BTS: Book Buying with Jen

Last November, we took you behind the scenes of #NewReleaseTuesday. In today’s edition of BTS, we’re thrilled to chat with the Book Buyer of Old Town Books, Jen Cheng. How does she decide which books to order? How does the process work? Read on to learn more!

Could you give us a birds-eye overview of the steps that occur between a customer placing an order and the book being ready for pick-up?

For an "all in stock" online order, one of our booksellers will find the book(s) and notify the customer, usually within a day if not a few hours. Those are the quickest. If a book isn't currently in stock when a customer asks for it in-store or for an online order, a bookseller will check if it can be ordered from the publisher, and if so, the book is put into an order queue with the customer's name attached. Soon thereafter, I review it, make adjustments if needed, and then I submit orders to the publishers by email, phone or electronically. At the publisher, they send a confirmation and their warehouses ship the order to us. Our friendly delivery people deliver boxes of books, and from there, our amazing Receiving team makes sure the books get correctly added into our store inventory. Then we notify the customer when the book is ready for pickup.

For preorders, i.e. books that a customer reserves ahead of the official release date, I'll add those into a future order or I'll send them to the publisher right away, depending on how far out the publication date is. I believe this has been mentioned before, but we love preorders. Preorders are immensely helpful to me as a buyer, to the publisher, and ultimately to the author because it helps us gauge demand and buzz before a book even hits the shelves. If you know you want a book that is being released in the near or distant future, please preorder! That way you know the book will be ready for you on its release date. Sometimes popular books sell out during the first week or first month after release, and it can take a while for printers to catch up. If you preorder, you won't be stuck waiting. As a bonus incentive, for certain books, publishers will arrange to send us surprise swag reserved for customers who preorder early enough. Examples include bookplates hand-signed by the author, limited edition themed enamel pins, art prints, etc. We can't always predict which books will get this special treatment, but we love it when publishers help us reward our customers who plan ahead and say "please count me in for this future book!"

How do you decide which books to order for general stock?

There are lots of factors! First, I keep in mind Ally's vision for the Old Town Books, not just as a place for readers but also for creative types, nature lovers, etc. We make an effort to support debut authors and emerging writers, especially through our Fiction book club. Old Town Books is a general interest bookstore, but there are sections that we especially lean into that are shaped by both staff and customer enthusiasm. I definitely take into account what titles, both new and old, that our bookselling team loves.

I have regular seasonal conversations with our publisher sales reps, and I listen to their suggestions and take note of what they're excited about for coming seasons. My general knowledge of books and authors from a lifetime of reading, and more than a decade of experience in several different indie bookstores, also inform my choices. Media buzz and awards are yet another factor.

But above all, I pay attention to what our customers buy and order.

Are there any outlets that you pay special attention to in terms of reviews, celebrity book lists, etc.?

As time allows, I'll read reviews in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. I'll also try to see what The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The Economist, Publishers Weekly and Book Riot are covering.

Sometimes I'll listen to some podcasts, and maybe try to stay on top of what's trending on Bookstagram and BookTok. That seems to be the newest thing, book videos on TikTok driving some interest and sales. And publishers will often inform me of what the celebrity book clubs are selecting, especially Oprah's Book Club and Reese Witherspoon's book club. This year, I've noticed significant interest from our customers in Roxanne Gay's book club.

Photo by Nicole Blair

How do you know when the shelf life of a particular book is declining/expired?

I look at the curve of sales and customer interest over the first few weeks of sales, and then as the book ages, I'm watching how it performs month to month. Some books, particularly those in the Current Events section, are a quick flash in the pan and then fizzle out just as quickly. Others become perennial sellers and are evergreen on our shelves. And if a paperback edition is being released, in most cases that means the hardcover is due for removal from our shelves.

How does buying from an indie bookshop like Old Town Books benefit communities?

Buying local creates benefits for communities economically, socially and culturally. When Main Street is thriving, neighborhoods are more walkable, personable and sustainable. In my opinion, a city or town with strong local businesses is also better to live in and to visit. Streets and shops are less cookie-cutter, have more personality and feel more vibrant.

For Old Town Books, part of giving back to the community that supports us includes offering literary events and classes (many for free), as well as working with local nonprofits for our Book Love program to give books to children.

Photo by Ally Kirkpatrick

Anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Thank you for shopping with us and other small or independent businesses, especially over the last year as the pandemic kept stretching on and on, and also during our recent bookstore move. It's been a difficult time for brick and mortar retail, but you helped us make it through and beyond. The steady, unflagging support means so much to us and also to writers and publishers.

Come celebrate Indie Bookstore Day with Team OTB and our community of book lovers this weekend, April 25-25, 2021. We will have IBD-exclusive merch available for purchase and can’t wait to see you!

Blog contribution by Jen Cheng.
Edited by Shannon McCarthy.