How to Get Your Book Into Bookshops in the UK
Seeing your book on a real shelf is still one of the best moments in an author’s life, and in the UK it is more achievable than many self published and small press authors think. Independent bookshops take on local and independently published titles every week. What they need is a book that is ready for the trade, terms that make sense for a small business, and an approach that respects a bookseller’s time. This guide covers each step, drawing on the Booksellers Association’s own advice to authors.
Want bookshops to come to you instead? Post what you need on ZOMZEY and independent shops send offers for windows, tables and events.
See how it works for authors →1. Make your book shop ready
Booksellers judge a book in seconds, so it has to look like it belongs on their shelves. The Booksellers Association recommends a spine with the title printed on it, and a 13 digit barcode based on the book’s ISBN printed on the cover. In the UK, ISBNs are issued by Nielsen, the UK ISBN agency. A professional cover, a clear price and a well edited interior matter just as much.
2. Make it easy to order
Most bookshops prefer to order through a wholesaler rather than set up an account with every author. Gardners is the wholesaler most UK bookshops use, and its selling to Gardners page explains how publishers and self publishers can supply it. Print on demand titles are often handled differently from traditionally printed stock, so check how your printer or distributor supplies UK wholesalers before you approach shops.
3. Set sensible trade terms
Bookshops buy at a discount from the recommended retail price. According to the Booksellers Association, Nielsen reports that the average discount bookshops receive from publishers is just over 40 percent, and in the UK the publisher almost always pays the carriage. For independently published titles, the most usual arrangement is consignment: the shop pays for copies once they sell and can return unsold stock. The alternative is sale or return, where the shop pays on your invoice terms but can return unsold stock for a full refund. Agree payment terms and how long the shop will keep the stock, and be ready to collect unsold copies at the end.
4. Approach the right shop in the right way
Start with your local independent bookshop, where a local author has a natural story. Visit with a finished copy rather than a manuscript, and leave a short proposal. The Booksellers Association guide for authors suggests including a two or three sentence synopsis, a couple of lines about you, the retail price and your trade terms, the format, returns information, a few sample pages, why you think the book will sell in that shop, comparable authors, and the section where it belongs. Many independent booksellers prefer not to be sent Amazon links, so point them to the wholesaler or to you instead.
5. Give the shop a reason to say yes
A bookseller is more likely to take a chance on a book that brings people through the door. Offer a signing or a reading, tie the book to a local story or event, suggest it to the shop’s book club, and share your own plan for directing readers to the shop. Every copy a shop sells makes the next conversation easier.
For a wider plan beyond bookshops, read how to promote a self published book in the UK.
6. Paid features, done properly
Many independent bookshops also offer paid promotion: a window display, a place on the front table, a signing session or a feature in their newsletter. On ZOMZEY, authors post what they need and bookshops reply with priced offers, and every deal runs through Protected Payments, so the money is held until the feature has happened. Paid features are advertising, so shops label them as promotions, and a bookseller’s own recommendation is never for sale. Whether to stock a book always remains the shop’s decision. Our guide to 100 ways independent bookshops earn from promotion shows the full range of what shops can offer.
Post a brief for a window, a table or an event, and let independent bookshops send you offers.
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Find Hubs near you
Hubs are the real world shops, venues, clubs and communities on ZOMZEY that host promotions, events and product placements. Each city page lists the Hubs active there.
- All Hubs by city
- Scotland: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Dalbeattie, Maybole, Thornhill and Sanquhar.
- England: Greater London, East Devon, Brixham, Paignton and Weymouth.
- Northern Ireland: Belfast and Bangor.
Frequently asked questions
Do UK bookshops stock self published books?
Yes. Many independent bookshops stock local and self published titles, most often on consignment terms, as long as the book is ready for the trade and priced sensibly.
What discount do bookshops expect?
According to the Booksellers Association, Nielsen reports an average discount of just over 40 percent off the recommended retail price, with the publisher usually paying the carriage.
Should I send a bookshop a link to my book on Amazon?
It is better not to. Many independent booksellers prefer to order through a wholesaler or directly from you.
Can I pay a bookshop to stock my book?
You can pay for promotion such as a window, a table or an event, clearly labelled as a promotion. Stocking is the bookseller’s decision, and a staff recommendation should never be bought.
How many bookshops should I approach?
Start with the bookshops nearest to you and to the book’s setting or subject, usually five to ten, and give each one a proper visit or a tailored email. A handful of shops that champion the book is worth more than a long list that never replies.
Will bookshops reorder once the first copies sell?
Usually, if the first copies sold and reordering is easy. Tell the bookseller how to reorder, keep your stock at the wholesaler healthy, and let the shop know when you have events or press coming that could lift demand.
Can ZOMZEY help me reach bookshops?
Yes. Post what you need, such as a window display, a signing or a launch evening, and independent bookshops on ZOMZEY send priced offers. Payment is held under Protected Payments until the promotion has happened, which suits both the author and the shop.
