Let me start by squashing the idea that remainder acim are junk! They are not! They are new, unread books that the publisher has passed on for resale. They are in great condition, the plates are excellent, the pages are excellent, the dust jackets are excellent and the bindings are excellent! They are brand new books at a substantially reduced price!
As a bookseller, I have sold many remainders. There are a great deal of misconceived notions regarding remainder books, and I think these terrific books need a little backup!
First let me explain what a remainder book is and what a remainder mark is. These are books that have a small dot or mark, either on the top or the bottom of the book.They are on the outside of the pages and do not touch the plates, the inside of the pages, or the dust jackets.
Sometimes booksellers will refer to these books as bargain books. They are one and the same, just a different terminology!
Why are these marks put on them?
Sometimes the publisher printed too many copies, in other cases bookstores purchased too many copies, then returned them to the publisher for credit towards their next purchase. The books, therefore, have been handled a few times but are still in excellent condition. Many times, these books have sat in boxes, never placed on the shelves of bookstores and therefore have never been handled by potential buyers in a bookstore!
The publisher, in turn, places a small mark on these books to assure that these books will not make their way back to the publisher again, for another credit. The publisher then sells the books to wholesalers who in turn passes them on. This can be a very inexpensive way to purchase brand new books at a slightly lower cost then what they go for in your average bookstore!
Many times, these books are first editions, and in some cases, even signed by the authors! I have sold quite a few remainder books with absolutely no complaints whatsoever! I also buy many remainder books for my own use! I have purchased them from other booksellers and have also purchased them on amazon!
If you are a “read-a-holic” like I am, you will discover a huge savings in your book buying! I highly recommend these books! I can purchase several at a time and not feel like I have to take out a mortgage to read my favorite authors or subjects!
Why don’t book collectors buy remainder books?
Book collectors are buying books in a completely different light! They are looking for editions that are rare – very old, out of print books. Antiquated books and those that potentially increase in value over the years. Quite simply; a remainder book has a mark on it! This would take from the value of the book down the road.
On a final note:
i hope this has cleared the air on the subject of remainder books. So the next time you see someone selling a remainder, I hope you won’t get all goose-bumped and go screaming into the night in the opposite direction! You could be missing out on a great deal on a great book!
