Remaindered Books

[DrG2]

I don't know if any of you are on the publishing side of the business. Remaindered Books are books that haven't sold well and the publisher tries to get rid of them at lower prices.

For example, I recently bought a trade paperback version of "Ender's Game" with a movie tie-in for $4.99 whereas the price on the cover was $12.99. The remaindered books usually have a mark on the edge of the pages (in Sharpie).

My question is: Does the author get paid for these? Do they count in sales numbers?

[mammamaia]

they would have to... i can't imagine a book contract with a clause that says the author won't get paid unless the books are sold in a bookstore... or that an author with any sese would sign such a contract...

[pls]

[mammamaia]

since they'd have to have been purchased from the publisher, that would still be income the author is meant to get a percentage of...

[James A. Ritchie]

No, writers do not get paid for remaindered books. The publisher sells a massive number at a time, and usually does so far below cost, or at true cost. All the publisher is trying to do with these books is recoup cost. The publisher isn't making a profit, so neither does the writer.

Discount books are not necessarily remaindered books. If the store pays the standard price for the books, which includes writer royalty, the store can, if it wishes sell the books on discount.

But remaindered books, no, the writer makes no money from them at all.

[James A. Ritchie]

[James A. Ritchie]

[DrG2]

Do publishers ever give a bookseller an option to sell a book as "remaindered" rather than returning it?

[James A. Ritchie]

[mammamaia]

i stand [sit] corrected... was surmising when i should have been checking it out... apologies to all for misinforming...