Blog

Tag: Distribution

Distribution Change: Owlkids

by Dan
Kids + News / December 08, 2011

Effective January 1, 2012 Owlkids Books will be distributed in Canada by UTP
Distribution. Returns of Owlkids books will be accepted by UTP as of this date.

Raincoast Books will also accept returns of Owlkids product until March 31, 2012.

Canadian sales will be handled by ampersand inc., formerly known as Kate
Walker & Company.

Owlkids Books and Maple Tree Press ISBN prefixes are:
978-1-897066
978-1-897349
978-1-926818
978-1-926973
978-2-89579

New distribution contact information:
University of Toronto Press
5201 Dufferin Street
Toronto, ON, M3H 5T8

(PH) 1-800-565-9523 (North America) / (416) 667-7791
(FAX) 1-800-221-9985 (North America) / (416) 667-7832

Return of Macmillan Product Bought From H.B. Fenn

by Dan
News / July 06, 2011

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING RETURNS OF MACMILLAN PRODUCT ORIGINALLY BOUGHT FROM HB FENN

In May, Macmillan sent out a letter regarding returns from Canadian customers, directing customers to return books to their returns depot in Thorold, Ontario.

This letter is available here (PDF). 

Fenn’s receivers are working to credit returns against amounts still owing to Fenn. This is part of a legal process over which Raincoast has no control. Raincoast is not legally allowed to credit customers for books bought from HB Fenn at this time, as any credits currently owing are meant to be included in the bankruptcy estate. It is our understanding from Macmillan’s letter that the receivers plan to process returns received up until August 12, 2011.

Raincoast will, after August 12, accept customer returns of Macmillan product that we now distribute subject to our usual returns policy, as long as it was bought from Fenn within 12 months of the returns date.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation.

For your information, Macmillan’s returns depot is at:

MPS Returns Centre, 
c/o Book Depot
Dock #8
67 Front Street North
Thorold ON L2V 1X3
Canada

Macmillan Announces Raincoast as Sales and Distribution Partner in Canada

by Dan
News + Vancouver / June 09, 2011

MACMILLAN ANNOUNCES RAINCOAST AS SALES AND DISTRIBUTION PARTNER IN CANADA FOR INDEPENDENT, LIBRARY AND SPECIALTY ACCOUNTS

June 9, 2011 — Raincoast Books has reached agreement in principle with New York-based Macmillan U.S. to handle sales, fulfillment and marketing for the Macmillan imprints previously sold by H.B. Fenn and Company in Canada.

Raincoast will be responsible for the independent bookstore, library, and specialty markets as well as for Costco Canada. Farrar, Straus & Giroux will continue to be sold by Douglas & McIntyre in Canada.

Both companies will begin the transition immediately. Raincoast will be responsible for selling in Macmillan’s fall lists and books will be available to ship from Raincoast in early July.

In a unique arrangement to increase efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, larger Raincoast accounts located in the eastern half of Canada will receive books directly from Macmillan’s Gordonsville, Virginia warehouses. The sales, billing and customer service for those shipments will remain with Raincoast in Vancouver.

John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan said, “We are pleased to have found an excellent business partner in Raincoast for Canada. Raincoast has a stellar reputation, knows the market and was creative in helping us find ways to make the fulfillment portion of the agreement more sustainable.”

Alison Lazarus, President of Sales added, “We met with many fine companies in Canada, but Raincoast’s systems and reporting strength, adept and creative marketing, modern warehouse and network of award-winning sales representatives made them a great fit. We are looking forward to working closely with them to renew our strong Canadian sales.”

John Sawyer, CEO of Raincoast said, “In discussion with Macmillan it soon became apparent that the two companies share common values; total focus on customer service, respect for the environment and great optimism about the future of quality publishing. Our partnership with Macmillan sends a strong signal about the book market in Canada and the importance of Canadian customers.”

Paddy Laidley, Executive Vice-President of Sales & Marketing agrees. “The independent and specialty market in Canada has always been core to our business. We choose our distribution partners carefully; for the quality of their publishing, how they fit with our other publishers and the way they do business. We look for companies that can make us better at what we do. Macmillan fits the bill perfectly.”

About Macmillan:

Macmillan is a global publisher of books, magazines, textbooks, scientific information and digital content and services.  In the U.S., the group includes Farrar,Straus & Giroux; Henry Holt; St. Martin's Press; Tor Books; Picador; Macmillan Audio; Bedford St. Martin's; W.H. Freeman; Worth Publishers; i-clicker; Hayden-McNeil; Palgrave Macmillan; Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group; and Scientific American Magazine. 

Macmillan is a subsidiary of Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, GMbH, a global media company based in Stuttgart, Germany. 

About Raincoast:

Founded in 1979, Raincoast offers full-service sales and marketing expertise for leading publishers from Canada and around the world, along with a wholesale division that drives our customer service standard. Raincoast has been awarded an Ethics in Action Award for Environmental Excellence for our commitment to sustainable environmental practices and has been voted Distributor of the Year by the Canadian Booksellers Association more times than any other publisher or distributor.

Moving the Future

by Jamie
News + Vancouver / September 08, 2010

Yesterday we announced that we are moving to a new location in January next year. We’ve been at our Shaughnessy Street home ten years and it was time for a change. We process over 11 million books a year and even though we already have the largest book distribution facility in western Canada, we need more space. 

Raincoast Wins Bookseller Award for Service

by Jamie
News / May 31, 2010

The Canadian Booksellers Association held their annual Libris Awards this weekend in Toronto and Raincoast came away a winner! We were picked as the best distributor in Canada as voted by booksellers across the country.

Distribution is the selling, promoting, shipping and customer service aspect of bookselling; skills that really matter in a country as big and diverse as Canada. We have been shortlisted or won this award every year for the last decade, so we must be doing something right!

In accepting the award, our CEO John Sawyer, made the case for why we feel the future of traditional books will be very bright. You will be reading more about this theme on our blog in the weeks to come.

Rorie Bruce, our sales representative for the Prairies won the Libris for Rep of the Year which gave us a double reason to celebrate. Rorie has many years of experience in the book industry and his passion and breadth of book knowledge is one of the reasons that the book culture is thriving in western Canada. Congratulations Rorie.

A full list of the winners can be seen here. Congratulations all.