History >
First a thriving small press, then 40 years of steady growth as a book distributor.
What Makes IPG Different? >
IPG offers more distribution programs, marketing channels, and support services than any other distributor.
General Marketing Approach >
For publishers: high selectivity and close consultation. For customers: intense human contact and state-of-the-art data feeds.
Sales Channels >
IPG has more sales channels than any other distributor.- National Retail Accounts
- National Wholesalers
- Mass Market Retailers
- Independent Booksellers and Regional Wholesalers
- Special Sales and The Gift Market
- Schools, School Libraries, and School Supply Stores
- Book Clubs and Foreign Rights
- The Professional and Academic Market
- The Spanish Language Market
- Canada
- International Sales
- Libraries
- Direct-to-Consumer Sales
Digital Services >
Since 2001 IPG has provided e-book conversion, consolidation, storage, and distribution, and very favorable rates for POD printing.
Specific Services for Publishers >
Pre-pub consultation, sales meetings and shows, access to Bookscan, Publicity and PR, advertising opportunities, and much more.
Operations >
State-of-the-art software and Distribution Center facilities; 24-hour turn time on orders.
Financial Condition & Payment Policies >
IPG's client publishers have been, without exception, paid in full and on time. IPG has no long-term debt at all.
Distribution Agreement >
IPG takes a fee based on net billing but no fees (unlike most distributors) for the storage of active titles, in-out charges, sample copies, etc.
FAQs >
Any questions? Check out answers to frequently asked questions from customers, clients, and current publishers.
Building Product Lists
New title information is submitted by publishers to IPG through an automated online form located in the Publisher Resources section of the IPG website. This information—-title, author and author bio, book specifications, price, etc.—-is vetted by the IPG marketing staff, in cooperation with the publishers, to produce a clearly focused image of each title to support the salespeople in their presentations to the booksellers and their other customers.
This title data is used to generate traditional print catalogs that are all four-color throughout, very carefully designed, with contemporary covers that have been praised by the buyers to whom they are presented. Publishers pay a prorated share of the cost of the production of the catalogs in which their titles appear, but this is a very low charge for a frontlist title. Some book retailers, and many libraries, still want to buy out of a print catalog which can be marked up and passed around to various subject specialists.
But crucially, this title data also becomes part of IPG’s massive electronic catalog, which is sent once a week, as an ONIX feed, to 120 major customers. The ability to provide full and accurate electronic title information allows IPG to fully participate in the modern supply chain management techniques employed by chain stores, national wholesalers, and big-box retailers. For more on this subject, see Data Management.
Molly Lyons
Production Manager
Molly began her career in the publishing industry at the University of Denver Publishing Institute and, upon graduating, took a position with the production department at Random House in New York. After seven years with the Random House Publishing Group, she joined IPG as production manager. Her department is responsible for all of IPG’s printed materials, including the seasonal catalogs, ads, sell sheets, and other sales tools.
