Sales and Marketing

Traditionally OUP relied on travellers to promote and sell its books in the UK and branch staff to do so overseas; these activities were managed from the Sales Department at Ely House. Feedback from the branches and UK travellers on customer preferences did not reliably reach editors in Oxford and London. Following the reorganization of the Press in the 1970s, publishing divisions took control of marketing their own books and a greater priority was given to market preferences in decisions about design, format, pricing, timing of publication, and projected sales. The chapter chronicles the changes in marketing policy and sales techniques, offering examples of the impact of market analysis, customer feedback, and promotional campaigns on particular titles. The chapter also considers the way the Press reacted to changes in the retail book sales with the growth of chain stores, book clubs, and the online marketplace.