If I don’t like a book, returning it isn’t an option. I “used” the merchandise, even though I didn’t enjoy it. But if the book is missing pages, I would definitely return it.

I like your POD idea, Christine!

It really broke my heart to deface books that way, but I was newly married and living in a town with a small library so I wasn’t about to turn down free books. Now that I know more about the industry, I really wouldn’t do that to all those authors, but I didn’t know better. Sorry.

What I think they did was read the books without breaking the spines then return them for new ones without paying any additional cash.

You should hand out library card applications to these people.

When I worked at one of the major bookstores, we had people who would come in and return books because they said they didn’t like them. They would have their receipts but there was a trail saying they did this all the time. What I think they did was read the books without breaking the spines then return them for new ones without paying any additional cash. Those kinds of returns have to stop.

Sue

Midlist, unknowns, newbies? Nope. Not even for signings.

I would assume (and you know what they say about assume) the bookstores recycle the coverless books, but I’ve never worked in a bookstore so I don’t know.

My employer is an international book wholesaler and when we have damaged paperbacks, they are then put into an employee booksale. In the instance of mass-markets that have the cover removed, they are given away to employees on the understanding that they not be resold (as it is illegal).

You take as much as you can hold in your left hand, grab the top right corner of the cover and rip straight down. Then you flip the rest of the book straight into the dumpster. And you do it quick, because you are paid by the hour but they don’t want you to spend much more than a specific amount of time per store.

So:

No recycling. Maybe, if the big stores have a system in place for it. But generally not.

No giving of donations, or taking copies of stripped books. That is shoplifting from the store. And stealing straight from the author as well, since they are not getting a royalty on the stripped book. Also, no one needs as many donations as you would have. Returns are 50%, plus or minus.

Please don’t suggest a lower advance to save money for the publisher. For most of us, the advance numbers aren’t that great. The good news is: I will always earn back my advance, even when they throw half my books in the store dumpster. But it’s kind of hard to live on a couple grand, while waiting the year and a half it takes to see royalties. The publishers may complain about not making a profit, but trust me, they are getting more money than the authors, and I will not weep for them.

And a no-return policy is suicidal. Independents won’t support new authors, and department stores would probably drop their book departments, all together. And small town readers would have to get used to ordering everything on-line, since there would be no guarantee of ever seeing the books they liked, outside of big cities where the stores get enough foot traffic to justify keeping a variety of stock.

My recommendation would be developing a reliable POD kiosk system, small and cheap enough to be purchased by independants and department stores (or provided by publishers) but with high quality printing and good binding. You want a book? Maybe they keep one on the shelf for browsing. If you like it, you place an order and pick up the finished book at checkout. I think we are inching closer to the technology. The initial expense would be high, but if it worked, it could pay for itself by reducing waste.