In its first full quarter since it decided to stop selling its titles through Amazon, Educational Development Corp. reported that sales for the period ended May 31 rose 5%, to $6.6 million, while net earnings increased 17%, to $350,200. Company chairman Randall White said the results were “better than I expected.” The sales increase was driven by an 11% gain in its home business division which has over 6,100 home-based reps who sell the Usborne line of books. The home reps, White said, “really came through for us.”
Sales in the publishing division, which sell to retailers and online retailers, dipped in the quarter, but White said that was largely due to returns from Baker & Taylor who had help fulfill Amazon orders. Overall, retailers have also responded well to EDC’s decision to drop Amazon and White is hopeful that with returns back down to a normal level sales in the publishing division will increase in the second quarter.
