As related earlier, I set up a stall in Barcelona on World Book Day. Feeling optimistic, I'd ordered a print run of 75 copies. (Usually I order 25 at a time.) Having paid for the printing, I took the package home and opened it. The printers had trimmed the book so drastically that on some pages the words were grazing the edge of the paper.
This sort of thing could destroy my reputation as a publisher before that reputation has even been started. I could throw out the whole load and cut my losses, I could give them as gifts to friends...
I've decided to sell them at a 40% discount with a sticker: "Price reduction to to bungling printers. We'll never use them again and promise future print-runs will be much better."
Trouble is, the CASTELLÓ book fair starts on Wednesday, the day after tomorrow, I've ordered a new print-run (from a different firm, of course) of 50... but they won't be ready by the FOLLOWING Tuesday (at the earliest).
And I've got an author's signing slot the Saturday before that. I've written to ask to swap, but without a great expectation, as the program's already been printed.
So watch out for me on Saturday, signing cut-priced, defective children's books...
Latest: I've reduced the price from 10€ to 6€, with a sticker which half covers the publishers logo on the back cover. because this is a trilingual book, the explanation is in 3 languages, which unfortunately makes the typing pretty small. But
a) Why would the publishers cover their own logo? Maybe we should read this...
b) The explanation is between the printed price of 10€ and the book fair's sticker: 6€
c) Tomorrow (well, today, since it's now 2:54a.m.) I'll get slips of paper printed up, saying: "Jimmy Hollis i Dickson will sign copies of his books on Wednesday, 6th of May, at 17:30. If you show up then, he’ll make you an offer of a 4-page comic for colouring yourself, free with each copy of Not Now, Daddy!" A slip goes into each copy of all my books (including the book of poetry without noticeable defects... unless you happen to know how I WANTED it*) +++ At which time I will offer to swap them a decent copy of the book (either hardback or paperback) for the defective one + the difference in price minus a discount.
I've ordered 50 copies of the hardback. Since it costs about 50% more to get 100% more of the number of prints, I'll ask them to print 100, with 50 as hardback, 50 as paperback.
I'll also go back to printer #1, asking for a refund. I don't want to hand over the bad batch for a full refund, as I then run the risk of them not being destroyed but getting loose WITHOUT the apology / promise of better quality in the future. I'd rather get a 2/3 refund on the 75 books and use the refund to have printer #1 print 50 more copies. But this time I'll check them before leaving and/or handing back that refund. He's done reasonable work in the past: I assume that this time he - or his workers - just wasn't / weren't paying proper attention.
* On this project, a photo meant to be in colour was printed in b/w. I'm asking for a part refund here as well, but at least the books aren't unsellable.
Jimmy, you have my utmost sympathy.
How infuriating to have your plans ruined by an incompetent printer. Surely, they must have seen the finished product before sending it out. So much for quality assurance.
I agree with Barbara, besides, there are other book-fairs.
I'm not sure I agree with the above. I think if you have made it clear that you are selling at a very cut price, or giving away fro free, then most people will understand - just so long as the words are legible. Imagining myself browsing a market - if there was an author I'd never heard of selling self published books for the price of a Penguin, I would probably pause to consider. But if the book was being sold at cut price, I might think - oh well, might as well try it and then of course you're writing would win me over!
Let us know how you go and good luck with whatever your decision is.