PMA Asks for Booksellers' Input on Returns

PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association, is asking bookseller members of the American Booksellers Association to respond to a series of questions about returns for an article scheduled to run in the newsletter PMA Independent in January 2006. PMA is also soliciting responses to the same questions from its 4,200 independent book publisher members.

Jan Nathan, PMA's executive director, explained, "Returns both help and hinder our industry. We feel that the answers to the questions below may help all people within the industry to think about ways in which we can help each other achieve more revenue and, perhaps, change a process that has never been profitable for either of us.

"We would like booksellers' permission to reprint their responses in the PMA Independent, and hope by raising these issues we may help all to understand how to work better with each other."

Responses to the questions below may be returned by November 30 via e-mail to [email protected], by fax to (310) 374-3342, or through the mail to PMA Independent, 627 Aviation Way, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.

"We would greatly appreciate hearing independent booksellers' viewpoints on this subject," said Nathan.

PMA presents the following scenario and asks booksellers to respond to the five questions below:

No returns allowed: Suppose that a genie gave you the power to abolish returns in the book business.

1. What would the positive consequences be?

2. What would the negative consequences be?

3. On balance, do you think abolishing returns would be good or bad for booksellers?

4. On balance, do you think it would be good or bad for publishers?

5. What would you do with your magical power to abolish returns and why would you do it?

Please include your name, the bookstore name, and e-mail address or phone number in your response to PMA.