It is one thing coming up with a good product, and another thing entirely coming up with a distribution deal that can maintain it and make it a viable financial asset. Books are a good example of how the distribution process is intrinsic to success, and a dedicated distribution network absolutely necessary to create a profitable and sustainable product.

cookery book and diet sheet publications are generally distributed in book shops and newsagents, with online outlets getting a larger percentage of the market all the time. For anyone wanting to get into the food and diet related publication business, the entire distribution process is critical and can make all of the difference between success and failure.

Book shops have been around for a long time and are generally largely trusted by the book buying public. Newsagents are another traditional distribution option for book publishers, with many crossing over into a combination of book and magazine sales. Some shops also sell a number of audio book titles, including audio books for young adults and children. While these two distribution options are tested and solid, the biggest change to book distribution is happening online. Websites like Amazon are extremely successful because books sell very well in an online environment. Unlike a lot of products that suffer online due to the inability of people to trust digital information alone, books are much more of a 'what you see is what you get' proposition. Diet programs and sheets also sell well online, and can also be promoted to a highly targeted marketplace in the online environment.

Online shop websites even have some advantages over real world outlets, including the ability to include customer reviews and discussions, and links to related material. In order to improve the sales of their cooking books and other printed products such as diet programs and magazines, newsagents and book shops could learn a few things from online establishments. Through including an in store database that lists similar publications, and having a much larger inventory of books in stock to choose from, real world stores could gain back some of the market that they have lost online.

Book shops and newsagents have traditionally been the best, fastest, and most effective way for book publishers to get their products out into the marketplace. With the continuing rise of online stores however, book distribution is not so clear cut and cookery book publishers may have a more difficult time deciding where best to distribute their material. While real world stores are not going to go away any time soon, it is inevitable that the online shops will continue to take a large share of the market.