Division 2 Staff costs. A coefficient of 3 (based on the number of books) was applied to this item, as the reception of small orders gives rise to difficulties peculiar to this category. The reception of works from large publishers or distributors is computerised using the EAN code, which makes recognition of the work by optical scanning possible. Conversely, works published by small publishers often do not contain a bar code, which means that manual recognition is necessary.
United Kingdom
Large publishers delivered to Parisian customers for a contribution to the transport costs fixed by the trade association, which is FFR 0,75/kg, whereas the price paid messengers is FFR 6,5/kg for the packages used for works from small distributors. As invoices to foreign booksellers are flat-rate, that source of supply means a reduction in margins.
Giving small orders a coefficient of 3 thus makes it possible to include an appropriate charge for their processing in the cost accounting.