We are tremendously happy to announce that we have gained a BIC Excellence Award for 2021-2022! This means that our customers all over the world, whether they are online or traditional brick-and-mortar stores, can rest assured that the information we are providing about all of our books is of an extremely high standard.
BIC (Book Industry Communication) are the organisation that create and regulate dependable standards across the publishing industry and ensure that all publishers are providing clear, data-rich, timely information across the supply chain.
One vital aspect of this process is the regulation of metadata; the bibliographic data we provide about all of our books to Nielsen Book Data and our retailers. From publication date and price, to cover images and synopses, all are vital pieces of information for both our retailers and the end consumer.
But what is metadata, you may well ask? Essentially it means data about data. It might not sound as exciting as editing a book or designing a front cover but without this basic information about our books – how much they cost, when they are published or whether they are hardback or paperback – retailers wouldn’t have the information they need to be able to sell our books and consumers wouldn’t be able to make considered purchasing decisions.
When most people think about the publishing process, metadata is probably not always at the forefront of their minds. However, as we move into an increasingly digital marketplace (of which the current pandemic has only accelerated) having enhanced metadata has become even more vital than ever.
Here at the Crow’s Nest, we are committed to providing the highest standard of data to all our customers into 2022 and beyond. And we think that’s very exciting.
