#PublishingReinvented 238 Why You Should Never Allow Returns with IngramSpark + More On Lisa's live talk this Saturday
Why You Should Never Allow Returns with IngramSpark – A Costly Lesson
For independent authors and publishers using IngramSpark, the issue of returns can quickly become a financial nightmare. Many authors are unaware that allowing returns can lead to unexpected charges, massive fines, and even restrictions on closing your account.
One author recently shared their experience of receiving a $416 invoice for returns—despite having no record of sending such a large number of books to retailers. Their report showed only 35 copies returned, yet they were billed significantly more. To make matters worse, their account closure request was denied, and they were told they must remain with IngramSpark for another six months due to return policies.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. Another author was charged $800 three separate times before turning off returns entirely. Others, like long-time Ingram users, refuse to allow returns at all, having learned from past experiences.
Why IngramSpark’s Return Policy is Risky
You’re responsible for return costs. If a bookstore orders your book and later decides to return it, you must pay for those returns, often at full wholesale cost, even if you never received that revenue in the first place.
Books may be destroyed or resold without your consent. IngramSpark offers the option of “returning to publisher” (which means you’ll have to pay for return shipping) or “destroy” (which means you still get charged, but the books are pulped).
Account closure restrictions. If you allow returns, you may be locked into your contract for months after deciding to leave, as returns can still be processed long after you stop selling your book.
How to Protect Yourself
✅ Turn off returns from the start. Many experienced authors using Ingram have never allowed returns, avoiding thousands of dollars in unexpected fees.
✅ If you’re already accepting returns, turn them off ASAP. The sooner you disable this option, the less likely you are to get hit with surprise charges.
✅ Read the fine print. IngramSpark’s return policies are strict, and they place all financial responsibility on the author, not the retailer.
While traditional bookstores often expect returnability, indie authors rarely benefit from offering returns—and in many cases, it can lead to huge financial losses. If you’re using IngramSpark, make sure to protect yourself and your publishing business by keeping returns firmly off.
Have you had a similar experience with returns? Let us know in the comments!
Bonus talk this Saturday:
Lisa Tener will share her favorite practice for opening up to creative flow and your best inspiration and talk about:
* How to use journaling to enhance your writing projects.
* Tips for writing award-worthy books!
* Fulfilling income streams for authors.
Lisa has been quoted in the New York Times, Vice, Market Watch, Organic Spa and has appeared on national and local TV, including CNN’s HLN Weekend Express, ABC World News, PBS TV, Fox News, PIX 11 News NY and dozens of podcasts and other media.
Lisa served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s CME publishing course for over a dozen years. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in management from MIT.
And now she is on #PublishingReinvented!
All welcome.
Ask her anything about writing and publishing!
Zoom Meetup Call - 100% Free
This Saturday 8th February a 1hr call at this time:
9AM Pacific = 11AM Central = Noon eastern = 5PM GMT
at this Zoom link.
Authors will be able to ask questions
As you can see and hear we are upgrading every part of this SubStack. If there is something you’d like us to cover in the weeks ahead email me: laurence@bgsadmin.com
To subscribe to this newsletter, for those who may have received this email as a trial, click below for monthly and annual options., Also consider upgrading your membership to help support this newsletter if you find it useful.
Thank you for this information. All returns now turned off!
Why do they even allow returns? I worked in publishing for 21 years between 1979 and 2000. It's because the bookstores can't afford to stock multiple copies of your books for more than a few months. They'd have no space. They make most of their money off new releases. I worked in both the warehouse and later in IT. We used to spend an inordinate amount of time processing returns, both from bookstores and from distributors like Ingram. It was always considered a necessary evil in traditional publishing.
For small timers like us, I assume this problem arises from a bookstore stocking multiple copies for an event like a signing or a reading. If they don't have the books, they can't sell them. If they don't sell them, what are they supposed to do? I've heard of authors buying back. Discount? Consider that you're getting your royalties and saving on shipping. Anyway, this was always a mainstay of traditional publishing.
I swear, when I worked in the warehouse it almost seemed like they were counterfeiting some titles ... we'd get so many returns of hopeful best sellers.