Back-List

Back-list refers to catalogue product. After the initial sales period (front-list), books move into subsequent printings. The life of a book can go on for a long time, and these back-list sales provide a steady revenue stream for publishers and authors.

The rise of online retailers such as Amazon.com have significantly impacted the importance of making back-list product available. Readers and collectors also utilize listservs and auction sites such as eBay.com to acquire older titles by favorite authors. Though it was never available in a retail outlet, a prime example of a desirable back-list title is Suzanne Brockmann's Ladies' Man which has fetched record sums in the secondary market.