Amazon offers alternatives for collection of books from authors, such as collection
from given address at higher cost, or delivery to a collection point at a lower rate, with
a small handling fee and a template for labels containing their own barcode, which has
to be printed by seller to go over the printed isbn barcode on back of each book
The following collection rates are sub-divided between carrier and Amazon:
Collection point rates to Warrington: Return rates, Warrington base to Huyton?
No particular order, some boxes mixed:
Book 11 (Shetland Pip) I T fee 3.29 Quantity ? £ -16.56
1.81
Amazon 5.10
Book 10 (Key fishing) IT fee 3.29 100 ? 243.36
9 (Crabbing) 1.81 ? 9.36
Amazon 5.10
Book 8 (Billy) IT fee 3.28 100? 72.00
P/G 1.80
Amazon 5.08
Book 7 (Easter Fun) ? 159.12
6 (Queen) IT fee 6.53 ? 0.72
3,51
Amazon 10.12 ?
Book 5 (Stories) IT fee 3.28 ? 150.00
4 (Christmas) 1.80 ? 35.28
Amazon 10.12
Book 3(Riding) IT fee 6.50 ? 51.12
2 (Stories) 3.58 ? 19.44
Amazon 10.08
Book 1 (Magical Naming) IT fee 3.25 ? 29.42
Amazon 1.79 Less total of 10 sold.
Totalling £91.20 Totalling £606.96
to be drawn from bank a/c
by Amazon, without invoice
or information, just notice given
prior to completion of delivery of
returns.
Many in damaged packing boxes.
Amazon simply informed Emma that they would be drawing £606.96 from my account 6 February,
(four days later). I contacted my bank to prevent this until discussed. Amazon then attempted to
draw this sum from Emma's account, which her bank informed her of, having declined payment..
This is disgraceful. The unauthorised return fee is disgraceful too. Treating the book account as
their personal pot of gold. If Amazon contact me, as the responsible person, then I would hope
we can reach agreement about a more realistic return fee. I could have collected from Warrington.
However, details provided inside the return boxes, most of which are only taped along the lid and
not around the box, which allows box and contents to sag, and tearing corners to reveal contents
pushing through the tear. Most boxes only half full, packed with lengths of brown paper to fill
gaps. Different to criteria demanded by Amazon for despatch to them, which included masking
tape along, across and around whole box, which was complied with on each monthly delivery.
Over the course of four days, returns were shipped from Warrington Quays, Hemmel Hampstead,
NE Yorkshire, Dunstan in Scotland, and other far reaching addresses, so no wonder storage charges escalated and return costs are so expensive.
UPDATE AT 2ND OCTOBER 2019
A letter addressed to Emma arrived at my home address at the end of September.2019.
On 1st October, at Emma's request, I telephoned the company Arvato, which had been instructed
by Amazon to collect the unpaid monies from me, to which Amazon had now added £133.00 it
claimed for ongoing storage fees and cost of returns of further books. So 'debt' now £741.61 !!
I had not requested prolonged storage, delayed return. My request had been for return of ALL.
I again requested recognition by Amazon that I was the responsible person they should be
communicating with, being author, illustrator, publisher and copyright owner. Emma was my
IT assistant and NOT responsible for finances relating to Nanna Strawberry Stories.
Eventually Aravato agent called Margaret was allowed to speak to me. After much
discussion and analysis of terms of agreement, I emphasised that the books were
returned to my home address from many far corners of UK, most in poorly secured
large cardboard boxes into which packing paper had been stuffed to prevent books
from moving about, but some had and been creased in the process. Others were damp
from heavy rain which had soaked and damaged some books between their carrier
and my front door. I believe these could have been delivered to Amazon HQ in
Warrington where I could have collected them without facing exhorbitant costs.
Margaret asked how much was I prepared to pay Amazon. My preference was £100,
slightly more than cost of delivery books to Amazon's collection points in Liverpool.
However, as Emma was still being held as the financially responsible person, I 'surrendered'
and paid 50% of the original charge of £606.86, equal to £303.48. Far more than Amazon's
return service deserved . Absolute exploitation to charge ANY author for costly long
distance return deliveries beyond their control in poorly packed cardboard containers
resulting in damage to some of the contents, making them unsaleable. I regret that I
paid so much but did not want to prolong this matter any further.
I would say to other authors, that they would be ill-advised to have anything to do
with Amazon for sales promotions of their precious books. I wrote and published my
Nanna Strawberry Stories from the age of 80 and was so proud of my achievements
in doing so. The bullying manner in which Amazon announced to me, without a statement
of return costs, that they would be taking the sum of £606.96 from my NS a/c the following
Tuesday, is absolutley disgraceful. To add £133 for Sept deliveries of further books
which should have been included in original returns, February 2019, is also disgraceful.
I just wish I was younger and had the energy to take Amazon to Court for their abusive
system of management for return of unsold prized book entrusted to them by authors.
Audrey Wilson
Author Nanna Strawberry Stories.
Copyright @ Audrey Wilson
Audrey Wilson, Author and Publisher, Nanna Strawberry Stories.A
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