MVB US is responding to the ending of Baker & Taylor's wholesale operations by offering a special promotion to independent booksellers who want to take advantage of the company's Pubeasy and Pubnet services, both of which facilitate easier, direct communication with publishers. "We want to extend our services to those independent booksellers who may have previously relied extensively on wholesalers," said Ted Hill, CEO of MVB US.
Pubeasy is a service that allows booksellers to check price, availability, and the status of their orders as well as order directly from 14 of the largest North American publishers and distribution clients. Pubnet allows publishers to place direct orders with more than 200 publishers through an automated process through their existing point of sale systems; it is suited to stores that have higher volume. The $75 set up fee is currently being waived.
"Pubnet and Pubeasy can significantly lower [bookseller] cost of goods” said Hill, "this in turn can help bookstores raise profits, something that has been underscored by the American Booksellers Association’s ABACUS survey." Hill noted that MVB US's services are based on tried and true technology. "Our EDI — electronic data interchange — value added network offers distinct benefits, in so far as it has been long established and allows you to easily exchange information with anyone on the network. You can quickly get information on purchase orders, order acknowledgment, shipping notifications, etc..."
The idea, said Hill, was to augment booksellers' efficiencies, including a reduction in the cost of goods through direct ordering, which then adds to the booksellers' bottom line.
