A quick guide to the new CPI-Gardners wholesale partnership

CPI and Gardners have launched a major new alliance to improve the availability of books to buyers around the world. Here is CPI’s introduction to the logistics and benefits

This new strategic partnership between CPI and Gardners combines the power of print on demand with the global reach of a leading wholesaler. It means Gardners can now order books from participating publishers quickly and easily direct from CPI, via either digital on-demand or short-run printing.

How it works

To take part, all publishers need to do is provide Gardners with the ISBNs of titles they permit to be printed in this way. These titles can then be obtained by Gardners and sold into its vast network of retailers around the world from its hubs in the UK, Europe, and the US—including 15,000+ retailers, 1,000+ internet traders and many more libraries, school suppliers and non-traditional outlets. CPI invoices publishers for the cost of printing any books, while Gardners remits the proceeds from its sale back to the publisher, minus the agreed discount. 

Under the new system, books—hardbacks and paperbacks alike—are delivered from CPI to Gardners within 48 hours for paperback orders and 72 hours for hardback for swift fulfilment to buyers. Gardners’ 450,000 square feet distribution centre can also be used store small stocks of faster moving titles alongside those available via print-on-demand. The arrangements do not affect any publishers’ existing relationships with Gardners—they simply provide the wholesaler with an alternative supplier and faster availability.

Two examples

Let’s take the example of a trade title with a recommended retail price of £9.99. With a 50% wholesale discount, the publisher receives £4.99 for an order, before the print charge of £2.04—resulting in revenue of £2.95. On a higher priced academic title at £35, and a lower wholesale discount of 35% and a print charge of £3.94, the revenue received by the publisher is £18.81. Of course, publishers are free to set their prices and wholesale discount.

The benefits

Our partnership can help publishers generate substantial additional sales worldwide. It also reduces the cost of warehousing and shipping large volumes of books, and delivers the message that titles are constantly available via print on demand and Gardners. Put simply, books need never go out of print again. Gardners also observes the territorial rights connected to an ISBN, which ensures the correct restrictions are applied.

Getting started

Live feeds between CPI and Gardners are already operational for many publishers, and set-up of new titles can be completed in a day. The CPI team are available to support the start-up phase and answer any questions publishers have.

To learn more about the new partnership between CPI and Gardners, the benefits of getting involved and the help to get started, visit the CPI website. The CPI team would also be pleased to discuss new opportunities at the Frankfurt Book Fair; contact Andrew Neilson to set up a meeting.