Adulations Pour In For The Printed Storybooks From Story Time
Announcement posted by Teknowledge software 27 Nov 2014
It has been a kind of response that the Story Time publication house had hoped for, but not really anticipated. The self-publishing company, which started its commercial operations less than a year ago, has already become one of the top publishers for interactive kids’ books.
In hindsight, the decision of the Story Time officials to create online bookstores instead of setting up a physical store has turned out to be a real smart move. The company started out by listing its books at eBay India - where people could buy books online, by browsing through the Story Time library. Within a month, total sales figures had crossed 100, and positive feedback was pouring in from the buyers.
Encouraged by this response, Story Time started operations on Amazon India, Flipkart and ShopClues from last month. Each of the three channels are off to a good start, with 3 Amazon orders coming in on the very day the storybooks were listed on the platform. Feedback is being actively sought from all buyers, and till date, everything has been positive about the Story Time books.
Parents are happily purchasing books online from the Story Time bookstores - and the self-publication agency is keen to build on this robust start. Talks are already in place to bring more titles to the online bookstore collection of the company (there are 8 Story Time books, as of now). By the end of the first quarter of 2015, the company will be launching at least 4 more books, of which 2 will be in hardcover.
During a press meet held last Monday, the head of Story Time publications put forward a few reasons for the rapidly burgeoning popularity of these printed storybooks. The initial thrust, according to her, came from Story Time For Kids - a mobile app developed by Teknowledge Software. It was launched in 2011, and its worldwide popularity had given the confidence to Story Time (a sister concern of Teknowledge) to come up with printed storybooks. Like the storytelling app, the books have also been roaring successes.
It has not been a straightforward tale of putting up kids’ books online for sale, serving the orders, and raking in the moolah though. Story Time has created nearly 30 interactive digital storytelling sessions and book fairs over the last six months, at leading city schools. Books have been given away at special discounts at these school fairs. The coup-de-grace among the company’s events this year was, of course, the free, day-long Story Time Monsoon Camp. It was organized in August, and was attended by around 250 children.
Several other factors have contributed to the positive word-of-mouth publicity of the Story Time books. For instance, the promptness of book delivery has played a key role. Except for ShopClues (for which Blue Dart courier services have been opted for), Story Time has gone with a reliable local courier company (Professional Courier). Till now, the company has received orders from all across the country (including far-flung areas in the south) - and there has not been a single case of delay, damage-in-transit, or other delivery errors. Customers have confirmed that when they purchase books online from Story Time, they can rest assured of receiving them on time.
The unwavering attention to quality and wholehearted commitment to satisfy customer-expectations have paid rich dividends too. The Story Time professionals make sure that each book that is being shipped is in perfect shape, free of any kind of damage. There is, of course, a return policy as well - which offers an extra bit of assurance to buyers. Previous buyers are regularly intimated about special seasonal discounts and deals. At present, a Children’s Day discount sale is on at the Story Time online bookstore at eBay.
The chief of Story Time Publications had an interesting tidbit to share during the media event. She stated that, for the first couple of years, the kids’ book-publishing company was not looking for any great profits. Instead, the focus has been (and will remain for some more months) on establishing a strong brand-presence for Story Time. Proper initial exposure would surely lead to escalating sales and revenues over time. It’s another thing that Story Time has already become a household name.
For more information on the kids’ storybooks from Story Time, visit www.storytimeforkids.info. You can browse through the online catalog and buy books online from http://www.ebay.in/usr/storytimekids. For any queries, call 91-33-40649087 and/or drop in a mail at support@storytimeforkids.info. With dedication and genuine commitment, Indian self-publication houses can make it big - and there can be no better example of that than Story Time!