves either in a 'local authors' section or in the appropriate category section.
We will require an invoice detailing any stock left with us, including cost price and your contact details. An email address is preferred.
We will add a markup of at least 40% to the cost price of your book, so please take this into account when listing the cost price in your invoice.
We need clear contact details and will let you know when we need fresh stock or when unsold stock requires collection.
Books sell best when readers know about them already - it is your responsibility as an author to publicise your book in as many places as possible.
We will decide whether to continue stocking your book in the same way as we decide on books from any publisher, based on customer interest.
We will let you know when your books require collection. Any books not collected within 4 weeks will be disposed of at our discretion.
We will pay you all sums due on sale-or-return books within 30 days of sale.
Please do not call in with new stock unless we have requested it.
We cannot give self-published books undue prominence as we decide the position and display of books according to a variety of factors. We are sorry, but we rarely host book signings.
For advice on how to get your book stocked in independent bookshops, including a sample sale or return invoice, please see: https://www.booksellers.org.uk/BookSellers/media/Booksellers/Getting-Your-Book-into-a-High-Street-Bookshop.pdf