Is Publishing Dead? Wubbit’s Founder Says No
“The Wubbit online bookstore also includes a feature that gives customers the option of buying the title they selected from their local independent store,” says Loomer. “With one click, Wubbit will locate an independent store with their book choice already in stock. Wubbit has made this happen by creating relationships with bookstores throughout the country.”
PUBLISHING PROBLEM 5:
Ineffective technology weighs down the process. The vast majority of websites are focused on retail sales and are supplied by the same old distribution structure as the one used in pre-Internet days. Wubbit, on the other hand, leverages the Internet to reduce distribution costs and move the product directly from the manufacturer to the retailer or the end consumer. Bypassing distributors, wholesalers, and book dealers allows publishers to be able to sell at a more competitive price and maintain higher margins. Loomer describes this as a “win, win, win”—authors and publishers make money, bookstores make money, and the consumer gets a competitive price.