Sourcebooks is continuing to fine-tune its efforts to expand its reach into the indie bookseller sales channel by replacing commission sales reps with an in-house sales team, effective Dec. 31, 2024.
The Chicagoland-based company announced on Monday that it is creating an internal indies sales team to be headed by Courtney Payne as director of independent retail sales. Payne moves to Sourcebooks from Chronicle Books, where she worked for 17 years in senior sales positions, including for the past three years as director of independent retailers, wholesale, and institutional sales. Previously, from 2004 to 2006, she worked as marketing manager of Sasquatch Books. Payne is based in Seattle and will be working remotely.
“We are thrilled to have Courtney leading our initiative to build the best internal indie sales team,” said Paula Amendolara, SVP of sales, to whom Payne will be reporting in her role. “Courtney has a proven track record of driving growth and fostering relationships with the indie channel, and her leadership will undoubtedly steer us towards new heights, reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional value and innovation to indie booksellers."
In the same release, Sourcebooks announced that Margaret Coffee, senior director of library and education sales and indie specialist, will focus on building up the company’s trade and education distribution channels while continuing to be involved with the indie channel “by spearheading sales efforts to new accounts and growing the company’s relationships with the American Booksellers Association, the regional independent bookseller associations, and independent booksellers.”
Sourcebooks is currently in the process of hiring field sales and telephone sales managers for the new indie sales team.
