returns faqs.gif





		What are the returns authorisation parameters? May we return out of print titles? How long do we have to return the authorised product? Should I follow this system for damaged items of shortages? Should I follow this system if I have received goods I didn't order? What happens if I duplicate a returns request? Where can I find out more detailed information about the Returns Initiative? Can my authorisation and labels be sent to me electronically? When I have requested my return, what information will I receive back? Why is it possible for me to receive more than one RAN for a single request? Do I need to include and quote every RAN supplied when I return a consignment? After making my request how quickly will I receive confirmation? Can I receive your response by email? Is there a contact in case I have a problem with the returns process? What are the returns authorisation parameters? Provided that: The book has been purchased from MDL The total credits, together with the number of outstanding requests to return, are not greater than the number of sales within the last 15 months The book has not been published within the last 3 months. The book has been purchased within the last 15 months. You will generally be able to return it. However, there are exceptions that can be driven by the publisher. The book was supplied as a firm sale. You have an agreed returns cap with the publisher, which will be exceeded if the return was allowed. The publisher has embargoed the title for returns purposes. MDL no longer represent the publisher, in which case, the returns request should be made to the new distributor as advertised. May we return out of print titles? Yes as long as they fall within the above parameters. How long do we have to return the authorised product? Obviously it is in your interest to return as quickly as possible, Once issued, the RAN stays valid on our system for a period of up to 3 months before it will be cancelled. Should I follow this system for damaged items or shortages? No, not at present. However, we expect to be able to do this in the near future. For the present, and for damaged items or shortages, you should telephone our Customer Services Dept. +44 (0) 1256 302692. In such cases you must quote the original invoice number. Please note that, in accordance with our terms and conditions of supply, claims for shortages or damaged books will only be accepted if made within 14 days of receipt of goods. Should I follow this system if I have received goods I didn’t order? No. In this instance we would again ask you to contact our customer services department. Tel : +44 (0) 1256 302692 who will arrange for the goods to be collected. If we have invoiced you for the goods, we will arrange credit upon receipt of the goods. Again we anticipate being able to do this in the near future. What happens if I duplicate a returns request? Our system will process as if a new request. It is important to remember that when we calculate if the return will be allowed any outstanding requests will be taken into consideration. For example: You originally buy 40 copies. You request to return 30. Providing the original sale falls within the time period, you will receive authorisation. However a month later, you have not returned the goods but have re-requested. Our system will reject this on the grounds that, when taking into consideration the original request, the net sales would be –20 copies. In such cases you will get an unauthorised letter stating ‘returns quantity greater than quantity supplied’. Where can I find out more detailed information of the Returns Initiative? By logging on to www.bic.org.uk. Can my authorisation and labels be sent to me electronically? Yes. We will need to set the account to receive RAN authorisation by e-mail. You should contact us and we can arrange this. When I have requested my return, what information will I receive back? You will receive from us: an RAN listing all the titles you are authorised to return in mint condition an Ran listing all titles you are authorised to return which do not have to be in mint condition a list of titles where permission has been refused together with reasons bar coded returns address labels. Why is it possible for me to receive more than one RAN for a single request? The industry accepts that not all returns will be put back to stock, and that customers can sometimes spend huge amounts of time removing stickers and generally cleaning a book simply for the publisher to pulp it. To overcome this, the �Red box � Green box� concept was introduced. The distributor uses the red/green concept to notify the customer that �green� books will be put back to stock and therefore need to be refurbished. �Red� books will not and therefore the customer has no need to clean the book. Do I need to include and quote every RAN supplied when I return a consignment? Yes, this is imperative. Our systems are completely automated, and rely on us being able to scan the RAN number in order to identify required credit. Failure to provide the information will create severe delays in you receiving the credit. After making my request how quickly will I receive confirmation? This will be entirely dependant upon the mechanism you choose to make your request. 1. Batch.co.uk and other electronic mediums Where a customer uses either batch.co.uk or an EDI mechanism to request returns authorisation the response is usually received within the hour of making the request. The response will contain a fully down loadable bar coded address label that the customer can print and attach to each carton. These methods provide the quickest and most effective way to request and receive RANs. No paperwork is physically produced by MDL. 2. Spreadsheets Whilst spreadsheets provide a quick electronic method for the customer to send in the returns requests, these then have to be down loaded into our systems. Whilst this will normally occur on the day of receipt, there is no automatic mechanism for the response to be returned to the customer. Paperwork is produced on the following day and posted to the customer, which will inevitably lead to delays. 3. Manual requests Manual requests can be sent by either fax or post and have to be manually keyed into our systems. There is a three day service level to achieve this. The paperwork is produced the day following the processing and is then posted to the customer. This method is the slowest and least favourable of the options. We further note that the e4Books initiative foresees a time when all requests will be made via options 1 and 2, and distributors close down option 3. MDL are currently considering this and urges all customers to adopt one of the other options. Can I receive your response by email? Yes. For Customers who request returns via spreadsheets or manually, in most cases it is possible for us to arrange to send the authorisations and address labels via email. This works in exactly the same way as for email copy invoices and statements. A PDF file containing the RAN and the returns address label is emailed to the customer on the day after processing. The customer can print the label and attach a copy to each carton in the consignment, without the need to wait for paperwork to arrive in the post. Is there a contact in case I have a problem with the returns process? You can email Kim Dyer.