Author Solutions, LLC

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Regards,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for the opportunity to complete Ms. [redacted]’s refund request.   Ms. [redacted] first signed up to publish her book with Trafford on July 31, 2017, accepting a promotional rate on a Tablet Black & White (New Gold) publishing package. She opted to use an...

installment payment plan which added a $30 non-refundable surcharge, making her package total $1279.50. She made the first payment of $446.50 that day with the remaining three payments set up for auto-charge on the same day of the three following months.   Ms. [redacted] writes that she requested the cancellation of the publishing package and payment plan yet has not received any confirmation of cancellation or acknowledgement that her refund is being processed.   Upon receipt of this filing, we initiated a review of her records.  We found that she contacted Trafford on Thursday, August 10, 2017 to request the cancellation of her publishing package and the refund of her payment. On Friday, August 11, 2017, she sent an email reiterating her cancellation decision to her publishing consultant. At that time she also requested a confirmation that the request was being processed and that no payments would be taken from her account moving forward. On the following business day, Monday, August 14, 2017, she called seeking acknowledgment from her publishing consultant.   Our records indicate that her publishing consultant failed to respond within our required timelines.  We extend our apology to Ms. [redacted] for any inconvenience we have caused her and thank her for bringing her situation to our attention. As a result, we were able to address the timeliness issues with the publishing consultant and have made arrangements for refresher customer service training.   On August 15, 2017, the refund request was entered for processing. Her request completed the refund process on August 18th and the amount paid in less the $30 non-refundable surcharge, $416.50, was sent back to the credit card she used to pay for the service.  The transaction ID for the return is [redacted]. The payment plan has been cancelled.    When we contacted Ms. [redacted] on the 18th to confirm the transaction, she advised that the credit card she used to make the purchase had been cancelled just a few days before. We confirmed that the transaction was successful and that it was neither rejected nor returned back to us. She has been provided with the details of the transaction so that she may advise her bank to expect the transaction. We have assured her that should the refund be returned to us, we will immediately notify her and return it to her via check. Credit card refunds generally take from 3 to 5 business days to arrive depending upon the bank. Due to the status of this account, the recognition of the arriving funds may experience a slight delay.  In conclusion, we acknowledge and understand Ms. [redacted]’s frustration when she did not receive a confirmation email that her request was being processed. Her refund and cancellation requests have been honored.   Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review and address Ms. [redacted]’s request for a refund of her publishing package. On December 30, 2014, Ms. [redacted] purchased the Embark package from Balboa Press for the discounted price of $585 and chose to add-on the Cover Copy Polish service...

for $239. She opted to pay in installments which added a non refundable $75 payment plan fee, making her total cost $899. She made the first payment that day with the remaining payments due the same day in the following two months. On May 22, 2015, she signed the Self-Publishing Services Agreement (copy attached) and work began on her book. The Content Evaluation and Cover Copy Polish elements of her package were both completed in mid July along with formatting of the interior of her book. Throughout the phases of the design process, Ms. [redacted] was unhappy with the results and ultimately decided to cancel her publishing package with Balboa Press on September 17, 2015. With regards to the refund of her publishing package, Ms. [redacted] is correct in stating that she is eligible for a refund as she requested it within six months of the signing of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement. The refund policy is outlined in Section 10 of her signed self-publishing services agreement (copy attached) and reads: “You may be entitled to a refund of all or a portion of the amount You paid for a Publishing Package. The refund opportunity is exclusive to the amount paid for the Publishing Package as referenced in the Service Order. All other Services are non-refundable after purchase. You shall be entitled to a refund of the amount paid for the Publishing Package as follows: a. Prior to submission of the manuscript: 100% [less a $150 (USD) setup fee] b. After (a) above and prior start of interior design work: 50% c. After (b) but prior to final sign-off: 25%” As her book had been submitted and interior design work had been performed but no sign off received, she would be eligible for a 25% refund on the $585 cost of her Publishing Package or $146.25. The $75 Payment Plan Fee is non refundable, and the Cover Copy Polish has been completed making it ineligible for refund. In closing, although it has been over six months since she purchased her publishing package, she did not sign the Self-Publishing Services Agreement until May 2015 and therefore, we have granted Ms. [redacted] a 25% refund of the cost of the publishing package. The amount of $146.25 was refunded back to her credit card on January 8, 2015, transaction ID [redacted]. We allotted the necessary resources to assist Ms. [redacted] in the preparation of her project and are saddened that she has chosen to complete her project elsewhere. We wish her success with her publishing endeavor. Sincerely, Elaine [redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to acknowledge that we have cancelled Ms. [redacted]’s project and refunded her according to the terms of her self-publishing agreement.   Ms. [redacted] signed up to publish her book entitled “[redacted]” with [redacted] on March 21, 2016. She...

purchased a Black and White Custom publishing package taking advantage of a promotional rate of $949.50 from the regular $1899 price. She also purchased an Editorial Assessment add-on for $199. Ms. [redacted] opted to use an installment payment plan which added a $30 non-refundable surcharge, making her package total $1,178.50. Ms. [redacted] made the first payment of $ 412.84 that day with the remaining two payments of $382.83 each set up for auto-charge on the same day of the following two months.   For your reference, a copy of the services included in the package and a description of the add-on service are attached along with copies of her signed self-publishing services agreement and the installment payment plan agreement.   Ms. [redacted]’s manuscript was received and endorsed to content evaluation on March 28, 2016. Per Section 4.3 of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement, her manuscript was reviewed for possible libel, copyright and fair use issues that would preclude it from meeting our publishing standards. After passing the review, on March 31, 2016 the manuscript was forwarded for editorial assessment.  Here a section of her manuscript, up to 1700 words, underwent a preliminary diagnostic edit in order to aid her in recognizing areas that may need editorial assistance and recommendations made for the type of assistance that would be beneficial. The typical time line for the assessment is two to three weeks depending on our work queue and the complexity of the author’s work.   [redacted] received a cancellation request from Ms. [redacted] on April 15, 2016. Per the payment plan agreement the second scheduled payment for her package was set-up for April 21, 2016. Any installment scheduled for payment prior to the completion of the refund process is due on the date stated in the agreement and will be automatically taken. The cancellation and refund request was processed and a refund paid to her account on April 26, 2016, within our committed timeline of 35 days from the date of the termination request.   Ms. [redacted] states in her filing that she was quoted a two week timeline.  The twelve (12) day elapsed time from the original request on April 15th to the refund date of April 26th meets the two week expectation provided to her.     Our full refund policy is stated in Section 8 of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement. Projects like Ms. [redacted]’s with a submitted manuscript that has proceeded thru pre-production phases and has yet to begin the interior design work, qualify for a refund of 50% of the publishing package cost less the $30 non-refundable installment surcharge, Section 8.2(a). Her Editorial Assessment add-on service has been fulfilled and is ineligible for refund per Section 8.2(b).   The following is a monetary breakdown of the refund. Service Order Items and costs: Black & White Custom                                        $ 949.50  50% eligible for refund Editorial Assessment                                   ...⇄ $ 199.00  service fulfilled; ineligible for refund Payment Plan Fee                                      �...⇄ $ 30.00     non refundable                                         ...⇄ Total Order Amount:                                          ...⇄ 1,178.50   Amount paid:                                         ...⇄ $ 795.67 Less: (50% of package cost)                                     �...⇄ ($ 474.75) (Editorial Assessment)                                         ($ 199.00) (Payment Plan Fee)                                      ...⇄ ($ 30.00)    Refund Amount:                                    �...⇄ $ 91.92   On April 26, 2015 we returned the amount of $91.92 to her Visa ending [redacted], via transaction ID [redacted].   In summary, at her request, Ms. [redacted]’s project has been cancelled and she has been refunded in accordance with the refund policy stated in her Self Publishing Services Agreement within the time line promised.      We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address her concerns.   Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Regards,
[redacted]
Hi Revdex.com, I got the reply from the business today (via your email) in regards to the refund they offered to make. However, they sent me an agreement that does not reflect the refund at all, just states how much I have paid and the outstanding balance they want to wrongly charge me. I want my money refunded as they said. I am not signing this agreement. I am disappointed that this is the result and is counter what their email to you said they would do!!! Did they lie to you and me in their official response? Looks like it! 
 
Please review. It is attached as a PDF, and I forwarded the email as seen below. . 
 
Also, I need to be very clear that I do not agree with their account of what happened. It is completely full of LIES. But all I really care about is that the refund actually does occur. 
 
Thanks
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for the opportunity to review and explain what transpired with Ms. [redacted]s marketing services refunds.Marketing Services PurchasesOn October 10, 2016 Ms. [redacted] purchased the Standard Book Video add-on service for her book.  She elected to arrange payment for the $1999...

service thru a three (3) installment payment plan which added a non-refundable $30 payment plan fee, making her total $2,029. On December 16, 2016, she purchased two (2) additional add-on marketing services, a Hollywood Treatment service for the special price of $2200 and a Press Release-Essential Edition for the discounted price of $300.  She chose to use a four (4) installment payment plan to pay for the services, which added a non-refundable $30 payment plan fee, making her cost $2530. Refund and Cancellation RequestsMs. [redacted] called on December 19, 2016 to cancel the Hollywood Treatment and Press Release marketing services.  She spoke with the marketing consultant, Richard G[redacted], from whom she had purchased the services.  Mr. G[redacted] agreed to submit the refund and stated it would be 3-4 business days for processing.  However, in our review of Ms. [redacted]s file, we found no evidence that he followed thru and submitted the refund request for processing. Two days later, on December 21, 2016, Ms. [redacted] phoned again, this time speaking with marketing consultant Jean S[redacted] regarding her refund request for the Hollywood Treatment and Press Release marketing services.  Ms. [redacted] reiterated again her intent to cancel these services.  Ms. S[redacted] told Ms. [redacted] the refund was being processed and that she should speak with Mr. G[redacted] about it. After reviewing Ms. [redacted]s account, we were unable to confirm the accuracy of Ms. S[redacted] statement or that she followed thru with Mr. G[redacted]. Ms. [redacted] emailed again on December 22, 2016, stating her intent to cancel not only the Hollywood Treatment and Press Release but now also the Standard Book Video purchased in October.  Refund approval and implementationBecause our offices were closed from December 23rd thru the 26th for the Christmas holiday, the refund requests for all three of the marketing services were submitted and approved upon our return on December 27, 2016. In accordance with her signed payment plan agreements, the refunds were approved for the monies paid in, less the non-refundable payment plan fees. The monies were returned to the credit card used to make the payments by our finance staff on December 28, 2016.  Factoring out the four (4) days our offices were closed, the Hollywood Treatment and Press release refund occurred six (6) business days after requested and the Standard Book Video three (3) days. Each of the three payments made for the Book Video service were refunded in separate transactions: transaction ID [redacted], ID [redacted], and ID [redacted]. The initial payment for the Hollywood Treatment and Press Release services was refunded via transaction ID [redacted] and the remaining balance cancelled. In closing, we thank Ms. [redacted] for calling this matter to our attention.  A review of the phone conversations between Ms. [redacted] and the marketing consultants mentioned above revealed that several violations of our company code of conduct occurred.  We apologize to Ms. [redacted] for any inconvenience the inappropriate conduct may have caused her. Actions have been taken to ensure our code of conduct is fully understood and followed and that client requests are acted upon respectfully and in a timely fashion. We are sorry if Ms. [redacted] was inconvenienced by the time frame of the completion of the refund. In accordance with the tenets of the payment plan agreement, the monies she paid less the non-refundable payment plan fees were returned to the credit card used to make the payments. During the closure of our offices for the Christmas holiday no business was transacted. Subsequently, the funds were returned on December 28, 2016 within six business days of the request for the Hollywood treatment and Press Release services and three days for the Standard Book Video.   We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address Ms. [redacted]s concerns.Sincerely,Elaine H[redacted]Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
I did not use a payment plan I paid in full. 
[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
Regards,
Elena [redacted]

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to describe what transpired with Ms. [redacted]s project and her May 2017 refund. To address her concerns, we initiated a review of her project and the steps taken to fulfill the services of her package.  Attached is a timeline of what occurred with her...

project.  We will address each element of her filing in the order she stated. The services included in her Visibility Publishing Package are listed on our website and can be viewed at the following link: http://www.archwaypublishing.com/PublishingPackages/NonFiction/Visibility Ms. [redacted] writes, “I was assigned one (a concierge) but she was never in the office…”  As our customer service staff is charged with responding to their assigned clients within24 business hours, we will conduct an internal audit when we are advised of a downfall in this area.   The timeline attached demonstrates that Ms. A** responded to all of Ms. [redacted]s correspondence within 24 business hours.  Even in Ms. A**’s absence, Ms. [redacted]s emails were answered by Ms. A**’s supervisor and a colleague.  According to Ms. [redacted]s filing “…after my husband and I paid 4k, we saw nothing, we received nothing but the run around from Archway, empty promises and I was only emailed my Book Expo tickets after I officially left Archway…”  We confirm that the cost of Ms. [redacted]s publishing package was $4000 plus a $75 non-refundable payment plan service charge. However, she did not complete the payments, as her last payment declined.  Ms. [redacted] did not receive any proofs from Archway, as she declined to complete the pre-production process.  There is no evidence of a “run around” or “empty promises” by Archway staff.  However, Ms. [redacted]s claims are not specific.  Her emails were responded to within 24 business hours and her questions were answered.  From the notes on her account, we are unable to confirm or refute that she was emailed tickets for the Book Expo.  It is uncommon for the marketing fulfillment department to begin fulfilling any marketing prior to the completion of the production phase of a book project. Once an author’s project is cancelled and refunded, no further marketing fulfillment takes place. Ms. [redacted] writes “After we left Archway we were promised 2k back, and we have not received one dime yet…”  As her signed services agreement (copy available on request), Schedule A, Number 5. Refunds states If AUTHOR terminates this agreement for any reason other than a breach of contract by SERVICE PROVIDER, AUTHOR agrees to pay SERVICE PROVIDER any amounts due on services purchased. SERVICE PROVIDER will refund amounts paid by AUTHOR as follows: Prior to submission of manuscript 100% less a $150 setup fee After submission, but prior to interior design 50% After interior design, but prior to final sign-off 25% After six months from contract date 0% Ms. [redacted] had submitted her manuscript and it proceeded through the content evaluation process twice, but had yet to enter into the interior design phase.  Therefore, per the terms of her agreement, she would be eligible for a 50% refund of the purchase price of $4000. She had chosen to use a five (5) month installment payment which added a $75 non-refundable payment plan fee, making her grand total $4075. She made four (4) of the five (5) payments of her payment plan with the final payment declined by her bank. This means she paid $3275 of the $4075 commitment.  With the payment default, a $30 decline fee was assessed (see attached payment plan agreement).  Here is how her refund was calculated: $3275 paid received, less the $75 non-refundable payment plan fee, less the refundable $2000 (50% of purchase price), less the $30 decline fee.  The refund balance due equals $1170. This amount was paid by finance on May 11, 2017.  Due to an administrative error instead of the check refund she had requested, our standard refund procedure was followed, returning the amount to the credit card used to make the purchase.  The amounts have not been returned by the bank/credit card company.  Therefore, we cannot issue another payment.  Below are the amounts and transaction IDs.  Ms. [redacted] can provide these IDs to the bank/credit card company to obtain the funds. $800.00 to [redacted]  $30.00 to [redacted]  $340.00 to [redacted]      In closing, Ms. [redacted]s assigned concierge responded to her emails within 24 business hours.  In her absence, other staff members responded to her emails with the accepted timeline.   Ms. [redacted] chose to cancel the project before it entered the production phase.  Therefore, no proofs were created and sent and no marketing fulfillment took place.   Ms. [redacted]s $1170 refund was paid back to the credit card used to make the purchase.  The amount has not been returned by the bank/credit card company.  Ms. [redacted] can use the above transaction IDs to obtain the funds.     Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review the progress of the resubmission of Mr. [redacted]’s book.Mr. [redacted]’s book, [redacted], was originally published on April 23, 2012. On November 10, 2015, he elected to make changes to his book and purchased a resubmission service for $375...

($100 for interior revisions, $25 for cover revisions and $250 for the resubmission of files to our print vendors).  He indicates that the proofs of the revised covers that have been presented to him are unacceptable and questions why the elements of the revised cover he provided with his resubmission information are not being implemented.To understand his concerns we initiated a review of his title’s revision and the steps taken with the cover design. Our review confirms that multiple attempts to create a cover design acceptable to him were made without success. After examining the materials provided by him and the designs presented by the cover designer assigned to his project, we also question the designs created.  We thank Mr. [redacted] for calling this circumstance to our attention and apologize for the designer’s failure to produce a cover representative of the design requested.  Subsequently, we have reinforced with the designer the protocols for working with author submitted cover designs. Also, we wish to assure him that we have committed the necessary resources to provide him with a satisfactory cover for his revised book.  On April 14, 2016 we sent him an additional cover proof for his review and approval. As of this writing we have yet to receive a response from him.In closing, we apologize that our attempts to create a cover design for Mr. [redacted]’s book have been unsatisfactory.  We have submitted another cover design proof for his review and await his response. Should he determine that additional modifications are needed, we are prepared to perform them at our expense until the cover is acceptable to him. Once he has approved the cover design, the book files will be submitted to our print vendors and the revised version will become available for purchase.We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms. [redacted]’s concern.Sincerely,Elaine [redacted]Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com Thank you for your continued assistance regarding Ms. [redacted]’s editing and request for refund. Ms. [redacted] indicates she was not happy with the editing As stated in our original response, after editing is completed, we ask the author to carefully review all changes made by the editor. Until the author approves the edit we do not move the manuscript to the next phase of its production.  She accepted the changes and the manuscript moved forward.  Sequence details are listed in our original response. She questions why she would have been told “to take out more than 70,000 words from the book”. When she received the results of the content edit, the editor would have provided comments for the changes suggested. We refer her to the editor’s comments.  As with all editing services, if the author does not agree with the changes or suggestions the author may decline to accept them in total or in part. As stated in our original response, we are unable to offer a refund for services that have been completed or are in progress.  We would be happy to go over any editing issues once Ms. [redacted] provides us with a list of potential errors. In her rebuttal, Ms. [redacted] writes, “I sent corrections for editing to the company this morning.  I had requested reediting since March as they alluded to.  On May 30 they asked me to give them examples of editing issues by June 2.  It has taken several weeks for me to find someone who bought my book to go over it again.” As of this writing, July 24, 2017, we have yet to receive a letter or email with these corrections or modifications. Once we receive and have had the opportunity to review the corrections she wants, we will be able to identify if they are publisher errors or author changes. Once we have this information we will be able to advise the next step and if fees will be incurred. She also states that she “would like to resubmit the entire manuscript if they will not grant a refund.”  As stated on the approval forms, when new manuscripts are submitted after the book has been released to print, fees may be incurred for re-design of the book block and resubmission into the printer network. Again, until we have had the opportunity to review and assess the corrections she desires, we are unable to advise a reasonable plan of action to remedy the “errors” she references or if fees will be incurred. She also states she “cannot open the attachments they sent so I cannot see what services they claimed that have been fulfilled” In our original response the attachment listing the marketing services and their status was a Microsoft Excel document.  We have attached a copy of the list in a Microsoft Word format and a PDF. We trust she will be able to open one of these this formats. If not, please advise and we will send a copy by USPS. “I have still not received bookmarks and other promotional materials that I paid for or free books I am entitled to.”  Regarding the bookmarks and promotional materials, they have been placed on hold pending payment of outstanding marketing services.  Once the hold was released, their implementation was resumed. They have been completed and are scheduled for shipping by the printer. Regarding the books included in her publishing package, either she takes delivery on copies of the book as it is today or waits until the revision issue is reviewed and resolved.  Also with either option she is responsible for the shipping costs. Ms. [redacted]’s mention of the pricing of her book as a concern was not present in her original filing; therefore, no information concerning the pricing was offered in our response. The setting of a book’s price is based upon: 1) the page count and 2) the book type (color or black and white interior, and softcover, hardcover, or e-book). The cost is directly related to the cost of production. Before a title is released, the author must approve the pricing for all versions. The pricing approval form was signed by Ms. [redacted], copy attached. In summary, we have yet to receive the corrections information Ms. [redacted] writes that she sent to us. Until we receive them we are unable to assess her specific editing concerns and determine if the errors are publisher errors or author errors and if any fees would be incurred. Since she states she was unable to open the Excel file from our original response containing a list of Marketing Services, we are attaching the same list in two other formats-- a Microsoft Word document and a PDF file--both of which have been used during the production process. We trust this information illustrates our attention to her concerns. Sincerely, Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
Xlibris' Claim: “On November 14, 2016, Mr. [redacted] purchased a Black and White Custom Publishing package from Xlibris for the publication of his book “[redacted].” “He took advantage of a 50% discount…” This is a falsehood. This is the price they charge everyone. They claim it is a 50% rate to entice naive prospective clients.“…off the published price and chose to use a three part installment payment plan which added a non-refundable service fee of $30 to his purchase price, making his total $979.50. He made the first payment of $346.50 that day with the remaining two payments set up for auto-charge on the same day of the two following months. He signed both the Services and Distribution Agreement and the Payment Plan Agreement on November 16, 2016.Mr. [redacted]’s manuscript was received and subsequently endorsed to content evaluation on November 22, 2016. Content evaluation is the process in which Xlibris assesses an author’s manuscript to ensure that it meets our standards for publishing. The content of Mr. [redacted]’s book was flagged due to possible libelous content and lack of permission on use excerpts from copyrighted materials. Xlibris worked with Mr. [redacted] on the requirements to pass the content review process. [An updated manuscript was received from the author and was re-submitted to content evaluation on January 9, 2017. The second review of the manuscript upheld the initial results with some libelous and flagged statements remaining unchanged.]The above paragraph is a farce. Yes, they did point out some issues of libel but the corrections were made and resubmitted. Then they claimed they re-evaluated the edited version but sent me back he same results as the first one totally ignoring the corrections. It was obvious that they had not even read the edited copy. I sent them a response indicating the error of failing to respond to the revised copy. Their reply to subsequent revisions began coming in with a generic answer that my manuscript still had legal issues. They refused to tell me “what” issues. After doing a great deal of research on the internet as to what constitutes libel and other legal issues related to authors, I began to realize that my manuscript no longer contained any issues with legality. After many more attempts to get them to specify what issues they were referring to, I finally realized their claim of continuing libel issues was just a ploy to stall the performance of the deliverables required under our contract. When pressed for the specific examples of the libelous issues they were referring to, I was told that they didn’t have any staff members who were qualified to determine what exactly the legal issues are. If that is true, how do they make the claim that issues exist?I did not receive even one of the deliverables that I paid for.  Mr. [redacted] agreed to continue working on his manuscript and make the necessary revisions to meet our content standards. A third review was made after submission of a revised version from Mr. [redacted] but once the updated manuscript failed to pass our content review. The results were communicated to Mr. [redacted] in February and he again agreed to make revisions to his work. This is a complete lie. A third review was either not done or, if it was, the results were not communicated to me except to say that some other issues still exist. There were no specific issues identified that I could work on editing.  We received a request from him to terminate our services agreement on March 1, 2016. All Xlibris refunds are processed within our committed timeline of 35 days from the date of the termination request.  According to the Termination and Refunds Section of his Services and Distribution Agreement (copy attached), projects with manuscripts failing our content evaluation process, qualify for a refund of the amount paid for the publishing package less a $150 content review fee, the $150 account setup fee and, per the Payment Plan agreement (copy attached) the $30 non-refundable installment surcharge. Mr. [redacted] is due $979.50 less $330 or $649.50.  This amount was credited to his account on April 4, 2017 in three (3) transactions:I was never told that my manuscript had failed their evaluation process. Contrary to this claim is the fact that they tried to get me to invest another $2600 to upgrade to a greater package claiming that they felt my book had great potential for movie rights. The new package would include a video designed to seduce publishers to see the value of my manuscript as the basis for a motion picture. I responded that I may consider it after they filled my original contract. The bottom line is this; I do not agree with the resolution suggested by Xlibris. They did not fulfill even one of the contractual deliverables promised during their promotion made to me to get me to invest. As they admitted above, I performed under the agreement to pay the entire sum on the contracted amount. When I threatened to report this to the Revdex.com and report this on social networks, they did agree to refund the amount they reported above. However, since I received none of the services that were contracted for, they still owe me $330.00. The internet is strewn with hundreds, if not thousands, of complaints against Xlibris for the same claims I have made here. A simple search of the Xlibris name will prove this claim correct.
Regards,
**  [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait until for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain the Author Learning Center subscription and its renewal.   [redacted] has requested that the $149 charge to her credit card for the renewal of her Author Learning Center subscription be refunded.   Ms. [redacted]...

purchased the Full Color publishing package from Xlibris on April 8, 2014. This package includes a complimentary year subscription to the Author Learning Center, a website dedicated to assisting and supporting all writers, sponsored by Author Solutions Inc. This website service is offered for both Author Solution clients and those writers who are seeking other publishing venues, or have yet to commit to a publisher or publishing services.   On June 29, 2014, Ms. [redacted] registered to take advantage of this complimentary membership. During registration, the website will request credit card details, although these will not be utilized until the complimentary membership time period has expired.  Once the trial membership period ends the subscription membership becomes due. Please reference the following link:  https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/authors/sign_up   As stated on the website, the subscription will automatically renew at the end of the trial period unless the member advises of their cancellation desire within the trial period by emailing [email protected] or [email protected] .      On June 29, 2015, Ms. [redacted]’s chosen credit card was charged the applicable $149 renewal fee, in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this service. This fee was deducted from Ms. [redacted]’s card exactly one year after her sign up date. The details of this transaction have been attached for your convenience.   On July 1, 2015, the $149 was returned to her chosen credit card, transaction number [redacted], and her subscription was cancelled.    To date, all funds relating to the renewal of the Author Learning Center service have been returned to Ms. [redacted]. Should she have any additional questions or concerns she may contact our Author Support staff at 1-888-795-4274.   Sincerely, [redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention and for the opportunity to present our side of the case.   Mr. [redacted] signed up with Authorhouse on April 5, 2016 to publish his book entitled “[redacted]”. In addition to the Classic Full Color Publishing...

Package, his purchase included the color Hardcover add-on and an Editorial Assessment service.  He chose to take advantage of special pricing and our installment payment plan option which added a $30 non-refundable service charge to his total. The book completed its publication and was made available for sale with his approval on September 16, 2016.   The option to purchase additional marketing services as add-ons is available at the time of purchase of the package and remains available for as long as an author’s publishing agreement is in force. The purchase of these services is not mandatory but optional and solely within the author’s discretion.   On August 29, 2016 he purchased a New York Times Media Marketing package to promote and publicize his work, taking advantage of a discounted rate of $4000 from the regular $5499 price. He again opted to use an installment payment plan, adding a $30 non-refundable surcharge and making his package total $4030. He made the first payment of $1030 that day with the remaining three payments set up for auto-charge on the same day of the three following months. The scheduled third and fourth installments were declined by his bank, leaving a balance of $2000 as of this writing.    On November 21, 2016 Mr. [redacted] contacted us to make arrangements for payment using a new credit card.   On February 23, 2017, Authorhouse received his request for cancellation and refund of the New York Time Media Marketing package for financial reasons. A review of the conversation between Mr. [redacted] and his consultant confirms that his consultant informed him about his intention to have Management review Mr. [redacted]’s account for possible additional discount in consideration of his financial situation. This marketing package has seven elements. Those elements and their statuses are attached for your reference.  Five (5) of the elements were fulfilled prior to his cancellation request.  Two (2) remain open pending payment of the open balance.   We have explained to Mr. [redacted] that based on Section 8.2 of his Self-Publishing Services Agreement (copy attached), the said package was no longer refundable. Section 8.2 B of his publishing services agreement states that: b) Services not Included in Publishing Packages. We will Refund to You the full amount paid for individual Services not included in a Publishing Package, or Additional Services, that We have not fulfilled or started to fulfill, or that We are unable to fulfill as of the effective date of the Termination. If We have fulfilled or started to fulfill a Service or Additional Service, no Refund for that Service or Additional Service will be due to You.   The approval forms for the services included in the package also state that the services are no longer refundable once the form with the author’s signature is received. Due to the number of pages involved, copies of the authorized approval forms for the fulfilled services--BookMad Digital Magazine, the Web Design Setup, the Book Marketing Kit, and the Online Book Ads via Google are available upon request.  The fulfillment of the remaining two (2) services--the Press Release – Essential Edition and the New York Time Sunday Book Review are pending payment. Their approval forms are also available on request.    We understand and acknowledge Mr. [redacted]’s request for refund. However, because our records indicate that most of the services contracted for his book have been fulfilled and in accordance with the terms of his Self-Publishing Services Agreement, fulfillment of services forfeits their eligibility for a refund.  Mr. [redacted] approved the fulfillment of the services prior to his request to cancel and Authorhouse fulfilled most of the services in the package despite the unpaid balance on the account.         We hope the information provided in this letter illustrates the steps we have taken to address Mr. [redacted]’s concerns. Please let us know if additional steps need to be taken for an amicable close to this case.   Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I am submitting the proof I have that shows they transposed my signature onto their documents. I did not sign anything. I repeatedly asked for cancellation and you will see in the screenshots that I am submitting that they admitted it. I have no idea what kind of monsters they are, but they are thieves and they are featured on Rip Off Report several times. I am not the only one.
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
 
Regards,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to review Ms. [redacted]’s concerns and honor the refund provisions of her Services and Distribution Agreement. On September 30, 2016, Ms. [redacted] purchased an Essential Black and White Publishing Package. She accepted a special discount on the package making...

its cost $999.50. In addition she purchased an Editorial Assessment service for the discounted price of $199, bringing her total purchase to $1,198.50.  The same day she signed the Services and Distribution Agreement., copy attached for your reference. Her Check-in Coordinator (CIC) contacted her on October 3rd and 4th to introduce the phases of publishing to Ms. [redacted] and find out more about the manuscript and materials she desired to publish. The CIC  provided information and guides about how to prepare and submit her manuscript, materials and any images she wanted to include in the book or on the cover and included a Submission Information Form (SIF) to be filled out by Ms. [redacted] and returned to us. On October 28, 2016, the manuscript completed its Editorial Assessment and a report was sent to Ms. [redacted]. The Editorial Assessment is a tool an author uses to obtain a sample evaluation of a section (usually the first chapter or 1700 words) of their manuscript. The resulting report is a gauge of the type or level of editing that could be helpful for the finished product. Although recommendations are included in the report, the choice of whether to edit or not to edit is totally at the discretion of the author. Similarly, if editing is chosen, the selection of who will perform the edit is totally up to the author. More details about the service are available on our website at the following address: http://www.authorhouse.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=BS-5859 On November 1, 2016, she advised she would bypass adding editorial services thru AuthorHouse citing budgetary concerns. On January 4, 2017 when a new Check-in Coordinator called and emailed to introduce himself as her point of contact for questions and information, Ms. [redacted] stated that she was editing her work herself. In a follow-up call on January 24, 2017, she shared that she was almost done and would send it once complete. On April 21, 2017, she contacted us indicating she was ready to move forward and wanted another Editorial Assessment to catch errors plus a new CIC. On May 3, 2017, she sent a new manuscript and purchased a second Editorial Assessment at 20% off the list price or $239.20. A few days later, the Editorial Team emailed her to inquire about the choice of a second Editorial Assessment instead of one of the editorial recommendations from the original Assessment. They conveyed that since the service is only a partial (sample) edit, her intent to catch errors throughout the work would not be realized with another Assessment. On May 15, 2017, the Editorial team sent a follow-up email to establish if Ms. [redacted] was ready to move the new manuscript forward for design. She replied that her work was not yet ready.     Refunds Ms. [redacted] writes about three refund request scenarios in her filing—the publishing package, the add-on services and the Author Learning Center subscription. We have reviewed each of them and found the following:   Publishing Package and Add-on Services Refund Policy The refund policy governing her publishing package and add-on services is stated in her the Termination & Refunds section of her Services and Distribution Agreement, copy attached. The section reads as follows: For Publishing Packages Prior to submission of Your Manuscript 0-90 calendar days after the purchase: 100% of purchase price, less $150 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is greater 91-180 calendar days after the purchase: 50% of purchase price More than 180 calendar days after the purchase: No Refund After submission of Your Manuscript but prior to final approval After submission of Your Manuscript but before design work begins: 50% of purchase price After design work begins but prior to final approval: 25% of purchase price After You have given final approval of the Work: No Refund Submission of Your Manuscript occurs when You first deliver to Us any text or images intended for publication  For individual Services (not included as part of a Publishing Package): Prior the beginning of fulfillment of individual Service(s): 0-90 calendar days after the purchase: 100% of purchase price, less $150 or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is greater 91-180 calendar days after the purchase: 50% of purchase price More than 180 calendar days after the purchase: No Refund After We begin fulfillment of individual Service(s): No Refund  Fulfillment of a Service occurs either when You return the author questionnaire, whether or not completed fully or correctly, or when We or a Contractor begin work on the service, whichever occurs first.   Application of Refund Policy Ms. [redacted]’s publishing package was purchased on September 30, 2016. Her manuscript was logged in as received on October 4, 2016. Per the terms of her agreement, since her manuscript had been submitted but no design work had yet to begin, she is eligible for a 50% refund of the purchase price of the publishing package or $499.75. This amount ($499.75) has been returned to the credit card used to make the purchase on July 17, 2017 via transaction ID [redacted].   The first Editorial Assessment add-on service had been fulfilled In October 2016 and therefore is no longer eligible for refund. The second add-on Editorial Assessment was refunded in full on May 16, 2017 and the $150 administrative fee was waived. The $239.20 was refunded to the credit card used to make the purchase on May 16, 2017 via transaction [redacted]. Timeline for Editorial Assessment Refund Ms. [redacted] writes that three weeks passed before she received her refund for the second Editorial Assessment service. Our records show that a request for its refund was entered on Friday, May 5, 2017 and was forwarded to our refund department for review and approval or denial. Her refund was approved on Monday, May 15th and the full amount of the purchase, was transferred back to her credit card the following day, Tuesday, May 16, 2017. Although our refund processing timeline took ten (10) business days, once the funds were transferred out of our bank account, the timeline for when the funds post to the author’s account is dependent upon the policies of the credit card vendors and banks involved and are outside our ability to control. Typically, these transfers between banking entities take from 3 to 7 days.   Author Learning Center Membership Subscription Refund When Ms. [redacted] signed up for her publishing package she became eligible for membership in the Author Learning Center (ALC). She accepted a three-month free introductory trial period. When she enrolled for the ALC she was made aware that once the introductory period expired, to continue the service a $9.99 monthly subscription fee would be auto-charged to the credit card she provided at the time of registrations. To provide information and answer any questions subscribers may have, the Terms of Use details and a Contact Us link are readily accessible on the ALC website. Per the Terms of Use cancellation terms, in order to avoid charges for the month, a cancellation request must be made and verified prior to the renewal date for that month. Our records show cancellation was requested and verified on May 12th and was terminated on May 13, 2017. Subscription fees paid for months prior to notice of cancellation are ineligible for refund. In Summary, we are saddened that Ms. [redacted] has chosen to cancel her publishing project and apologize for any misunderstandings or miscommunications that may have led to her decision. Per the terms of her Services and Distribution Agreement, we have refunded $239.20 for the unfulfilled editing service and $499.75 (50% of the publishing package purchase price) of her publishing package to the credit card she used to make the purchase The Editorial Assessment service purchased at the same time of the publishing package purchase has been fulfilled and is therefore ineligible for refund. The Author Learning Center subscription has been cancelled. She is ineligible for refund of subscription fees for past months. We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns. Sincerely, Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Authors Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.My book was listed on the Allbookstores. com website until I fired Xlibris as my publisher. I may be able to get more evidence in the future from other chandls that are available to authors Xlibris' responce is lam
My book was listed on the All bookstores website untill I fired Xlibris.V
Regards,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
In the responce they gave you, it clearly states the Ebook nad Kindle are up on Amazon and other websites, but if you look right now they are not. I contacted them and asked why and as of 8/25 the issue has not been taking care of. So they indeed lied in there responce to you and they have taken my $420 under false pretenses.