Howdy brb52-ga,
Magazine returns are returned and destroyed, not returned and destroyed,
sometimes recycled and sometimes donated, but not resold. As the magazine
dealer gets a refund on magazine returns, even if they get to do a "cover
return" on the magazine, which means returning just the cover and not the
whole magazine, they are still obligated to destroy the magazine.
Here are a few magazine return policies that outline the general industry
practices.
New Leaf Distributing's "RETURNS ... PERIODICALS"
http://www.newleaf-dist.com/about_us/info_pages/info_returns.htm
Our publishers request returns of their magazines in one of two ways: Whole
Copy or Cover return. Whole Copy Return means that the entire magazine must
be returned in saleable condition; Cover Return indicates that we require
the entire front cover."
Bookazine's "MAGAZINE RETURNS AFFIDAVIT."
http://www.bookazine.com/customer_service/affidavit.html
"I further certify that these periodicals have been destroyed so as to render
them unusable as reading matter as follows; compacting and water soaking."
Some recycling and donations of magazines does happen. Here is a GrassRoots
Recycling Network article from 1997.
http://greenyes.grrn.org/1997/0362.html
"With the support of 50 magazine publishers and Small Changes (a small
regional, alternative-press magazine distributor), and start-up funding from
a $13,000 Seattle Solid Waste Utility waste reduction grant, Magazines AGain
is finding a home for newsstand returns in schools, literacy, and social
service programs around the Seattle area."
A Recycling Today Online article from 2001.
http://www.recyclingtoday.com/articles/article.asp?Id=3008&SubCatID=59&CatID=13
"All of this consolidation will change procurement and marketing in the
secondary fiber industry. As an example, our company has handled the returns
from magazine distributors. It was not a huge piece of our business, but it
all added up.
...
Not only do the big four want to deal generally on a national basis, they
also have become more sophisticated about returns and are starting to limit
the number of copies their newsstands accept in the first place."
One of the ways that magazine publishers and distributers are looking at in
order to reduce returns is something called "scan based trading" or SBT.
This is from the February 16, 2004 online edition of the "New Single Copy,"
a "newsletter about publishing and publishing distribution."
http://www.nscopy.com/nsc/ns20040216.pdf
The term [SBT] refers to using a retailer?s scan of a magazine?s UPC symbol,
or barcode, as the accepted accounting of magazine sales. It generally
includes the transfer of the value of a retailer?s magazine inventory back to
the supplier, whether it be a wholesaler or national distributor-publisher.
...
If SBT eliminates the need for wholesalers to collect and processes magazine
returns, it offers substantial cost savings. However, national distributors,
citing intolerable shrink levels at retail, continue to insist that wholesalers
process returns at the warehouse and pay for sales based on those counts."
The majority of the revenues that magazines make is from advertising, and
"month old ads" that would appear in "month old magazines" doesn't do the
advertiser any good. As well, the availability of "month old magazines"
could erode the value of that magazine when it was "fresh" on the shelf.
Some of the returns of some magazines are resold as "back" issues, but that
is at a "premium" price because of the costs of returning and warehousing.
If you need any clarification, please feel free to ask.
Search strategy:
Google search on: "magazine returns" destroyed OR donated
://www.google.com/search?q=%22magazine+returns%22+destroyed+OR+donated
Google search on: "magazine returns" retail store OR stores
://www.google.com/search?q=%22magazine+returns%22+retail+store+OR+stores
Google search on: magazine returns resold OR resale
://www.google.com/search?q=magazine+returns+resold+OR+resale
A little personal experience helped as well.
Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher |
