Disqus - Latest Comments for totai

Re: State of the Nation – Kate Richter

Michael — Thu, 08 Jun 2017 16:50:08 -0000

This was such an encouragement, thanks Kate.

Re: 3 free tools your team should know about

Michael — Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:07:13 -0000

@MakingaDifference - Slack does offer non-profit pricing (85% discount) - https://get.slack.help/hc/e...

Re: Report: Apple to announce new app for Apple TV at tomorrow’s event, a personalised TV show ‘watch list’

Michael — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 16:32:10 -0000

This is a step in the right direction, although i think some better Apple TV improvements could be higher priorities.

1. Hands free navigation (i.e., "Alexa," "Hello, Siri." etc.")
2. Improved remote. Remotes are meant to be handled and the Apple remote is too easily activated by stray touches (sitting on it for instance), and it gets lost in between cushions constantly.
3. Better UI. TV's don't work like iPads or iPhones, why stick with the same UI?
4. 4K!!!!
5. Support for different profiles/family members.

Re: Ask the Agent: What if my book doesn’t earn out?

Michael — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 17:58:30 -0000

You are correct that a book that doesn't earn back doesn't necessarily equate to a loss, every book has a performance goal related to budgeted margin though and most never hit that.

You mentioned a figure known as "overhead" and $2 seems about right, but that generally refers to indirect costs that get applied to every title in a catalog (such as facilities, IT, operations, etc.) but you did not factor in direct costs beyond the physical cost of goods, such as editorial, design, prepress, purchasing, marketing and sales personnel costs. You also left out marketing and sales-related expenses for the book which can range between $.50 and $1.50 per book on average.

It's true that many books don't earn out and can still net cash based on direct cash cost of goods, when factoring in the cost to run the entire business the picture changes. however the ultimate true measure of success for any publisher will be a healthy EBITDA.

Simply put profitability for publishers is measured over time and across many different products and it demands fiduciary responsibility at the title level. Books that don't earn out do have advance write-offs and those are legitimate expenses that cut into a publisher's profitability and ultimately their ability to invest in more books.

Re: TNT’s Charles Barkley rips Phoenix Suns

Michael — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 12:18:47 -0000

If only we could draft a new owner and GM.

Re: Suddenness of Jeff Hornacek firing leads to questioning why

Michael — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:29:35 -0000

@DougFranz there is another scenario you didn't propose. If the 'firing' was so unexpected, could it be that Hornacek had given management an ultimatum, Kief or him by the end of January. Kief is still here, Jeff is gone.

Re: Initial reaction to Suns firing Jeff Hornacek

Michael — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:27:24 -0000

Babby no longer has any power as an "advisor". This was a McDonough firing.

Re: What’s going on with Family Christian Stores?

Michael — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 15:10:40 -0000

Slim, I would agree with you...in part. However I was that bookseller for a decade. Loved my city, loved books that had an impact on peoples' lives. However the margins to stay profitable as a brick and mortar bookstore just aren't healthy enough to be sustainable/scaleable any longer. Just ask Barnes & Noble.

Re: What’s going on with Family Christian Stores?

Michael — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 16:44:04 -0000

That's interesting Chip. I'd love to see that data. Also, are you talking about Christian stores that focus on books? I'd love to see more emphasis placed on highlighting that trend if it exists.

Also, as I understand it Jackson has dropped the "stalking horse" bid but still plans to bid in the auction phase. So, let's say he's successful, you think pubs won't sell to him? I think that is going to be really tough to say no to, even considering the aforementioned character issues.

The CBA Christian gift phenomena isn't something that only FCS bought into, the vast majority of stores have. The margins are much higher, it gives the stores a chance to carry product that isn't as competitive and, where it sells well, it helps to cover for dead book inventory.

I'd venture to say that the CBA bubble burst somewhere around 2005-06. With the growth of the 90's many CBA indies overbuilt and overextended themselves. Vendors and pubs kept feeding the monster with crazy terms and have now dug themselves into their own holes with super deep discounts, credit/rebill scenarios and near-consignment payable terms. Setting aside their motives and unethical behavior, FCS's challenges serve to bring to light what has been happening one store at a time for the last ten years among the indies.

If there is a model for BOOKstores to do well, I'd love to see it. However, I believe it's an anomaly (there are indy stores like Changing Hands in Tempe, AZ that do really well) and likely more difficult in the Christian-only genre.

Re: What’s going on with Family Christian Stores?

Michael — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 14:13:20 -0000

Thanks Chip, this is the best explanation I've seen anywhere. Do you think this also serves to illustrate the larger challenges in maintaining the brick-and-mortar Christian-products channel? When I was a Christian retailer, FCS stores represented the best-of-breed (with a few exceptions), however the #'s I've seen put the average FCS store at <$1M annually. With footprints somewhere in the 2,500-5K sq.ft. range (the store in COS is much larger than this) as well as the margins and overhead (and lack of product turn), consignment deals with most vendors could only stall the inevitable. Wiping away the debt will not fix the long term challenge, what has happened to the active CBA customer? Will there even be a CBA channel in 10 years?

Re: @nicklee423 doing his thing in the new co-working... | This Changes Nothing

Michael — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:06:41 -0000

Yussir. Grand opening on May 28.

Re: That eBook Thing Will Never Catch On

Michael — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:21:51 -0000

Look forward to it. eBooks have flattened for many, true that. But, will people gravitate to new content forms, is there anything to the curation idea (Amazon and others don't do this well). Hope you're well.

Re: That eBook Thing Will Never Catch On

Michael — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:04:30 -0000

Wow, surprised to see this one recirculated today:) I wonder how much the public sentiment has shifted since you first posted this. My guess is you may not still be pointing to your K2 as your device d'jour. Tablets have overtaken the e-reader market, mobile is dominant and with the ever-increasing spread of fiber-based connectivity, completely interactive, always connected households are only months away from nearing early-adopter phase. What say ye?

Re: Buying is a hard thing for bookstores to do effectively, and that becomes an increasingly important reality for publishers

Michael — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:05:07 -0000

Thanks for this excellent post Mike. I was privileged to hear your father speak in person many years ago and, as a (not-exactly) former bookseller and bookstore manager, I always had a copy of TMOB on hand - a short, yet seminal work for any bookseller worth their salt. I lived the daily reality of min/max computing and an 8-week sales forecast. Creating inventory turn was always my aim, at the store, category, shelf and title level. But I was a lonely independent, no scale, little efficiency and tiny margins add it all together with a single location and turns only get you so far. Thanks again!

Re: Songs in the Key of Solomon

Michael — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:26:32 -0000

Here is the link: http://www.barnesandnoble.c...

Re: Songs in the Key of Solomon

Michael — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:25:50 -0000

It is available on NOOK now (you have to "preorder" it as they are working to get the actual file available. It was a B&N issue. Our apologies - David C Cook.

Re: Trying to explain publishing, or understand it, often remains a great challenge

Michael — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 10:52:09 -0000

Thanks Mike, great post. This is illustrative of just how misinformed the public (those outside of publishing) are about the role publishers play. Because of the boom of self-publishing "opportunities" and the "ease" with which one can bring their own book to market there is a perception that publishers are quickly becoming the interlopers.

What they fail to acknowledge is the role that VC plays in bringing ideas to the marketplace in a meaningful and well-executed manner. Kill the money, kill the quality - as you pointed out with your Isaacson illustration.

Re: Will Hachette Be The First Big-6 Publisher To Drop DRM On E-Books?

Michael — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 13:25:03 -0000

I don't think anyone is arguing that DRM is an effective tool against piracy, and piracy in-and-of itself, is not what publishers have to fear. Rather, the big challenge long term could be downstream resale of "used" ebooks, for which neither publisher, nor author will be compensated. Due diligence on the front end (e.g., protective measures) will ensure legal remedies in the future. Sending out a DRM free file without language relating to the licensing of content by the end user makes a case that the eBook file rightly belongs to the reader to do with as they please. In such a case, selling ones' eBooks in a secondary marketplace will become a reality.

Re: Kobo’s new deals propel them into the top tier of global ebook competitors

Michael — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 23:16:01 -0000

I don't disagree with your analysis of the present, but I do have to wonder what ebook retailers will do in the future to increase market share. Certainly Amazon has capitalized on the device and price, B&N has worked it's existing customer base and addition of in-store kiosks for device sales/service. BUT, who is going to be the store to leverage search and discoverability? Browsing ebooks and searching content in the store setting remains a challenge largely unsolved by any of the existing retailers, so who's it gonna be (starts with a G?)

Re: http://www.thischangesnothing.com/post/9293665828

Michael — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 02:06:39 -0000

You're welcome Carolyn - I'm right there with ya.

Re: An aspect of the Amazon-Apple battle the tech world doesn’t care much about

Michael — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:22:36 -0000

"But to make an ebook available through both Amazon and Apple, a publisher must set two retail prices:" this is not necessarily true in the most defined terms. The publishers provide a Digital List Price to retailers selling under wholesale and they provide a customer price when selling under agency. An argument could be made that these are two different things and thus the MFN clauses do not apply; as you are not comparing apples to apples (or Amazons).

Re: What’s ‘Cook-in’ with the Covingtons?!

Michael — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:10:12 -0000

Thanks Tim, that means a lot!

Re: What’s ‘Cook-in’ with the Covingtons?!

Michael — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:02:53 -0000

Thanks Ted! Beautiful home! I'll let you know if that is a direction we're looking at. Blessings!

Re: What’s ‘Cook-in’ with the Covingtons?!

Michael — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 15:51:33 -0000

Thank you Evelyn! Blessings!

Re: What’s ‘Cook-in’ with the Covingtons?!

Michael — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:33:49 -0000

Thanks Nathan.