How
do book clubs work?
You are offered a deal up front — the popular Doubleday Book Club, for example, offers five hardcover bestsellers for a total of 99 cents plus shipping — when you agree to
purchase a specified number of books with a certain amount of
time, typically a year or two.
Which
are the most popular book clubs?
That
depends on what you like to read! The largest book club is Doubleday, which specializes in popular fiction, followed the Literary
Guild, Crossings
Christian Book Club and Book-of-the-Month
Club. In recent
years, many specialty clubs such as Black
Expressions, the History
Guild and the Mystery
Guild, have been growing in popularity. All of the largest
discount book clubs are owned by a company called Bookspan, which
is a joint venture between Bertelsmann and Time Warner. There
are also clubs for residents of Canada
and the United Kingdom.
Don't clubs make you return a card if you don't want the "featured" selection?
Many do. But rather than having to mail back a postcard to decline the featured selection, you usually notify the club via your online account. Other sites offer subscriptions in which they send you a book — usually as part of a series or from a specific genre — each month.
Are
club editions different from other books?
They're
the same books that you'd find in a bookstore — same words,
same covers, same authors, although in some cases they may be
printed on less expensive paper. They also might say Book Club
Edition on the inside flap. In other instances, such as with
some children's book clubs, they are special editions not available
in stores.
Are
club books less expensive?
In
most cases, they're much less expensive than the publisher's
suggested price for a book, a.k.a. the list price. Of
course, no one pays that; most bookstores, such as Amazon and
Barnes & Noble,
offer discounts of up to 40 percent on bestsellers. Still, the
clubs are able to offer better prices than booksellers because
they cut their own deals with publishers, and print their own
editions. In many cases, they pay a smaller royalty to the author
and/or publisher. The author and publisher
bank on the fact that the clubs will sell hundreds of thousands of copies.
They figure they'll make up in volume what they lose in percentage.
Which
book clubs are the best deal?
If
you are looking strictly for bestsellers, either Doubleday
Book Club or BOMC2, which sells every book in its catalog for
$9.95 each including shipping with no minimum purchase requirement.
The standard requirement among the major clubs is typically
four books in two years, although some specialty clubs such as Quality
Paperback require you to buy only two books, and History Book Club requires only one. If you like audio books, the Audible Book Club
allows you to create an account and download your first two books free. Many sites also offer free ebooks for download to your computer or ebook reader.
Why
haven't I received my order?
If
it's been more than four weeks since you joined the club, contact
Customer Service.
How
do I contact Customer Service?
Each club has a customer service department that can assist you with finding lost orders, returning damaged or unwanted books, changing your address and other questions. When you contact a club, always provide your membership number, if you have one, for a faster
response. Contact information is listed with each club profile but you can contact any of the Bookspan clubs by writing Member Service Center, P.O. Box 916400, Rantoul, IL 61866-6400.
Why
don't the clubs have the book I want?
The
clubs offer hundreds of titles in a variety of genres, including
most current bestsellers, but they only stock titles on which
they've made a deal with the publisher to do a Club Edition.
However, they typically have many of the most popular books available
— they're selecting titles that they feel will have the
broadest appeal. The Internet has made it possible to choose
any book the club offers rather than simply the 100 or 200 titles
featured in its monthly print catalog. The clubs also have used
the Internet to help members make selections with author interviews, reviews and excerpts. If the clubs don't
carry a book you want, you may be able to find it at an online
bookstore such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble. To find coupons
for online bookstores, visit Deal Dude.
How
long does it take for my order to arrive?
Your
introductory offer can take up to four weeks to arrive, although
some clubs offer express shipping for an additional charge. Member
orders usually take a week to 10 days to arrive.
Will
the clubs sell my name and address?
Unless
you tell them not to, the clubs will sell your information to
other companies to solicit you with similar offers. You can tell
the clubs not to sell your name and address by contacting Customer
Service. Most clubs also have privacy policies
posted on their sites that explain exactly how they'll use your
membership information.
Can
I join if I'm not a U.S. resident?
Residents
of Canada should visit Book
Clubs Canada. Residents of the United Kingdom should
visit Book Clubs UK.
Why
happens if I change my mind?
Most
clubs allow you to return any book within seven or 10 days. They usually
even pay the return postage.
Is
it safe to give my credit card number?
This
is a common concern. Many of the clubs require that you provide
a credit card number when you join to pay for the cost of their
introductory offer; they won't charge you again until you order
additional books. Those that ask for a credit card provide encryption
security that keeps your card and personal information safe in
transit to their computers. In the unlikely event your card number
is stolen, the Fair Credit Billing Act allows credit card companies
to hold you responsible only for up to $50 in fraudulent charges
as long as you notify them in writing within 60 days of the date
the bill was mailed. Visa and MasterCard waive liability no matter
how much time has elapsed. The advantage of using your credit
card, if that option is offered, is that your books usually arrive
faster.
How
much is shipping?
Most
clubs charge $3 or $4 for the first book and $1 or $2 for each
additional item in the same order. Others charge $3 or $4 per shipment. Each profile includes information about standard shipping charges. Some clubs offer express shipping for an additional fee (generally about $5 per order).
How
much is sales tax?
Every
club charges sales tax in many or most states, with the exception
of Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon, which
don't have sales taxes. In some cases the clubs also are required
to collect tax on handling charges.
Can
I join more than one club?
The clubs don't appear to mind, as long as you pay your bills. They do have a problem if you join, take your free books and then don't make the minimum required purchase.
Can
I give a club membership as a gift?
Unfortunately,
with most clubs there isn't a way to have selections and catalogs
sent to one address but billed to another. However, the Bestsellers Monthly,
Simply Audiobooks
and a few other clubs
allow you to send books to family or friends. Some children's
clubs select a book each month based on the child's age and interests.
How
do I cancel my membership?
Usually this can done online, once
you've fulfilled their required purchases, by logging into your account. Or you may want to notify the club by mail. Be sure to include your account number.
How
do I get the clubs to carry my book?
The
clubs don't carry self-published books. If a major publisher
is behind your book, your agent or the publisher should contact
the clubs directly.
I
have another question.
Your
best bet is to contact the Customer Service department of the
book club that you have joined (see "How to Contact Customer
Service," above, for information on how to get ahold of
each book club). For general questions about this site, email
the webmaster at feedback
[at] this domain.
Don't send questions to this address about missing books, orders
or payments, or requests to cancel a membership. Unfortunately we can't help
with that.
