The May 7 issue of Christian Retailing reports that R.R. Bowker, the leading database regarding book sales, has unveiled to Christian bookstores and publishers its new PubTrack Consumer—a service designed to provide information about book readers’ habits and preferences.
PubTrack Consumer will track participating media and people across the country, gathering information such as how long folks spend consuming different kinds of media, where they shop, what makes them buy, and how they feel about their shopping experiences. The information will be gathered into weekly surveys.
Currently CBA uses data based on sales at the cash register. (We’ve talked about the gathering of data from STATS for bestseller lists numerous times.) PubTrack Consumer could help Christian sellers and publishers understand what makes a person go to that cash register and buy. Where did they first learn about the book? A magazine ad? The Internet?
Bowker began gathering the data in January, with an eye toward releasing its first report last month. Monthly updates will be provided, plus quarterly analyses and annual reviews. Of course, this will all be for a subscription fee. How much, the article didn’t state. The article does report “some level of interest” from Christian retail.
It’ll be interesting to see where this goes.
------------------------------------------
On blog tour this week: Orchard of Hope, by Ann Gabhart.
3 comments:
Hey Brandilyn! How are you doing? Just dropping by to say "hello".
Eden
You know, it would be more of a valid study if the bigger chains adopted a format survey for their regular and not so regular customers to take. Send it home with them to fill out (anonymously if they prefer)and drop it in a box at the store. Explain to them that few "facts" are known about the readers of Christian ficiton (for example), and they're trying to get a more real (human, rather than numbers) evaluation of the whys and wherefores of consumer purchases.
The surveys might reveal the trends differ according to the parts of the country where the stores are located--which could forseeably help where a particular book should be best marketed initially.
Hiya Brandilyn! I just got DSL and can finally visit all the FIRST members again. So, where's your May 1st post? Got ya!
I have Coral Moon scheduled for the July 1st tour. Let me know who I should contact for copies for members. (Those who did not get it for the CFBA tour.) Here is my e-mail: 4pearsonz at gmail dot com
Post a Comment