Chain retailers bent on eliminating Independent bookstores?

Yes, that includes large "Christian" chain bookstores as well. Just another reason for small publishers to not sacrifice their business by attempting to get books inside a Barnes & Noble or any other chain bookstore. My source is the Gale Encyclopedia of US history:

In the 1970s, national chain bookstores such as Barnes and Noble and Waldenbooks began to open retail outlets in malls across the country. By buying in volume, chains could earn more profit on each copy of a book sold, allowing them to pay higher rents. Buying in volume also meant that they could negotiate deeper discounts from publishers. By passing this discount on to book buyers, the chains were able to attract customers away from the smaller independent bookstores.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/publishing-industry#ixzz1Z4FaOsSM

"By passing this discount on to book buyers, the chains were able to attract customers away from the smaller independent bookstores." What? What? What?

Gee, what ever happened to working together for the common good of the well, umm, AUTHOR!!! So B&N and OTHER chain bookstores are actively seeking to lure business away from "smaller" independent bookstores. Innocent enough I guess unless you consider, B&N and OTHER chain bookstores won't even let small publishers in and has recently taken the stand that a small publisher can't even get in on consignment EVEN IF they sign on to abide by an "outdated" and unworkable industry standard return policy.

Look out large chain bookstores your "true" colors are showing. Go ahead. Keep pandering to those large publishers. How long do you think you can stay in business when over 75% of the publishing industry today is made up of SMALL PUBLISHERS and you don't do anything to make getting into your stores workable and now, not even doable. As it stands, NO small publisher can even get an event at a B&N period. And oh my, you should here the way they try to explain this. If it weren't so sad it'd be funny.

Indie stores, make your move! Create an new industry standard return policy that fits the market today. I'm going to be in Dayton Ohio Halloween weekend. I can't get into a B&N to do an event. I don't honor the industry standard return policy as it is but you can certainly work with my publisher to devise a return policy that is beneficial to both parties.

"The song has been sung. The time is upon us," or you could just sit there, "cowering your bathwater." ;)

Dayton Ohio Barnes & Noble

As you should know by now, and if not you will be hearing more soon, I'll be in the Dayton OH area Halloween Weekend for "Bellbrook on Lockdown" with my friends Chris Matheny and Kimberly Brouillette or What Lies Beyond. What you don't know is that about five minutes before scribing this note, I contacted the Dayton Ohio Barnes & Noble to set up an event. Of course I knew what they'd say and almost wish I'd written the words down somewhere so I could prove it to you. I told them I would be in the area and was interested in setting up an event. Here's how the very short conversation went:

"What type of an event?" The story manager asked.

"I'm coming to sell books," I replied.

"Are there any in our warehouse?"

"Of course not. I've asked my publisher to make my books non-returnable according to industry standard as the industry standard return policy doesn't work for small publishers at all. In fact they lose money."

"I'm sorry. We can't do an event unless the books are returnable[industry standard returnable not a return policy that benefits BOTH parties.] "

"In other words no small publisher can do an event unless they make their books returnable according to industry standard which will eventually put them out of business."

His classic response. "Yes."

So, if any bookstore in the Dayton, OH area is interested in hosting an event, and actually cares about giving small publishers the same chance large publishers get, I'll be in the area. Do I expect a response? *Sue laughs to herself.* Nope. Not one bookstore will even feign interest. So I'll see y'all at Bellbrook. It's your best chance at getting a signed copy of my books because in spite of my work being just as good if not better than most of the crap large publishers put out, I don't get to sell my goods in larger bookstores even if I wanted to. Not unless I sign my life away and well, that just ain't happening.

Thanks Barnes & Noble!

Thanks for nothing!