NEW MEDIA: Harper Collins goes online for booksales push

Harper Collins, one of the UK’s leading publishers, is launching a

consumer brand on the net in an attempt to gain a share of the

fast-growing internet book market.

The publisher wants the site, called fireandwater, to be a leading

online brand. Although it will compete with rivals Amazon.co.uk, and

bookpages.co.uk, Harper Collins has added extra features. It will be

pitched as a ’book lover’s web site’ in which users can meet and discuss

topics with authors.

It will also contain a catalogue of Harper Collins’ titles.

The site will launch in October. It aims to raise consumer awareness of

the publisher, to boost high street sales and be a key source of

information for authors and students.

A spokesman at Harper Collins online said: ’This is a major new

initiative for us. It will enable users to purchase books and have chats

with favourite authors.’

Harper Collins’ current web site, at www.harpercollins.com, will be

replaced by fireandwater. The site, at www.fireandwater.com, was created

by new-media house Poppe Tyson.

This article was first published on Marketing