For unknown indie authors like myself, getting your book into Costco might seem impossible, but let me share my own experience, and motivate you to try this yourself.
As I tell my indie author friends, everything starts with building
- a relationship
What do I mean?
Well, if you shop at your local Costco, ask to speak to the manager. Introduce yourself, and say that you’re a local author and would like to know how to do a book signing at his/her store.
One Saturday while shopping, I noticed an author selling his books. I asked him how he got into Costco and he mentioned his publisher arranged everything for him. He had a traditional publisher, and wasn’t an indie publisher like myself.
I lucked out when Jeff, the manager, walked up to the author, and I took the opportunity to remind him that I also wanted to do a book signing. Fortunately, Jeff loves to read and support authors. I asked him for his e-mail, and he told me I had to call the headquarters in Issaquah, WA, and follow their instructions.
I called them and listened to their instructions about where to send my book, together with my press kit and it specifically said, that they do not want books published by Author House, X-Libris, I-Universe, or CreateSpace as the publisher. You can use CreateSpace for printing, but not as your publisher on record.
Fortunately, I have my own publishing company, “Gutsy Publications” which allows me to offer Costco the same discount bookstores expect from publishers. I offered them a 55% discount.
After waiting several weeks, I heard back from Costco’s, California based wholesaler, which supplies print books on local and regional topics to Costco warehouses nationwide.
I followed their guidelines, and my son helped me with PhotoShop to design two 20″x30″ posters, which Costco printed. I had to pay for them though.
Jeff was kind enough to allow me to place the posters at the front of Costco for a week before my signing, to alert shoppers.
I did all the local advertising and social media to get people to show up, and ended up selling 32 books in total.
On the day of my Costco book signing, several writer friends arrived to support me and some wanted to know how I did it.
I wish you all the best, and FYI, if you need help, please e-mail me your specific question and write (Free Question Consultation) in the Subject line and e-mail me at: sonia@soniamarsh.com.
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Congratulations! Good example of relationship building, persistence, and a belief in your product. Glad you sold a good number of them there.
Warren
Thanks Warren. How are you doing? Hope everything is going well for you.
Sonia
Sonia Marsh/Gutsy Living recently posted..How To Get Your Book Into Costco
Thanks, Sonia, for leading the way. Valuable advice for many of us who might not have considered the Costco option. Shows the power of building relationships.
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Thanks for the details, Sonia. I’m going to take a shot at getting into our Cosco. You inspire me!
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And I’m sure it helps if you spell the company name correctly! Costco!
Carol Bodensteiner recently posted..Lots of tomatoes? Try this salsa!
Great blog here! Also your site loads up fast! What
host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host?
I wish my website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
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It’s going to be ending of mine day, however
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increase my know-how.
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Great info. Lucky me I recently found your blog by accident (stumbleupon).
I have saved it for later!
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great story! i will share it with my http://www.inspiredauthorsacademy.com students! thanks for the inspiration!
So does this mean you could do a signing and have your books for sale at Costco or only allowed to do a book signing?
Elizabeth,
You can try each Costco in your area one at a time and they generally keep my books for about 3 weeks after my book signing. remember you have to sell about 20 on the day of the signing to be considered for another signing.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Annabel Candy is a Gutsy Woman Who Runs 2 Successful Blogs
Thanks for sharing your experience with COSTCO. I will ask a person at COSTCO that I frequent for book signing possibility. –Chai
Did you sign up for my video on the home-page. It’s free.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Annabel Candy is a Gutsy Woman Who Runs 2 Successful Blogs
Elizabeth,
Did you sign up for my video on the home-page. It’s free.
Sonia Marsh recently posted..Annabel Candy is a Gutsy Woman Who Runs 2 Successful Blogs
Hi Sonia. Congrats on the Costco deal. I am in Canada and have approached the local Costco Wholesale about book signing and the manager took my information to pass on to headquarters. After reading your post, I will follow up by contacting the vendor people personally.
I am curious whether or not you had an agreement regarding the return of unsold books with them?
Again, congrats on the successful negotiation.
When you sold the 2 books (and congratulations, by the way!) did they pay you directly or take it to the cashier? If you directly, did you use a payment system like Square or something similar? Checks? Cash? Thanks!
Shoot, that was supposed to say 32 books!! Congrats on the 32 books, and many more since, I am sure!!
I have published two books, “The Witch’s House” and “Nicholas Waring” under my pen name G. Ruby Harper. My books are fiction and action packed. Although Create Space did publish my books, you can also order it on the internet through Amazon.Com and Barnes and Noble. My question to you is Would Costco refuse a book signing because Create Space is one of the printers? Also “Nicholas Waring” is racy and full of sex and violence, while “The Witch’s House” does contains some foul language. Will this have any effect on weather Costco would allow me to have a book signing? I also do readings of some of the portions of my book that I think might interest my reader. I have been a little successful in this area
Gloria, Did you use the extended distribution with CS? My books are printed with CS, and I hand delivered them to my local Costco. As I said, you have to go and ask the manager of your local Costco if you can do a book signing there. You also have to make sure you sell at least 20 books, and invite your friends to purchase your books there. You would not do a reading at Costco. Good luck.