B&N to Sell ‘If I Did It’

-- Publishers Weekly, 8/30/2007 7:53:00 AM

Barnes & Noble has changed its mind about O.J. Simpson’s If I Did It and will stock the title when it is released in September 13. The company had initially said it would not carry the title because it did not believe there would be strong enough demand among consumers, although it would sell the book through B&N.com. If I Did It, however, has proved to be a popular item on the site and was ranked in the # 15 spot this afternoon. B&N spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating said the retailer had been monitoring sales over the site and decided there was enough interest to sell the book through its stores.

“When plans were initially announced to publish If I Did It, there was widespread customer outrage and disgust.  So much outrage that our buyers felt there would be little customer demand for the newest edition of the book, published by the Goldman family,” said Keating. “Since then, we’ve been monitoring the pre-orders and customer requests and have concluded that enough customers have expressed interest in buying the book to warrant stocking it in our stores.”

Keating declined to say how big an order B&N has placed. Even in carrying the title though, Keating said B&N will not promote the book, the same stance adopted by Borders.

B&N’s change of heart is a victory for publisher Beaufort Books, which is planning to print 150,000 copies of the book.