EDC To Discontinue Sales Of Usborne Books On Amazon

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y., Feb. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Educational Development Corporation (EDC), which publishes Usborne and Kane Miller books in the United States, announced today that, effective immediately, the company will no longer sell any of its books on Amazon or to any entities that resell to Amazon. This follows a 2009 decision to stop selling the award-winning Kane Miller list via Amazon and now, by adding the Usborne line, it will include a full list of more than 1,500 titles.

According to EDC President Randall White, the decision comes in response to increasing moves by Amazon to "gain control of publishing and other industries by making it impossible for other retailers to compete effectively." With recent developments, including last week's news of Amazon demanding higher discount rates from Independent Publishers Group (IPG), a major distributor of books nationwide, along with the "cash mob" phenomenon of consumers supporting local businesses, White felt it was important to take a stand on the issue.

"I see this as critical to the long-term growth of EDC, and a way to demonstrate our support of the local booksellers, museum shops, gift stores, and others who sell our books to consumers. We also have an incredibly devoted direct sales force of independent sales consultants who make their living selling our books at home parties, to schools & libraries and via the Internet at www.usbornebooksandmore.com," says White. "We want to support them in every way we can, and we've seen how, working together, not only can we survive without Amazon, but we can thrive."

White reports that net sales of the Kane Miller books have increased more than thirty-three percent since 2009 when the list was pulled from Amazon. In discussing the decision, Kane Miller Publisher Kira Lynn says, "From my point of view as an editor and publisher, this is also about supporting the connection between booksellers and book buyers. Hand selling has always been a necessary, integral part of the business, particularly with children's books. And it's still the hand selling, the independent booksellers and word of mouth that can create a best seller. Amazon might sell them, but independent booksellers are the ones who create them." Educational Development Corporation is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ stock exchange (ticker: EDUC). EDC publishes children's books, including Usborne books and the Kane Miller line of international children's titles through Usborne Books & More, a direct sales organization of independent consultants, on their websites and through 5,000 retail stores. More than 1,500 different titles are currently available for children of all ages. For more information on EDC, please visit www.edcpub.com.

SOURCE Educational Development Corporation

Copyright 2011 PR Newswire. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.