In future, books in the top-selling genres “New Adult”, “Young Adult” and “Entertainment (main target group: female readership)” can be clearly identified in the book industry's systems (Börsenblatt article). This will enable publishers and bookshops to make the best possible use of the sales potential of the associated titles.
This is made possible by the unique expansion of the merchandise category system. We asked our colleague Julian from the Digital division, who played a key role in the further development of the standard, how this came about and what needs to be done now.
- The further development of a classification is not unusual. What makes this extension so special?
With the product group classification system, a classification scheme has been expanded that the industry agreed years ago would no longer be adapted. This is because there is now an international standard in the form of the subject classification, which, with a much larger number of categories and the possibility of combinations, makes it possible to describe titles much more granularly and precisely. At the start of the “Re-measuring genre literature” working group, the members of the Product Metadata Interest Group (IG) advocated the use of the subject classification to map the trend titles.
However, two factors then led us to look into the product group system after all: firstly, the fact that purchasing on the retail side is still managed almost exclusively on the basis of product groups and a changeover to Thema could not be implemented in the near future, and secondly, the understandable desire of our sales colleagues from the publishing houses to find a quick solution. - How would you describe the cooperation in the group?
Constructive and collegial. We were all interested in finding a viable solution for the entire industry and there was no one who was narrow-minded or dogmatic about certain points. As a result, we not only managed to expand the product groups, but were also able to create a really helpful guide with very specific recommendations for action. - How do you rate the result?
Even if it is not what we wanted, namely to use the topic classification, we have found a pragmatic and practice-oriented compromise in a short space of time that is technically feasible and can be quickly put into practice by all market participants. The result provides orientation for all participants and makes New Adult & Co. evaluable. An important prerequisite for this was the composition of the working group with professionals from retail, sales, metadata management and market research. - What steps does the industry need to take now?
The first step is to quickly and consistently implement the new product groups in all relevant applications, i.e. merchandise management and publishing systems as well as the associated systems.
Secondly, it must be clear to us as an industry that we have finally reached the end of the line when it comes to the merchandise category system. In my view, there can be no more adjustments. The future belongs to the theme standard. To achieve this, the existing discrepancy in the use of classification must come to an end. It is unacceptable that the categories are used, for example, to set up the online store, but are not used for purchasing. The standard can only develop its innovative power if it is used comprehensively along the entire value chain.
PS: From calendar week 10-2025, we will provide publishers and bookshops with the three new product group codes and the corresponding sub-genre codes in the Directory of Available Books (VLB). 👉 What this means for you