Booking gains

Pramod Kapoor is a busy man. As publisher, Roli Books, that has brought out books like Khushwant Singh: In the Name of the Father by Rahul Singh, A Passage Through India by Kamal Gill and The Shade Of Swords by M J Akbar, Kapoor is now making plans to bring forth a new experience for book lovers.

"We are planning to launch a chain of book stores within the next two years," he confirms. The bookstores, each of approximately 3,000 sq ft, will be, according to Kapoor, "launched in metros and some other important cities".

"The retail experience," he promises, "will enrich the experience of reading, and the entire operations and management will be undertaken by Roli Books."

Like him, Kapish Mehra of Rupa Books also admits, "We've kept an open mind for retail outlets in the near future." He adds, "More bookstores will certainly add numbers to book sales."

Though most publishing houses in India feel it will be an uphill task taking on established bookstore chains, a majority agree that exclusive bookstores to display book titles of a particular publishing house might seem the right idea to take forward.

What is prompting publishers like Kapoor and Mehra to get into retailing in the first place? According to Kapoor, "Retail trade has failed to keep pace with the number of book titles that are being launched regularly."

With organised bookstores accounting for just 10 per cent of the market, thus restricting growth for both writers and book publishers, Kapoor feels it is the right time to announce the company's entry into retailing.

Clearly, it's boom time for the Indian publishing industry that according to experts is growing anywhere between 15-20 per cent every year.

What's more, according to publishers it's the popularity of Indian authors like Chetan Bhagat, Amitav Ghosh, Robin Sharma and veterans like Vikram Seth, Shobhaa De and Khushwant Singh, to name just a few, that has contributed to the industry's phenomenal growth.

The industry, according to the Internet and Mobile Association of India (earlier known as Internet & Online Association of India), has sold nearly Rs 3,000 crore worth of books in 2004-05 in genres like fiction, spirituality, self-help and healthcare, to name just a few.

Priyanka Malhotra of Full Circle agrees, "Though sales of our books have always been good, last year we saw nearly 20 per cent growth in sales." In her view, "Book sales are on a new high because of the success and the increasing number of Indian-based authors."

She adds, "Economically, our sales were always good, though the past year has seen 20 per cent growth in sales."

Most publishers feel that serious efforts made by publishers to produce quality publications in India and intelligent price-positioning has resulted in the industry extending its services to a growing middle-class segment too.

Some also feel that opening book stores within coffee shops has made a considerable difference to the reading habits of people.

"Some of our popular authors from Britain and the US have been well received in India and have played a crucial role in getting us the required sales," affirms Ashok Kumar Malhotra, chairman & managing director, MBD Group.

The group has set up its own printing press to deliver up to 5,00,000 books per day. "We are in collaboration with over 20 reputed publishers from around the world," he adds.

The golden run for the industry is visible in numbers. Says Mehra, "Five years back, publishers were content selling 1,000 copies a year; today 2,000 copies disappear in less than a year."

While bookstores are being planned by some of the leading publishing houses of India, there are others who feel that it's the power of the Internet that's helping them in sales to a considerable extent.

Mehra says, "Our website has got us decent sales. We feel that online sales certainly help us in popularising the mass market fiction titles, books for children and puzzles."

Aakash Shah of Jaico Publishers, however feels, the Net is a restrictive medium but, nonetheless, "a good way to build our distribution network." According to him, "It'll be a while before we can say that online sales can drive revenues for various publishing companies."

But will his company also venture into retailing and open its own bookstores? "There's an ardent need to have specialised stores that can stock books on spirituality, health and self-help," he points out, but cautions, "we'll have to plan well before we announce the company's foray into retail segment."

Here's looking forward to the next chapter in the Indian publishing industry.