Note the poor quality of the English (a lot of AS's staff are in the Philippines; English is a second language), the implied specialness of the offer (50% management discount, just for you!), the "hurry up and buy" pressure (supposedly only eight books will be able to get in on the deal; first come, first served!), and the...um...optimistic way the service that's being sold is presented ("endorsement" implies something tailored to the product, but in fact all it means in this case is a listing in Ingram's print and online magazines). It's all directly out of the junk mail marketing handbook.
Note, finally, the tiny-print disclaimer at the very, very bottom, under "Paul's" signature: "This email is an advertisement."
Bottom line: the author is being asked to shell out over $2,000 for a couple of magazine advertisements and returnability for a book no brick-and-mortar establishment is ever likely to order.
_______________________
From: Paul Wellshyr
To: [author's name redacted]
Sent: Sat, Jul 26, 2014 4:38 pm
Subject: [title redacted] - marketing it directly to owners of bookstores, retailers, and libraries
Mr. [author's name redacted],
Good day!
This is Paul Wellshyr, a Marketing Consultant from iUniverse. As I had mentioned earlier, I would like to see where and how far this book of yours, [title redacted], can take you. You may have published newer books than this one, but that doesn’t make this book any less than those newer ones.
And since I’m only asking you to give this book at least one chance to be promoted, then I want to make sure that I don’t get to waste such an opportunity by making sure that we would be able to penetrate the best market for this book… and that would be to get this book be carried and picked up by different bookstores, retailers, and libraries.
I had also been able to get the approval from my manager for an additional 1 year of the insurance/buy back program for this book.
Kindly review the information below.
Physical bookstores and retailers are the two establishments that had generated a good number of sales for those authors that had their books be carried by some establishments. Thus, we are aiming to have more retailers and bookstores to start investing on our books this year. To achieve this, we have made some changes that would make our books even more attractive and easy to invest on for bookstores and retailers.
Before, retailers and bookstores need to purchase around 500 to 1000 copies to be able to take advantage of a 40% retail discount from the distributor. The smaller the volume of copies they are purchasing, the smaller the retail discount gets. This had disabled most establishments, especially the smaller scale investors, to invest on the books. Now, while under the Ingram +BRP campaign, bookstores and retailers will be able to enjoy a 48% retail discount (instead of just 40%) and with NO minimum purchase required. This would allow even the smaller stores and retailers to be able to test the waters out with the book. Still, they would be able to return and get refunded for unsold copies.
With this opportunity I am offering you right now, we would be able to have your book be one (1) of the eight (8) books that would be endorsed directly to owners and decision makers of around 38,500 establishments across the globe. These establishments are composed of bookstores, retailers, public and school libraries.
Account Holder | : | [Author name redacted] | ||
Pen Name/Pen Name | : | [Author pen name redacted] | ||
Project/Book ID | : | [redacted | ||
Book Title | : | [Title redacted] | ||
Genre | : | Body, Mind & Spirit / Supernatural / Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs | ||
Proposed Project/s | : | Ingram Endorsement Project | ||
Components/services involved | : | Ingram Print and Online Marketing | ||
: | Book Returnability Program (12 months) | |||
Recipients | : | Subscription Based - Total of 38,500 | • Bookstore Owners | |
• Retail store owners | ||||
• Library Directors | ||||
Total Investment required | : | $4,548 | ||
3 Payment Installment option | : | Initial Payment | $1,516 + $30 surcharge fee | |
2nd Payment | $1,516 | |||
3rd Payment | $1,516 | |||
Book US List Price | : | $10.95 | ||
Retailers, Bookstores, and Libraries Retail Sales Discount Rate | : | 48% | ||
Retailers, Bookstores, and Libraries Retail Sales Discounted Price | $5.69 | |||
Minimum Purchase | NONE. This would allow smaller stores to test the waters out with the book. | |||
Store - Distributor contract required? | : | NONE. This would allow the stores to invest on the book without any hassle of being tied up to a contract and permits them to ask for refunds on any given day while the book is under the Buy Back Program. | ||
Royalty | : | 20% of net sales | ||
Royalty Refund | : | NONE. Refunds in line with returned copies will not be charged against author's royalty. | ||
Management Approved Offer for | [Author name redacted] | |||
Assistance/Discount | : | $2,274.00 | ||
New Total Price | : | $2,274.00 | ||
3 Payment Installment option | : | Initial Payment | $758 + $30 installment fee | |
: | 2nd Payment | $758.00 | ||
: | 3rd Payment | $758.00 | ||
Ingram Endorsement Project:
Endorser: INGRAM – world largest and biggest Book Distributor. www.ingramcontent.com
- #1 Global Book Distributor
Services involved in the project :
- INGRAM Print and Online Marketing
- Ingram has now given us the opportunity to have a set of 8 books this year to avail of their service wherein these books will be endorsed directly to decision makers and owners of bookstores and libraries across the globe.
- Note: This will serve as highly recommended books along with other traditionally published books.
- - Bookstore Owners
- - Library Directors
- - Decision Makers of chain bookstores, multiple branched libraries, and resellers
- · Note: These recipients are actually paying Ingram, the endorser, for them to receive this endorsement
- Printed Form of the endorsement
- The Advance Magazine has an established circulation of more than 13,500 chain bookstore owners, booksellers, and library directors across the globe over the past twenty years. It is a trusted and in-fact a paid reference for new books because of its comprehensive title listing. This is being paid for by these subscribers since this is where they get the information of which and what books to place on their shelves.
- The Independent Voice Catalog (formerly The Fine Print) is an online catalog that allows over 25,000 subscribers to view titles, make selections, and place an order on iPage®—Ingram’s online search, order, and account management site. This is being paid by the subscribers who prefer to receive the endorsement using the internet especially those who are located in different countries
- Single Slot Ad in ForeWord Magazine
- ForeWord magazine is the premier review magazine for independent publishers. With a 23,000 bimonthly circulation, this publication and review services affect the choices of booksellers and librarians across the country who influence the buying decisions of millions of readers.
- Booksellers Return Program (for at least a year)
- This program will attract booksellers (bookstores, retailers, libraries) to stock your book by allowing them to return unsold titles. The Bookseller's Return Program increases your chances that a bookstore will be willing to stock your book. If a book does not sell well, bookstores want the ability to return unsold books to publishers for a complete refund. Because traditional publishers always take returns, iUniverse has developed the Booksellers Return Program so that bookstores are able to return unsold books to the wholesaler. The best part is, iUniverse authors receive their retail royalty for every book sold in the Booksellers Return Program, whether the book is returned or not. When a book is returnable, the bookstore has no risk of losing money on unsold inventory and will be more likely to stock the book than if you don’t enroll in the program.
- Encourages bookstores to invest more copies of the book
- Improves chances of scheduling book signings and appearances, especially with hometown bookstores
- Allows book returns yet will NOT reduce author’s royalties
- · Book Returnability Program Turn-around-time (TAT): 30-45 days after full payment
- · Catalogs TAT: next available issue
- · $30 installment surcharge fee is non-refundable
- · This project goes under a set of eight books and will be a first come first serve basis.
All the best,
Paul Wellshyr
Marketing Consultant
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
Phone: 877-820-5395, ext 8552
Fax: 812-961-3133
Author Solutions, the parent company of iUniverse, is a member of the Penguin Group.
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