Half of the battle to good book sales is bookstore distribution. Since 70% of bookstore purchases are impulse buys, then it’s important for your book to be on the shelf. Customers don’t like to hear, “We don't have it, but we can order it for you in 5 – 10 days.”
But, how do you know if your book is on the shelves at Barnes & Noble, the largest book retailer in America? Fortunately, they offer a cool feature on their website (www.BarnesandNoble.com), called “Find It in Our Stores.” To use this feature, search for your book in the Barnes & Noble database. When it appears, go to your book’s individual webpage, and find the box that says “Enter a Zip Code.”
You can use this Zip Code search feature to find out where your book is in-stock at Barnes & Noble stores across the country. This tool is a good way to find out if your publisher successfully got good distribution for your book. Keep in mind that America is a large place, and B&N has almost 800 stores. So, if your book is new, then it may take a few months for your title to appear.
If you’d like to check on the in-stock status of your book, I’ve provided a list of Zip Codes from some of the largest CBA markets in the U.S.
Atlanta – 30338
Chicago – 60610
Dallas – 75201
Denver – 80211
Houston – 77024
Nashville – 37234
Orlando – 32805
St. Louis – 63128
Washington D.C. – 22102
Happy in-stock searching!
