It’s time for another edition of The Insecure Writer’s Support Group, founded by Ninja Captain, Alex J. Cavanaugh.
The question for today: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
There are a lot of things to choose from! Plagiarism, vanity publishers, using AI to write the whole book, etc.
I decided to go with one that many people may not be aware of – book returns.
Bookstores and the wholesalers & distributors who deal with them are the only ones who return books. (They have a three month minimum window to do this.) They will order ten books, sell five, and when it gets close to 90 days, they return them – only to turn around and order another 5-10 books because now they don’t have any! Meanwhile, the publisher gets dinged for those returned book, sometimes just for printing cost and profit made, sometimes also for the shipping. This practice started during the Great Depression when stores were afraid to order any books lest they get stuck with them – and unfortunately, it was never reversed. (So, when my authors see a negative balance, that’s why – we get dinged and so do they.)
I’d also like to add that Amazon’s practice of allowing returns of eBook up to 7 days later is also unethical. People can download a book, read it, and then return it. No other seller or distributor allows eBook returns!
Have you experienced book returns? What do you consider an unethical publishing practice?
And some recent charcuterie boards:
21 comments:
Never experienced book returns..yet. And yum! Your charcuterie boards are deliciously amazing.
You're right that it's unethical for people to read a book and then return it.
The return, reorder this is messed up. And I agree with a 7 day return policy on ebooks is just weird!
Great looking boards! And gah about the return/reorder. That sucks.
Yes! An ebook return within 30 minutes to 24 hours, totally acceptable. Days and days later? No. Just no. And shame on book sellers for returning and reordering! They should know better. I mean, I know it's common practice, but they should do what they can to sell the overstock rather than this common, but really silly practice.
Returning all those books is just wrong. And now I know why I don't buy eBooks from Amazon.
First of all, I'd like to discuss this face to face over the snack table you're sharing. I'm starving now and I blame you. hehehe
I completely forgot about returns and have done a little reading on it. I thought Amazon changed some of its rules about returns recently, but it might have been on other things--not books.
I agree that book returns--taking advantage of the system for profit--is unethical and should be challenged. I'm sure eventually someone will.
Anna from elements of emaginette
I didn't know about Amazon's policy, and I agree, it makes so sense that you can return an ebook after that long. Unfortunately, the practice of buying things, using them, and then returning them is so common nowadays. I absolutely love your boards!
It's an uphill battle for anyone in the publishing business--certainly, small presses have a lot to contend with. Love those boards.https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/caged
With ebooks, it's a real pain.
Your boards look amazing!
yummy boards!
I despise book return policies. We don’t make any money as it is, then we get scourged by cheapos returning the books, especially ebooks. ugh
amazon is big enough to take the return hits on its own
ah well. happy august!
Tara Tyler Talks
I've been lucky not to have very many ebook returns, and all my paperbacks must be POD. Haven't had to deal with that at all. I agree that Amazon's return policy for ebooks is too lenient.
So many things that were "temporary" practices to get through the Great Depression need to die now. It made sense then. Now? Not so much.
Emaginette, where do you live? Maybe we can?
Melissa, years ago when Borders folded, taking Waldenbooks with it, we got hit hard with returns. It sucked!
Those boards look luscious. The returns would be especially problematic for publishers.
That is unethical. The e-book returns are even more than unethical—that sounds like theft.
I'm happy to say I've not seem much, if any, ebook returns, but I agree--that's just theft. Maybe that's part of why Amazon is no longer allowing downloading ebooks to your own computer to keep them--got to be able to control your reading. Basically, Amazon is a terrible publisher, for the reader and the writer. And we can't move away from them though I will always branch out to all the other outlets as well.
I guess only a publisher would think of book returns as unethical practice. As a writer, I never experienced those, so I didn't think of it.
Your charcuterie trays look as tasty as always. I wish I was there.
I agree about the terrible practice of book returns. Except if its damaged and/or unreadable. Anyone can read a book with 7 days and return it. UGH. That should be eliminated. Oh My! these charcuterie boards are scrumptious!
Hi Diane - I'd heard about book returns, but not about the e-book aspects. It's difficult at the best of times. Those boards do look delicious - well done - love the varieties you offer ... cheers Hilary
Thank you for writing about the subject of book returns. I haven't published yet, so was unaware of the practice and costs.
Return of eBooks. Boy that's another mess.
Your charcuterie are a work of art.
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