Product Reassessment

Book sales in the US are down 9.3% .Total sales of printed books fell to $1.51 billion in 2012, down from $1.59 billion in 2011, reaching their lowest total sales since 2003. The number of printed books sold also fell, to 202 million from 209 million the previous year.
My main target for printed books would be schools, daycare centers, and hospitals. There are a many schools/ universities worldwide that could use printed books for educational purposes. These outlets promote and encourage the study of science and engineering and other varies fields of study using printed books to educate and inspire students and the public. To reposition and increase sales of printed book, book stores should first know who there customers are by finding out who is in their area, working people, institutes, students, or tourists. Knowing this information is important, this can help decide what type of books to offers, children, Young adults, Artists, Education, ect. If you know and serve your target audience and target market, you will have a basis to choose the best book marketing strategies to meet people needs. Determine the types of research needed to reposition this product or service. I would use secondary data while researching my product for repositioning. Secondary data is a valuable throughout the research process but particularly in the problem /opportunity identification stage. Secondary research uses outside information assembled by government agencies, industry and trade associations, labor unions, media sources, chambers of commerce, and so on. I choose this method of research mainly because printed book are going to be used for personal reading educational purposes and will not be used for something new.

Discuss the method(s) you would use to increase adoption rates.

Compatibility and direct Communication would the method best used to increase adoption rates of printed books.

Compatibility: is the degree to which the new product is consistent with existing values and product knowledge, past experience, and current needs. When the product or service closely matches the individual’s needs, wants, beliefs, values, the innovation can be considered compatible with the consumer.

Communication directly: Message directed towards early adopters should normally use different appeals then message directed towards early adopters should use different appeals than messages directed towards the early or the laggards.

Determine if a new service component will provide new interest in this product or service. The Primary markets where book publishers sell their products are chain, independent retail bookstores, college bookstores, elementary and high schools, libraries, universities, and other institutions. I don’t feel as though a new service component would bring new interest because books have a general purpose that they serve ,personal reading and education.

Anticipate the most likely distribution problems you would encounter and how you would address them. Companies are recognizing the changes in our economy and are adjusting their marketing techniques accordingly. Smaller publishers and independent authors do have a more leeway with pricing, but they still have many costs. Book publishers are faced with serious distribution challenges resulting from fundamental changes in the ways books reach readers.
The changes in the distribution environment are now leaving many cities and towns without booksellers or requiring consumers travel significant distances to reach a book store. This is denying publishers access to readers and reader’s access to books locally.

Signing with larger chain stores could help elevate some distribution