Remaindered books or remainders are printed books that are no longer selling well, and whose remaining unsold copies are liquidated by the publisher at greatly reduced prices. While the publisher may take a net loss on the sales of these books, they are able to recover at least some of their sunk costs on the sale and clear out space in the warehouses.[1]
Stack of books with remaindering markings on the bottom next to the spine
Copies of remaindered books may be marked by the publisher, distributor, or bookseller to prevent them from being returned. "Remainder marks" have varied over the years, but today most remainders are marked with a stroke with a felt-tipped marker across the top or bottom of the book's pages, near the spine.[2]
Only hardcovers and trade paperbacks (paperback books, often larger than "pocket" paperbacks, sold "to the trade" or directly to sales outlets) are typically remaindered. Mass market paperbacks ("pocket" paperback books sold through a third-party distributor) usually become stripped books rather than remaindered books. A typical remaindered book will be purchased far below the retail price by a specialist in remainders and resold for a fraction of the retail price.[1]
Since Thor Power Tool Company v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, books in the United States have been remaindered much earlier and in greater quantities than prior to the 1979 decision. Since then, the number of unsold books that have simply been destroyed (by being trashed, burned, or recycled) instead of being sold at a large reduction has also risen greatly.[3]
Remaindered Books and Remainder Marks (from the International On-Line Booksellers Association)
Clive James (2 June 1983). "The book of my enemy has been remaindered". London Review of Books.
January 01, 1970
remaindered, book, remainders, printed, books, that, longer, selling, well, whose, remaining, unsold, copies, liquidated, publisher, greatly, reduced, prices, while, publisher, take, loss, sales, these, books, they, able, recover, least, some, their, sunk, cos. Remaindered books or remainders are printed books that are no longer selling well and whose remaining unsold copies are liquidated by the publisher at greatly reduced prices While the publisher may take a net loss on the sales of these books they are able to recover at least some of their sunk costs on the sale and clear out space in the warehouses 1 Stack of books with remaindering markings on the bottom next to the spine Copies of remaindered books may be marked by the publisher distributor or bookseller to prevent them from being returned Remainder marks have varied over the years but today most remainders are marked with a stroke with a felt tipped marker across the top or bottom of the book s pages near the spine 2 Only hardcovers and trade paperbacks paperback books often larger than pocket paperbacks sold to the trade or directly to sales outlets are typically remaindered Mass market paperbacks pocket paperback books sold through a third party distributor usually become stripped books rather than remaindered books A typical remaindered book will be purchased far below the retail price by a specialist in remainders and resold for a fraction of the retail price 1 Contents 1 In the United States 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksIn the United States editSince Thor Power Tool Company v Commissioner of Internal Revenue books in the United States have been remaindered much earlier and in greater quantities than prior to the 1979 decision Since then the number of unsold books that have simply been destroyed by being trashed burned or recycled instead of being sold at a large reduction has also risen greatly 3 See also editCut out recording industry Misprint Rock Bottom Remainders a charity rock band made up of writers who named themselves after this practiceReferences edit a b Cohen Roger 1991 08 07 Book Notes The New York Times Retrieved 2008 01 29 What is a Remainder Mark Bibliology O Donnell Keven Jr Spring 1993 How Thor Power Hammered Publishing The Bulletin of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Retrieved 2020 02 23 External links editRemaindered Books and Remainder Marks from the International On Line Booksellers Association Clive James 2 June 1983 The book of my enemy has been remaindered London Review of Books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Remaindered book amp oldid 1202051117, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
