U.S. book returns, 1984–1989

Between 1984 and 1989, the U.S. book industry drowned in a recorded $7.88 billion of returns: 23.87 percent of all books published during those years were returned to publishers by wholesalers and booksellers for full credit. This massive return of books undermined the stability of the book industry, causing many publishers to question the efficacy of a system that failed to operate successfully during a period of exceptionally stable business conditions, free from high rates of interest and inflation, recession, or a war. In this study the author addresses the book return phenomenon by: (1) analyzing statistics about the U.S. book industry and its twelve key market segments; (2) evaluating possible causes of the increase in returns; and (3) proposing some suggestions to reduce returns.