Lulu and the London Book Fair Affaire: a Timeline

26th February
Lulu: "Your book will be displayed physically at the New Title Showcase on the Exhibit Floors AND Your book, along with your contact details will be listed online and in the printed catalogue given to attendees ... $399" (250.17 British pounds)

28th February
Peter May: "First, Lulu is not shown as an exhibitor at the London Book Fair. They do not have a stand ... Your book will be displayed on a shelf in The New Title Showcase area of the show for passers by to look at if they want to ... Does it cost £250.17 to place a book on that shelf? Not if you book directly with the New Title Showcase organisers at http://newtitleshowcase.com/ who charge £125 plus VAT per title. Yes, £125."

1st March
"Sherrie" from Lulu Publishing Services: "The first seems to be whether Lulu will have a booth at the show...the answer is YES! ... There is a fee to have your book represented at the show and it also included in the catalog that is supplied to the buyers, librarians, etc. attending the show ... I welcome your feedback."

1st March
"Sherrie" from lulu Publishing Services:"Yes, Lulu has a booth at the show ... The London Book Fair service includes having your book represented in the book catalog that goes out to 25,000+ show attendees."

2nd March
"Sherrie" from Lulu Publishing Services: "Again, to clarify...Lulu has a booth at the London Book Fair .. Let's talk about the BIGGEST benefit of participating in any book fair and that is to get into the book catalog that goes to buyers."

Peter May: "You say "Yes, Lulu has a booth at the show" Why then is Lulu not shown as an exhibitor on the show website? What is your stand number, whereabouts in the show is your booth situated? ... Will our books be displayed at your booth or in the New Title Showcase area?"

20th March
Eyjafjalla Glacier: PhfrlOOOOOOORb fssth BluuUUUUUrkkkk Boom Fsst (etc)

21st April
Barry Nugent: " I did in indeed find a Lulu section but it was not at all what I was expecting. Basically it was a section of Lulu books under the New Title Showcase banner which had a fairly large stand which comprised, from what I could see, of a number of self publishing companies"

Peter May: "there were 91 books listed in the catalogue under the Lulu.com heading. But it wasn't clear on the shelves which books were Lulu's as there was no separation on the shelves ... I couldn’t see any advantage over the Lulu £250+ package and paying £135 directly to the organisers. Lulu author Francesca Jobling from Gloucestershire must have dealt direct for her one book The Hunt because she got her own section with her address and contact details as well as her book details. Seems to me that is the way to go, if you’re going to go." "The CBE New Directory Showcase directory was available only on the CBE stand. If you didn't stop at the stand you wouldn't have got a directory. And, as you'll know, there were so many stands spread out over two halls."

"Sherrie" from Lulu Publishing Services: [crickets]

(Take home message, Lulu merely over-charged, Sherrie from Lulu Lublishing Services seriously over-promised, including on Lulu's own forums).

Sources:
* Lulu Announcement
* Luluforums.com (an independent forum about Lulu)
* Video of the Booth
* Lulu.com (official forum)