Information for Publishers

Our Services For Publishers

If you publish books on Indian culture, history, or novels and all other subjects, We want to help each title reach its potential customers in the UK and worldwide.  You have found the right distribution partner.

 Here at Motilal Books, we have a large network of book industry connections, which we combine with our efficient importing and exporting capabilities. This means we can offer a top quality distribution service,  usually starting with providing information on availability and price to potential customers.

In 2012 we sold 88,000 Indian published books, in 2015 it increased to 132,00, and by 2019 it had increased to 145,000 – and then we had the multiple challenges of Covid,  increased freight cost and unreliability.   That has been followed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,  the cost of living increases, and  greater world instability, in India and the western world in general.

From a simple start in the 1980’s,  we have become specialised in introducing Indian publishing to the worlds book trade outlets.  Since starting with Amazon in 2006, we have seen the trade move from only bookshops and library supply, to multiple online sellers in every country, and specialist buyers with Government and University library supply.   We currently sell over 200,000 Indian published books each year, as more and more discover the quality and excellent value Indian publishing offer.

How we maximise the sales potential of your books:

• All our purchases from you are firm sales.
• Spend no money on marketing and advertising, or set a budget if you can afford it.
• Your books will be available through the worlds sophisticated book trade system.
• We supply to all trade outlets, from Amazon, to wholesalers, retail chains, independent booksellers, public and academic libraries and up to 1200 Internet booksellers worldwide.
• We arrange and pay for all freight costs from India to the world.
• We offer our customers credit facility, we accept returns, and can supply any title in print.
• Our top 200 titles are adopted into our uk stock, held in stock by leading wholesalers, and Amazon . We hold 9500 titles in our UK warehouse, giving immediate supply.
• We airfreight from our Delhi office at least once a week, and sea freight every 2 months.

Publishing meta data requirements

Trade buyers expect to see full information when searching for any book, to help their buying decision. Please be sure that you send us the below data on our template, to enable fast and efficient circulation.

• A correct ISBN13
• Full title and subtitle
• Author’s name and publisher’s name
• Publication date
• Subject
• Binding
• Page count plus any illustrations or line drawings
• A quality, high resolution front cover image, labelled only with the ISBN13
• A good sized, clear barcode on the back cover
• Description of the book’s contents
• The author’s profile and background
• Book height and width in centemeters
• At least 20 key words about each title

 Motilal Books are always developing active distribution channels. We carry all regularly selling titles in stock, order daily from our Delhi office and deliver weekly by airfreight from Delhi to London.

 As an Indian book publisher or UK publisher wishing to sell to India and Eastern Asia, we also work with English publishing from Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other surrounding countries, with delivery from each country to the UK approx. once a month.

We cannot make retailers hold any book in stock. If they see publicity or widely read reviews, they will get a demand, and then they will stock, but only on sale or return. The more awareness, the more likely the sale. Always try to get reviews in UK media or at least the Indian media.

Remember, there are 5,000 new books in English published each week worldwide.

Call 01727 761677 or email [email protected] for all book enquiries.