Damaged Book Returns

Most of the customers we supply have an agreed right to return unsold books. Our returns policy is in line with the Industry Returns Initiative (IRI). All return requests are submitted via BATCH RETURNS (www.batch.co.uk/returns). We ask for books to be returned in resaleable condition so we can absorb as many of these books back into stock as possible. We can and do reject many damaged returns, sending them back to the retailers as not in good enough condition to accept. We do NOT charge Publishers extra for returning or sorting these 'bad' returns. For some retailers we cannot guarantee the quality of their returns and may have to accept damaged returns to trade with them. This currently includes WHSmith and Waterstones. Where large orders are placed by WHSmith or Waterstones please expect a damage rate between 5% and 35%. The average is more like 15% but we cannot predict what it will be. 

We understand our publishers want to avoid waste and losses due to damages. We try hard to avoid loss through damages but the cost of selling to WHSmiths and Waterstones, in bulk, is damaged unsold books, that have to be credited.

In trying to keep both retailers and publishers happy we may have to compromise on some returns form either retailers but this will be kept to a very reasonable scale.

Any publisher can get in touch with Inderpal Naura inderpal@centralbooks.com to discuss this issue in more detail.