Book Returns FAQs
How are book returns processed?
Book returns are processed differently depending on whether you are Print on Demand (POD) or are taking advantage of our more traditional distribution. In both cases, however, Mill City Press does not directly handle returns from third-party vendors--they are processed by whatever entity is listing your book within the trade. We do provide monthly distribution statements to our authors, which will list any sales and/or returns.
POD Returns
If your book is POD and listed as returnable, you have two different processing options.
The first is to list the books as “return-deliver.” This means that any returned units will be shipped back to Mill City Press. We’ll contact you when we receive a returned book, and you can decide at that time whether you would like to ship the book back to you (at your expense). The printer does assess a $2.00 per book fee to ship the books back to MCP. If you elect to have us ship the book back to you after we receive it, we typically send it USPS Priority Mail (about $5.00 for a flat-rate envelope).
The second POD returns option is to list the book as “return-destroy.” This means that all returned units will simply be destroyed. When you list the book as “return-destroy,” you avoid the additional $2.00 per book fee assessed for books listed as “return-deliver.”
Expanded Distribution Returns
If you are in our Expanded Distribution Program, the distributor will process all returned units of your book. Returns can come from wholesalers or retailers. When returned units come in that are still in saleable condition, the distributor will add them back into your inventory. Authors participating in the Expanded Distribution Program are required to purchase the Returns Program (included in many of our larger packages).
Are there additional fees when a book is returned?
Again, fees vary based on your level of distribution. For all levels of distribution, you will be responsible for the wholesale cost of the book in addition to the specific fees associated with each distribution program.
If you’re in POD distribution, you’ll pay the wholesale value of the book and a $2.00 pass-thru fee if your book is listed as “return-deliver.” Then, if you want that returned unit shipped back to you, you’ll need to pay for shipping. If you’re in POD distribution and your book is listed as “return-destroy,” you will only be responsible for the wholesale value of the book (i.e., you won’t have to pay the additional $2.00 fee).
If you’re in our Expanded Distribution Program, you will be responsible for the wholesale value of the book, as well as the distributor’s fee (15 percent of the wholesale) and any freight fees associated with the returned units.
Where do returned books go? Can I resell returned books?
If your book is POD, and you list the book as “return-deliver,” books will be sent back to MCP. Unfortunately, there is no way to have returned units shipped directly to you--the POD distributor will ship only to MCP. When we receive returned units, we’ll contact you, and you can decide at that time if you’d like to pay to have the book shipped to whatever address you provide us. If you receive a returned book in good condition you are certainly free to sell it.
If you’re in Expanded Distribution, the returned copies will be shipped back to the distributor. If the books are in saleable condition, they will be added back into inventory. The distributor will treat these copies as new, and will use them to fulfill orders from third-party vendors. Most return units that the distributor receives are in good condition. If the return units are not in good condition, they will be set aside as a reserve inventory until the distributor is completely out of “new” inventory. When the returner pays for the books that were returned in less than good condition, they are recycled.
