Simon & Schuster has announced a new store opening policy [6] exclusively for independent booksellers, joining four other publishers that also offer such programs for new stores.

“Our new program confirms Simon & Schuster’s ongoing commitment to independent booksellers,” said Michael Selleck, Simon & Schuster’s executive vice president of sales and marketing.

Independent booksellers in the U.S. who are opening a new account or a new location will now have access to special discounts, dating, and co-op terms on all adult, children’s, and audio non-digital products from Simon & Schuster and its distribution clients.

For more information or to participate in the promotion, booksellers can e-mail Field Sales Director Tracy Nelson [7] or contact their S&S sales rep.

Booksellers are also invited to visit the American Booksellers Association’s Book Buyer’s Handbook [8] for details on other publisher programs that support new stores opening in the indie channel. The handbook currently contains details about programs from five publishers, including Simon & Schuster:

• Hachette Book Group — 2017 New Store Opening Offer [9]
• HarperCollins — New Bookstore Development Program [10]
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt — New Store Opening Offer [11]
• Macmillan — New U.S. Retail Book Store Opening Policy [12]
• Simon & Schuster — New Store Opening Promotion [6]

The “Publisher Offers for New Stores” page in the Book Buyer’s Handbook [13] links to all of these policies. A username and password are required to access the handbook; booksellers who need login information can e-mail [email protected] [14].

Other publishers are encouraged to contact ABA Senior Program Officer Joy Dallanegra-Sanger [15] to share details about new store support programs so that they, too, can be included in ABA’s Book Buyer’s Handbook.