How many books have we sold?

ChunkyC · Nov 7, 2005

For those of you who obsessively keep track of such things (like me), here are the daily sales numbers since the storefront went live on October 31/05. I'll edit this post to keep score as we go along. This will also let us keep the 'milestones' thread for things like Jean's announcement, reaching dollars-donated targets, etc.

I've started summarizing by month to keep this post from growing too long. I've copied the day-by-day stats into a document, plus Lulu keeps the dailies on the site.

October/November 2005
Lulu -- 525
Retail UK -- 15
Retail US -- 62

December 2005
Lulu -- 104
Retail UK -- 08
Retail US -- 138

January 2006
Lulu -- 14
Retail UK -- 00
Retail US -- 41

February 2006
Lulu -- 15
Retail UK -- 00
Retail US -- 20

March 2006
Lulu -- 15
Retail UK -- 00
Retail US -- 18

April 2006
Lulu -- 07
Retail UK -- 00
Retail US -- 11

May 2006
Lulu -- 04
Retail UK -- 01
Retail US -- 00

June 2006
Lulu -- 07
Retail UK -- 00
Retail US -- 12

Running total: 1,028 *

* note -- don't worry if the numbers don't add up exactly. The running total includes 11 sold as review copies or some such, that don't show up in the daily totals. Either that or my math is lousy. Regardless, the running total is exactly what is showing on the Lulu site as of the time I add to this post.

biotales · Nov 7, 2005

Well bless your little green heart.... your so adorable for doing this...
:kiss:

September skies · Nov 7, 2005

I love this!

jdkiggins · Nov 7, 2005

Thanks for keeping track, CC. It will be interesting to watch the numbers climb.

AW ROCKS!!! :Clap:

Robin Bayne · Nov 8, 2005

I hope they keep climbing after all the authors buy their copies!!! Come on bookstores!! :popcorn:

mommie4a · Nov 10, 2005

I just ordered 18 (3 shipments of 6 to my home but in different names - when I put all of the orders with the same exact info, it collapsed them all into one shipment so no supersaver!).

September skies · Nov 10, 2005

I'm still waiting for my book. I ordered on Nov. 2 -- 8 days ago!! And even paid extra for priority mail! I've had my interview with the newspaper but they held off on a pic hoping the book arrived. They're coming back today and I am praying my book is here by this afternoon. :Shrug:

11/15: boohoohooo --- still not here today. I'm sure the mailman must think I'm a crazy woman. I ran out to greet him and he shook his head and then asked me to not kill him. (he was kidding, of course, but I wonder if I looked that desperate.) :-(

September skies · Nov 10, 2005

available anywhere else?

Inspiewriter said:
Come on bookstores!!

Is there any word on our book being available on amazon, someone had mentioned Target or something like that and Borders dot com?

I have been referring everyone to Lulu dot com and explaining that we get the most benefit for charity that way but I've also been asked by the media about the other places and I'd like to be able to give them an answer.

ChunkyC · Nov 10, 2005

September skies said:
Is there any word on our book being available on amazon, someone had mentioned Target or something like that and Borders dot com?

I have been referring everyone to Lulu dot com and explaining that we get the most benefit for charity that way but I've also been asked by the media about the other places and I'd like to be able to give them an answer.

I mentioned this in another thread, but this is a good spot for it....

When SoS became available, the appropriate information was submitted to the appropriate places so that SoS will be available to any bookstore, but it will take time. This is from Lulu's site:

Once a month, online booksellers update their databases with new books. When they update (if the booksellers choose to list your book), you will see your book listed as "currently available." Because most online booksellers only update their databases once a month, it could take four weeks or so for your book to show up on their sites.

Once SoS appears in the major book wholesaler's databases, it will be available to any bookstore or bookstore chain. From Lulu's site:

Your book is entered into Ingram's database, the largest US book wholesaler. This gets your book into the same wholesale channels as major US publishers and will allow book retailers like Amazon, B&N, and Borders to sell your book.

and

Your title will also be made available in the UK through Bertrams and Gardners, who are wholesalers in the UK market. Your title will be entered into Books In Print, Titles@Ingram, and Neilsons Bookdata (UK) bibliographic databases to facilitate the widest availability around the world.

However, individual bookstores can order directly from LULU if they wish. Details are here if you know of a bookstore that might be willing to bring the book in before it is available through their regular channels.

Moondancer · Nov 10, 2005

ChunkyC said:
However, individual bookstores can order directly from LULU if they wish. Details are here if you know of a bookstore that might be willing to bring the book in before it is available through their regular channels.

A problem I ran into here with one particular chain is they can't order anything unless it comes through Ingram... contracts and all that jazz we don't normally have to think about. Luckily, since it will soon be in the Ingram databases I can go back to that chain at some point in time and retry. However, there may be other instances when it won't be so clear cut.

JennaGlatzer · Nov 10, 2005

We're in Ingram! I just got the notice. We're officially listed in Ingram's database now. It still can take time for each individual store to refresh their computer records, though... but they can order from Ingram now.

trumancoyote · Nov 10, 2005

Every Saturday, Jenna, I work the registers at a Border's here in Arizona. Want I should throw a bookmark in everyone's bag?

That's eight hours worth of bookmarks, baby.

JennaGlatzer · Nov 10, 2005

Ohmigod... yeah!

trumancoyote · Nov 10, 2005

Sweet. The only catch is: I'm wondering if we could perhaps get a bookmark that tells people to order through the bookstore. Border's being as Corporate and Evil as it is, I don't think they'd let me plug a book that can be bought directly from Lulu when, now that it's available through Ingram, customers can just order it through Border's itself.

If you don't think it's a good idea to have a specialized bookmark, though, I can always just stuff them in people's bags and not tell my manager

ChunkyC · Nov 10, 2005

Zach, my man!

We talked about what a nightmare it would be for us to customize the official promotional materials with so many writers involved. And I know we want to make sure Lulu's involvement is mentioned as much as possible since they are going so far and beyond to help us with this project, but perhaps there's something we could do for large chains like Borders?

Any ideas, Jenna?

trumancoyote · Nov 10, 2005

It's cool if we can't get any special ones, Chunksta. I just thought I'd try and keep the peace w/ my boss, but as that's been nary a concern of mine before, I'll just go ahead and use the ones we've got

ChunkyC · Nov 10, 2005

Yo homie, I just double-checked the file and we don't specifically mention Lulu on the o-fficial bookmark, just the SoS website. The ISBN is on there too. If you're getting the bookmark PDF's via the SoS site, you should be good to go.

You a cham-peen for doin' this, Zach!

trumancoyote · Nov 10, 2005

Naw I'm not. I never submitted anything, so this is the least I can do to help out.

Do you recommend we have the bookmarks printed on card-stock, or?

Ken Schneider · Nov 10, 2005

having my bookmarks and posters printed on 80# card stock.

should have them tomorrow.

ChunkyC · Nov 10, 2005

We get great results using Xerox Supergloss cardstock paper. Any photo-quality cardstock should do a nice job.

ChunkyC · Nov 10, 2005

mommie4a said:
I just ordered 18 (3 shipments of 6 to my home but in different names - when I put all of the orders with the same exact info, it collapsed them all into one shipment so no supersaver!).

Really? I just double-checked and mine are still showing as three separate orders. Did you go all the way through until you reached the point where you had a receipt for the first order of six, then browse to SoS again and start the whole process over to place the next order?

mommie4a · Nov 10, 2005

Nope - I put in 6 for my name and address, then another 6 for my husband's name and the same address, then 6 for my name with my middle name after my first name and the same address. I did this all by just adding to "ship to another address?" thingy. I do have a receipt etc. and saw that my order is "fulfilling." Sigh - how nice.

Fulfilling.

maestrowork · Nov 10, 2005

trumancoyote said:
Sweet. The only catch is: I'm wondering if we could perhaps get a bookmark that tells people to order through the bookstore.

From what I've seen... bookmarks usually don't have book store specific info (like ORDER at www.borders.com) unless it's printed/produced by the chains themselves. Since these are provided by us, I don't see any reason why Border's should be on the bookmarks.

Book stores give out bookmarks from authors and publishers all the time. So I don't see any problem...

Robin Bayne · Nov 10, 2005

Got my copies, they look great!!

You know I was in a Popeye's chicken place tonight and they have signs up about how they orginated in N.O. and are collecting funds for the city. . . maybe we could talk to the store managers about putting out book flyers?

Yeshanu · Nov 10, 2005

You know I was in a Popeye's chicken place tonight and they have signs up about how they orginated in N.O. and are collecting funds for the city. . . maybe we could talk to the store managers about putting out book flyers?

I was wondering the same thing...

I was also wondering if we could have events in the store and they could provide free munchies to the poor, starving authors... Mmmm. Fried chicken...

How many books have we sold?

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