40+ Best Print Book Distributors in 2019 the Ultimate Guide

40+ Best Print Book Distributors in 2019 the Ultimate Guide List of Print Book Distributors As a self-published author, finding the right book distributors can be overwhelming. eBook distribution is relatively simple, as almost anyone can list their books on the world's largest retailers. But if you want people to find your title on the shelves of your local bookstore, you need a  distributor. And depending on your genre, some might be better for you than others.Well, we’re here to help! Below, we’ve put together a list of book distributors - some of which are also wholesalers - to help you get your book on the shelves. But first, let’s nail down what a book distributor is and why it might be important in your author journey.What are book distributors?Book distributors are companies that pitch and sell books directly to wholesalers, bookstores, libraries, and other retailers through sale representatives and catalogs. If you’re a self-publisher, that means that you don’t need to worry about marketing your book to bookstores - your dist ributor will do that for you. And depending on whether you're using print-on-demand services or printing in bulk, the wholesaler might also take care of warehousing your title.In exchange, though, you may need to sign an exclusivity agreement, meaning your distributor is the only one that can sell your books to retailers and can charge a lot for their service (about 55% or more of the book’s cover price).Note: if you haven't figured out how you're going to print your book yet, check out this post comparing the major print-on-demand services available to indie authors.Distributors often specialize in a specific market (such as fiction, travel books, or children’s books), which is why it’s important that you do research based on your book’s genre in order to find a distributor that best fits your needs. Some are also more indie-friendly than others - an important factor for self-publishers to take into account, as some distributors may not work with single -title authors. Find out what book distributors are and why they are important on your author journey What is the difference between book distributors and book wholesalers?You might also see the word â€Å"book wholesaler† pop up every so often when you’re doing your research. There is a difference between the two. Book wholesalers also buy books in bulk and store them. However, unlike distributors, they will not market or pitch your title to bookstores. Instead, they simply accept and fulfill requests when bookstores and retailers order titles directly from them.To get your book onto the shelves, there’s no getting around the need of a middleman between you and the retailers. It’s physically impossible for a self-published author to distribute their book nationwide, much less globally.Therefore, it’s up to you to figure out what kind of middleman you want. If you deal directly with a distributor, you only need to worry about getting your book in the distributor’s hands. The distributor will then take charge of the actual distribution process . Wholesales, on the other hand, merely stock your book for you. You’ll need to do all the marketing and pitching to bookstores yourself. Book distributors vs. book wholesales. What is the difference? Find out... How does this affect you?If you are a self-published author who’s looking to get your book onto the shelf of a bookstore (or maybe even into The Guardian), getting set up with the right distributor is vital. Start off by going to their website and reading their services information. You should be able to get an idea of 1. How the company works and 2. What kind of books they distribute. An ideal match is a distributor that specializes in your particular genre - you will want them to have the appropriate experience marketing and selling your kind of book, after all.You’ll then need to download and fill out their application - yes, even indie-friendly distributors don’t work with everybody. If you don’t find one on their website, emailing an inquiry is usually the best option. This goes without saying, but read carefully whatever you are required to sign as this will have a direct impact on your royalties.With that in mind, here’s list of distributor s to get you started.Print Book Distributors in the United StatesAK Press Independent publisher and book distributor specializing in radical left and anarchist literature. Specialized genres: Radical left and anarchist literature. Website: https://www.akpress.org/ E-mail: info@akpress.orgAlibris Premier online marketplace and distributor for independent sellers of new and used books, music, and movies, as well as rare and collectible titles. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.alibris.com/Anchor Distributors Family owned distributor of Christian books and church supplies. Specialized genres: Religious - Christian. Website: https://www.anchordistributors.com/default.aspx E-mail: anchor.customerservice@anchordistributors.comAmerican West Books A major, nationwide supplier to warehouse clubs, specialty grocers, and national booksellers. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://americanwestbooks.com/ E-mail: Info@AmericanWestBooks.comBaker Taylor – A Follett Company A leading distributor of books, video, and music products to libraries, institutions, and retailers. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: http://btol.com/index.cfm E-mail: btinfo@btol.comBCH Fulfillment Distribution Independent book distributor and fulfillment house focusing on Small Presses, particularly with 10 or fewer titles. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: bookch.com/home.taf E-mail: customerservice@bookch.comBella Distribution Distribution to independent and chain bookstores for small publishing and bookstore communities. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: belladistribution.com/index.htm E-mail: info@belladistribution.comBookBaby Offers on demand printing and book distribution services. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.bookbaby.com/book-distribution E-mail: info@bookbaby.com (Learn more about BookBaby here!)CB Books Distribution Supports self-published and first-time authors, specializing in urban authors. Specialized genres: Urban books and African American authors. Website: cbbooksdistribution.com/home E-mail: cbbookdist@aol.comCardinal Publishers Group National book distributor serving independent presses. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: http://cardinalpub.com/ E-mail: info@cardinalpub.comCasemate Major specialist publisher and book distributor specializing in the producing and printing of military books. Specialized genres: Leading publisher of military books but also covers more genres. Website: https://www.casematepublishers.com/ E-mail: casemate@casematepublishers.comConsortium Books Sales Distribution Works with independent publishers as well as academic, library, wholesale and specialist markets. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.cbsd.com/ E-mail: cbsdinfo@ingramcontent.comDeVorss Company Book publisher and distributor of Metaphysical, Inspirational, Spiritual, Self-Help, and New Thought titles. Specialized genres: Metaphysical, inspirational, spiritual, self-help, and new thought. Webs ite: devorss.com/ E-mail: service@devorss.comDiamond Comic Distributors The world’s largest distributor of English-language comics, graphic novels and pop-culture related merchandise. Specialized genres: Comics, graphic novels, pop-culture. Website: https://www.diamondcomics.com/Home/1/1/3/103 E-mail: newaccounts@diamondcomics.comGem Guides Book Company Book publisher and distributor of books on rocks, minerals, gemstones, fossils, and crystals. Specialized genres: Rocks, minerals, gemstones, fossils, and crystals. Website: gemguidesbooks.com/ E-mail: info@gemguidesbooks.comGreenleaf Book Group A publisher and distributor dedicated to helping independent authors and small presses getting their work published. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://greenleafbookgroup.com/ E-mail: contact@greenleafbookgroup.comIndependent Publishers Group Distributes in the United States for large and small independent publishers and for publishers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canad a, France, Ireland, Spain, Israel, and elsewhere. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.ipgbook.com/ E-mail: frontdesk@ipgbook.comIngram Content Group The world’s largest distributor of books to online and retail stores, schools, and libraries. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.ingramcontent.com/ E-mail: online.marketing@ingramcontent.comIngramSpark IngramSpark is Ingram’s platform for indie publishers, offering distribution, production, and book assembly. (For a promo code, read our IngramSpark review.) Specialized genres: Variety. Website: http://ingramspark.com E-mail: ingramsparksupport@ingramcontent.comMidpoint Trade Books A full-service book distribution company that represents independent publishers across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: midpointtrade.com/ E-mail: orders@midpointtrade.comNational Book Network An independent, full-service sales, marketing, and distribution company se rving book publishers from around the world. Specialized genres: Non-fiction, fiction, and children's titles. Website: http://nbnbooks.com/ E-mail: customercare@nbnbooks.comNew Leaf Distributing The world's largest wholesale distributor of books, recorded media and sidelines related to the subject areas of Spirituality, Metaphysics, Natural Alternative Wellness, and Conscious Living. Specialized genres: Spiritual, metaphysics, natural alternative wellness, and conscious living. Website: https://newleaf-dist.com/New Shelves Books Distribution company that offers their experience to small publishers and self-published authors. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: newshelves.com/ E-mail: info@newshelves.comPublishers Group West One of the top book distribution companies in the world. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: pgw.com/Readerlink Distribution Services The largest full-service distributor of hardcover, trade and paperback books to non-trade channel booksellers in North Americ a. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: readerlink.net/Default.aspx E-mail: Info@Readerlink.comSCB Distributors An independent, full-service distributor to the book trade. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.scbdistributors.com/index.shtml E-mail: scb@scbdistributors.comSimon Schuster Offers a full range of distribution services to independent publishers, including but not limited to sales, fulfillment, production, and digital support services. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: simonandschusterpublishing.com/sns-distribution/index.htmlSmall Press Distribution Currently the only distributor in the country dedicated exclusively to independently published literature. Specialized genres: Variety. Website: https://www.spdbooks.org/ E-mail: spd@spdbooks.orgSunbelt Publications Publishes and distributes books specializing on the land and its people, natural science, outdoor guides, and cultural histories and regional references of the southwest. Specialized genres: Natu ral science, outdoor guides, cultural histories, regional references of the southwest. Website: https://sunbeltpublications.com/ E-mail: sunbeltbook@sunbeltpub.comTAN Books A traditional Catholic American book distributor and publisher. Specialized genres: Religious - Catholic. Website: https://www.tanbooks.com/ E-mail: CustomerService@TANBooks.com A list of the top print book distributors in the US... all in one place Do you know any other distributors that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!