Ingram Entertainment Buys Baker & Taylor Entertainment Assets

On Monday, January 14, Baker & Taylor announced that it has sold certain assets of its entertainment product distribution business to Ingram Entertainment Inc., effective January 11.

“The sale of our retail entertainment assets to Ingram Entertainment will allow both companies to bring greater value to customers through the strengths of our respective wholesale distribution businesses,” said David Cully, president of Baker & Taylor. “For Baker & Taylor, that means delivering the most innovative and efficient content distribution services to our retail, public library, and publisher service customers everywhere.”

Included in the sale are customer agreements for the wholesale purchase of pre-recorded DVD, Blu-ray, and audio music CD and vinyl record products; the sale relates only to entertainment products and does not involve book products.

“Baker & Taylor has been a respected competitor and a valued contributor to the home entertainment products distribution business for many years,” said Bob Webb, president and CEO of Ingram Entertainment. “Ingram Entertainment looks forward to the opportunity to increase our sales of products to video, audio music, and online retailers.”

In an e-mail to booksellers sent Monday, January 14, Baker & Taylor said, “While this marks a meaningful change to Baker & Taylor’s retail entertainment customer operations, it has no impact on our bookselling operations.”

“Our commitment to providing booksellers with the best in physical books and audiobooks remains the same,” the e-mail continued. “There are no changes to how you work with Baker & Taylor. When it comes to bookselling, our commitment is as strong as when we were founded in 1828.”

Booksellers with questions can contact their Baker & Taylor representative.