This is so helpful. My publisher initially gave us numbers for the first 3 months (5,000!), and the book has…Bookscanned (instead of “sold”) about 10-25 a week since, with bumps around holidays. In my FIFTH royalty statement (2.5 years post-pub), it showed 30% returns (WTF? This was the first mention of returns), and a grand total of… 5,100 sales. I felt SO dejected—and also suspicious, like, who audits these statements? (My publisher is one that has experienced theft from the inside, so I’m not entirely paranoid.) Thank you for this explanation.
Thank you Kate! This sounds so much like my 20 years in fundraising and reporting on gifts. Most are commitments not cash in hands. We always reported out about three or four months behind, too. The more I learn about publishing, the more I see there are so many industry parallels.
What percentage would be considered "low" returns? If my book sold 5,000 copies and 500 were returned, is this considered low? Thanks!
Yes, that would be low. I am sure there is a stat for what an average return rate is but I don't have that on hand. Anyone?
This is so helpful. My publisher initially gave us numbers for the first 3 months (5,000!), and the book has…Bookscanned (instead of “sold”) about 10-25 a week since, with bumps around holidays. In my FIFTH royalty statement (2.5 years post-pub), it showed 30% returns (WTF? This was the first mention of returns), and a grand total of… 5,100 sales. I felt SO dejected—and also suspicious, like, who audits these statements? (My publisher is one that has experienced theft from the inside, so I’m not entirely paranoid.) Thank you for this explanation.
Also, this was after two print runs and what I believed was almost 8K sales (earning out requires 16K sales)
Feel better.
Thank you Kate! This sounds so much like my 20 years in fundraising and reporting on gifts. Most are commitments not cash in hands. We always reported out about three or four months behind, too. The more I learn about publishing, the more I see there are so many industry parallels.
Yes! That's a parallel I hadn't thought of either. Good point!