Barefoot books

[emmagee]

I am considering becoming a 'stallholder' for Barefoot books, anyone else out there one already? It's basically a direct selling operation, no pyramids etc just wondered what people thought about it, about their books etc?

Their books are wonderful! Beautiful illustrations, often very unusual, and some lovely collections of stories for older children. I found them through 'Bear on a Bike' which someone sent me; it inspired me to send for a catalogue. I also have a CD of stories which was a freebie via Junior mag; my five year old loves it. They even do stationery which is yummy too.
Good luck if you do it. I have no idea about stallholding, but the product's certainly good.

What a wonderful job, Sobernow. Do booksellers pay as badly as I am led to believe? Is it a career worth thinking about? I ask as one with a big interest in children's books. (Chat name gives it away really!)

I've got one of their books, just by chance and ds loves it - the illustrations are v. unusual. I didnt know they had a catalogue, I'm off now to see if they have a web site.

I'd also be interested to know about becoming a 'stallholder'. How did you find out about it?

Sobernow - 'the pay and the public'? Pay, I understand, but why public? You're not advising me to start a new career then?!

emmagee, I read a great article about 'The Book People'. Apparently it is a very family friendly company(flexi hours, workplace creches etc) and staff are are richly rewarded. Salaries/comission easily totalling £70,000 for sales staff are not unusual. If you've been researching book companies, I wondered if you'd looked into them. I'd love to have more info from someone - they sound too good to be true!

I'm sure The Book People have something on their web site about selling books for them. Their prices are great both through their mail order catalogue/web site and from the people who go round companies/schools/shops etc. My mum gets loads of bargains from the book people rep who goes to her place of work.

I've recently looked at Brainworksathome.co.uk becasue they now do all the Brainworks on a party plan basis. These are educational CD roms, books and games. I have previously ordered from Brainworks through a friend because I don't like being tied into a 'must buy x number of products over a year' contracts but I do find that their mail order prices are very good. In the end I decided that party plan wasn't for me as I think that I would have difficulty getting party bookings once I'd gone through my own circle of friends. I'm told that you can do well with schools and playgroups if you have the time and motivation.

Good grief, Sobernow! How utterly and appallingly rude. She sounds like a throwback to a (I hoped) bygone age. Shopgirl, indeed! I wonder you didn't explode with either anger or derisive laughter.

That's shocking, Sobernow - how did you manage to stop yourself from giving her a good slap???

I worked in a shop for years, and experienced some of this sort of attitude, but not as bad as this. I just had to grit my teeth - which was very hard for me, as I'm fairly outspoken (my dh would say that that it an understatement!)

Tigermoth - where did you read that article - 70,000 is my favourite number !

Soothepoo, the article was in a recent broadsheet - sorry can't remember more. The £70,000 salaries has me ing too!

Bit late to this Emmagee, but I too think the books are lovely, as is the stationery using illustrations from some of the titles. Good luck with the enterprise.
Sobernow, your anecdote about being a shopgirl but no lady made me smile. I've worked in college and public libraries and the assumptions people make about what can be said in front of you/directly at you sound pretty similar to bookselling...and then they expect (and get) expert advice on literature. My best moment was almost being hit over the head with a poetry anthology by a punter who insisted that W H Auden's Funeral Blues was written by T S Eliot.