Blizard's Bookshop

Sir,—As a publisher's representative (W. Heinemann Ltd.) and a student of Auckland University I am naturally interested in text-book prices. In reference to your article last issue, I can only say that Peter Blizard has grossly exaggerated any profit a bookshop makes on the text-books he quoted. Apart from the fact that his percentages are a "little" inaccurate, the very fact that he "takes no account of shipping, freight, overheads and student discounts of 10 per cent" shows his research was nothing if not cursory. These charges are what takes the profit out of educational books, Ask any bookseller and he will say that only a big firm can handle this type of book as it is only by ordering large quantities any profit can be made at all. Educational books mean a lot of work for little return per copy.

In setting up a university bookshop, which I think personally is a very good idea, be sure you have noted all angles—including the overheads; these are huge.

These are my own opinions and not necessarily those of my company, but I feel they ought to be expressed.