{{Short description|Wholesaler}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Gardners | logo = Gardners.png | logo_size = 200px | type = Limited company | genre = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = 1986 | founder = | defunct = | location_city = Eastbourne | location_country = UK | key_people = | industry = Book and Entertainment Wholesale | products = | services = | revenue = £206 million (2016)<ref name=news/> | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = 709 (2016)<ref name=news>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/gardners-annual-revenue-85-399761|title = Gardners' annual revenue up 8.5% &#124; the Bookseller}}</ref> | parent = The Little Group | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{url|http://www.gardners.com}} | footnotes = }}

Gardners’ is an international wholesalers of books, eBooks, music and film. They work with multi-channel retailers worldwide, both online and on the high street, to supply physical and digital products. They offer back to store or direct to consumer on their behalf through a consumer direct fulfilment service.

Gardners are based in a 350,000 square foot facility in Eastbourne in South East England. They offer access to over 500,000 products in stock for same day dispatch,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Flynn |first=Clare |date=2018-11-22 |title=Production & Distribution: A Visit to Gardners - UK & International Book Wholesaler |url=https://selfpublishingadvice.org/gardners-wholesaler-books/ |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=Self-Publishing Advice Center from the Alliance of Independent Authors |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as over 1.5 million eBooks available for instant fulfilment.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

As the main book distributor in the UK, most UK bookshops get their book supply from Gardners.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Booksellers Association |title=Want to get your Book stocked in a High Street Bookshop? |url=https://www.booksellers.org.uk/BookSellers/media/Booksellers/Getting-Your-Book-into-a-High-Street-Bookshop.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Help - Independent Publishers |url=https://www.waterstones.com/help/independent-publishers/48 |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=Waterstones}}</ref>

==History== The company was founded in 1986 by Alan Little and still has involvement from other family members Jonathan Little and Andrew Little.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=9 October 2017 |title=One hundred new jobs to be created at Eastbourne |work=Eastbourne Herald |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=UKNB&req_dat=4EAB8751BB8C40518A44137F01A68E7C&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F1676DFF4C5678F68 |url-access=subscription |access-date=30 April 2023 |via=Newsbank}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=GARDNERS BOOKS LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02010127/officers |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>

In 2010, it opened Hive.co.uk, a direct retail store that shares profits with nominated independent UK book stores, from which it allows local pickup.

In 2017, Gardners announced an expansion with an increased sized warehouse and 100 more jobs at their headquarters in Eastbourne. The business already employing 800 in the area.<ref name=":0" />

In 2020, with the launch of the UK arm of Bookshop.org, Gardners became a partner in the company, handling all UK distribution for the Bookshop.org, fulfilling orders directly.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Flood |first1=Alison |title='This is revolutionary': new online bookshop unites indies to rival Amazon |work=The Guardian |date=2020-11-02 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/nov/02/this-is-revolutionary-new-online-bookshop-unites-indies-to-rival-amazon |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQs |url=https://uk-support.bookshop.org/en/support/solutions/folders/65000156239 |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=Bookshop UK |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, The Little Group bought out Gardners' rival Bertrams, incorporating it into Gardners which ran from the former Bertrams warehouse.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=Emma |date=2 December 2022 |title=Kip Bertram: 'It took me 63 years to fulfil my dream of being a doctor' |pages=14-15 |work=Norwich Evening News |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=UKNB&req_dat=4EAB8751BB8C40518A44137F01A68E7C&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F18E5EBDB44AA32D8 |url-access=subscription |access-date=30 April 2023 |via=Newsbank}}</ref>

2023 has seen Gardners expand to opening a U.S. arm to the company, with an aim to grow in that market.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wyman {{!}} |first=Nigel |title=London Book Fair 2023: Gardners Expands Its Reach In U.S. |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/london-book-fair/article/92050-london-book-fair-2023-gardners-expands-its-reach-in-u-s.html |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=PublishersWeekly.com |language=en}}</ref>

==See also== *List of book distributors

==References== <references/>

==External links== * [http://www.gardners.com/ Gardners official website] * [https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02010127 Gardners on Companies House database]

Category:Wholesalers of the United Kingdom Category:British literature Category:Companies based in East Sussex Category:Eastbourne Category:Book distributors

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