Author Solutions, LLC

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for the opportunity to explain the Online Newsmaker Publicity Campaign that Mr. [redacted] purchased as well as the [redacted] and his eligibility for a refund.  Mr. [redacted] questions the fulfillment of two marketing and promotional services. It is important to...

recognize that, as stated in the descriptions of each of these services, their purpose is to provide targeted information about his book to multiple media outlets and resources so they may in turn reach out to the consumer.  The decision to review, publicize or recommend a title lies with the media resource; the decision to purchase a copy of the book is at the discretion of the consumer.  Mr. [redacted] writes that he believes Abbott Press owns several publications where his press release could have run.  For clarification on the make-up of Abbott Press and its mission, we refer Mr. [redacted] to the Abbott Press website and the January 22, 2010 press release announcing the partnership between Writer’s Digest and Author Solutions to launch a self-publishing division--Abbott Press.  This association is devoted to helping writers improve their work and realize their dreams of getting published.  http://www.abbottpress.com/AboutUs/News/PR012211.aspx Online Newsmaker Publicity CampaignOn August 21, 2013, Mr. [redacted] purchased the Online Newsmaker Publicity Campaign for the discounted price of $6399.20.  He chose to pay for the service on a 4 installment payment plan, adding a non refundable $75 payment plan fee, making the total $6474.20. A description of the service can be found on the Abbott Press website at:  http://www.abbottpress.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=PKG-1144.  There are two parts to the Online Newsmaker Publicity Campaign:  a six week campaign led by a personal publicist, which includes social media networking thru Facebook, Twitter and a blog; the second part is a more traditional campaign, which includes a press release being sent to media outlets.  Mr. [redacted] returned the Online Newsmaker Publicity Campaign questionnaire in early September.  He completed the payment plan on November 21, 2013 (fulfillment of the service does not begin until the service is paid in full).  On December 12, 2013, Mr. [redacted] was emailed the names of his publicists and the plan document for the campaign.The traditional campaign was launched on February 3, 2014 and ended on March 10, 2014; the social media campaign was launched on February 10, 2014 and ended on March 17, 2014.  The post fulfillment report emails were sent to Mr. [redacted] on March 17, 2014 and March 24, 2014, respectively.  Attached are the reports that were sent to him.  As these reports show, the campaigns were fulfilled as described in the product description.  [redacted]One of the services included in Mr. [redacted] publishing package is the [redacted].  Attached for your reference is a description of the service.  This review is conducted by [redacted], the holding company of Writer’s Digest, and all decisions regarding acquisition are at their discretion.  On September 10, 2013, customer service sent Mr. [redacted] an email instructing him to fill out the [redacted] form.  Mr. [redacted] returned the form on September 21, 2013. Completed forms are then sent to the brand manager in batches once a month.  On September 30, 2013, Mr. [redacted] form was emailed to the brand manager for submittal to [redacted]. On October 8, 2013, Mr. [redacted] galley, cover, and form were emailed by the brand manager to our contact at [redacted].  As the service description states, it is up to [redacted] to decide if the title is of interest to them and if so, they will contact the author directly.  Abbott Press is not included in the decision or in any subsequent negotiations.  Contact with StaffMr. [redacted] writes that he had registered his complaint and was told that a ‘supervisor’ would contact him.  A review of our communications was initiated.  Attached is a call report showing the inbound and outbound calls to the phone number of record for Mr. [redacted] from the time of his purchases in 2013 to date.  The report shows fifty-eight (58) calls were made from August 2013 thru August 2015. Of those calls, only eight (8) were inbound to us; the remaining fifty (50) were calls made by our staff to him. Several of those were from supervisors.   An accommodation of the renewal of the booksellers return program for two (2) years, a $ 720 value, resulted from one of those calls.  His request for re In closing, the decision to review, publicize or recommend a title is made by the media source; the decision to purchase a copy of the book lies with the consumer.  Both the Online Newsmaker Publicity Campaign and the [redacted] services were fulfilled as described.  Their fulfillment makes them ineligible for refund.   We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to fulfill Mr. [redacted] marketing and promotional services.Sincerely,Elaine [redacted]Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for the opportunity to explain the pre-production and production of Mr. [redacted]’s book.
Attached is a timeline that shows what has transpired from the time Mr. [redacted] purchased his publishing package through March 28, 2016. 
For clarity we have listed his concerns as...

they were stated in his filing followed by our response.
“The manuscript was sent without my knowledge or consent to the Philippines for design, layout and production.”
AuthorHouse LLC is an imprint of Author Solutions LLC, a global company with offices in cities around the world. Mr. [redacted]’s material was assigned to AuthorHouse production staff in our office in Cebu, Philippines and not outsourced to another company.  All the staff members who worked on his project are employees of AuthorHouse LLC . 
Per his Self-Publishing Services Agreement (copy attached), AuthorHouse is not obligated to advise an author which office an employee assigned to the fulfillment of his/her publishing package works out of. 
“I was assigned employees in the Philippines who did not understand the complex inter-connectivity of multiple culture's in early American decorative arts, to include furniture making…”
No matter which office a project is assigned to, the staff members are required to be proficient in the use of our design software and accepted industry formatting styles, their nuances and variations for different genres, such as academic works, fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, poetry, children’s literature for all ages, journals, etc. These tools along with the instructions supplied by the author are applied to the submitted manuscript and materials to create a document for publishing.  The topic of an author’s project is independent of the assignment of staff to complete the design of a book.
“…there were efforts to blame me for a poor manuscript, low resolution images in an attempt to sell me additional or enhanced services…”
Mr. [redacted] was not “blamed” for the material he submitted.  We recognized that by following his instructions certain submitted materials when placed in our design software would respond in an unflattering manner.  We advised him of the images that were in question and options to remedy the situation.   Also as a courtesy to all our clients, their materials are reviewed for compliance to our standards for publishing regarding libel, copyright, fair use, and content that contains sex and/or drug paraphernalia. Although he had provided evidence of permission to use many of the images in his work, several were submitted without and he was asked to provide them.
Poor manuscript
We are unclear what he is referring to exactly but there was an issue broached with Mr. [redacted] regarding his index.  Attached is the email chain from October 27, 2015 between Mr. [redacted] and several staff members.  Mr. [redacted] was not blamed for the index issues.  Mr. [redacted] explained what COULD happen with the index page numbers and how it could be remedied if it did happen.  He also provided two examples.  Nowhere in the email chain is there a mention of additional services needing to be purchased by Mr. [redacted].  Instead of Mr. [redacted] waiting to review the galley proof to see if the issue actually occurred, he requested to cancel the project and threatened legal action. 
Low resolution images
Some of the images Mr. [redacted] submitted were below the required 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution the printer requires for printing.  Mr. [redacted] emailed the following to Mr. [redacted] about the low resolution images on January 12, 2016:
Also, we are in the middle of creating the layout and our design team pointed out again the issue of the image resolution (Please see screen shots below). Part of your instructions, is that we should follow the layout of your submitted manuscript, and that includes the sizes of the images.  However, most of the images have low resolution.
In order for us to resolve this you have the following options:
1. Supply again the images with high resolution and same/bigger size on how you want them to be in the book.
2. If you won’t be able to supply a better version, you can sign a waiver.
3. We may also resize the images to improve the resolution, but the layout of your manuscript won’t be followed.
Let me know how you want to proceed with this.
Again, Mr. [redacted] was not blamed for the low resolution images, nor was he pitched any additional services.  Low resolution images are typical when authors provide photos.  Mr. [redacted] was asked how he would like us to proceed and given three options by Mr. [redacted].  Mr. [redacted]’s response is shown in the attached timeline, essentially telling the design staff to do as they see fit.
“…I was told by a supervisor at Authorhouse (Rich [redacted]), I was acting discriminatory against their foreign and female workforce, which is not true.”
We believe Mr. [redacted] is referring to the above mentioned October 27, 2015 email chain, which shows Mr. [redacted]’s response to Mr. [redacted]’s intent to cancel and sue over an issue that had yet to occur.  Mr. [redacted]’s email is not accusatory nor was it intended to read that way.
“I received a product that is difficult to read, random in design, and featuring illustrations that are cut-off, and/or distorted in size, color and clarity…”
The file has been reviewed and none of the issues above can be seen in the final printing file.  Mr. [redacted] will need to elaborate on these claims for us to address them accurately.  For example, what makes the text difficult to read--is it too small, too much on a page?  What page(s) feature images that are cut off?  The color and clarity of the images may be a print quality issue; however, we need the issues to be specified.   If Mr. [redacted] would provide scans of the issues, we can address his concerns with our printer, determine if they are within the standard print variance, and what action needs to be taken. 
Mr. [redacted] approved the galley, cover and pricing on March 17, 2016 and the files were released to our printer network for installation into their systems.  His approvals are attached.
“..at times I have been lied to and give assurances that were not true”
As there were no notes in Mr. [redacted]’s account that allude to or verify this claim, if he would like to elaborate, we will investigate his statement further. 
Implementation of Marketing Services
Marketing services whether included in the publishing package or purchased individually as an add-on service are subject to the terms and conditions of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement. To ensure the timing of his On-line Newsmaker Publication Campaign coincides with the availability of the book for purchase throughout our distribution network, the marketing service elements are scheduled to begin once the book has been released. 
On March 29, 2016, his marketing services representative, John [redacted], emailed him the service’s questionnaire requesting his input and information to enable both the social media expert and the publicist to integrate their efforts in introducing his book into the marketplace and obtaining visibility for it. We encourage Mr. [redacted] to complete the questionnaire and return it to Mr. [redacted] expeditiously.
Desired resolution
Mr. [redacted] is requesting a refund of $2000 for marketing services and an additional $1500 for poor delivery of services and deceptive business practices.
He approved the galley, cover, and pricing, returning the agreements on March 17, 2016.  Therefore, the publishing portion has been fulfilled and ineligible for refund. A stated in his Self-Publishing Services Agreement, attached, “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.” Therefore, no refund will be granted for the marketing. 
Mr. [redacted] received a substantial discount on the purchase of his services He asks
In closing, AuthorHouse has allocated the necessary resources to prepare Mr. [redacted]’s work for publication and has waived fees to accommodate his requests for revisions and modifications to his manuscript as noted in the attachment of the timeline for his project.
In accordance with Section 10 of his Self-Publishing Services Agreement, upon receipt of his approval to release his files to print on March 17, 2016, the services of his publishing package became ineligible for refund.  The agreement also states that all other Services are non-refundable.  His request for refund is denied. His request for monetary compensation outside the agreement terms and conditions is declined.
Sincerely,
Elaine [redacted]
Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for contacting Trafford Publishing in regards to [redacted] (formerly [redacted]) and her book, [redacted].   Pursuant to Ms. [redacted] agreement, Trafford distributed information about her book to retail websites, such as Amazon...

and Barnes & Noble, which allows it to be listed on their websites as a print on demand book. Print on demand means that a book is only printed if it is ordered.  At the end of each calendar quarter, those retail websites report to Trafford all sales information for that quarter.  Trafford then pays royalties quarterly to the authors based on a compilation of all sales reports.  Trafford has a minimum royalty payment threshold of $25.00. If royalties do not reach $25.00 during a given calendar quarter, the royalties will be accrued until the next quarter in which total royalties earned reaches $25.00. If royalties earned do not reach $25.00 by the fourth quarter each year, all royalties will be paid for the year.  I have included a sales & royalty report with this letter, which illustrates all sales of her book, [redacted], since 2011.  I will be issuing a new money request in the amount of $2.20, which includes a royalty payment of $1.44 for a book sale in 2013 on which the royalty was not paid, as well as a re-payment of a royalty in the amount of $0.76, which was correctly paid in Q3 2009, but the check was not cashed by the author or re-issued by Trafford. I have also enclosed copies of the checks issued to Ms. [redacted] from 2010- 2014, all of which have cleared the bank.   I would note that all of this information regarding sales and royalties is, and has been, available in Ms. [redacted] online Author Center account for her review at any time.  Effective May 9, 2015, we have terminated Ms. [redacted] contract and waived the $150 termination fee. If requested by Ms. [redacted], we can send her an electronic copy of her book.  Please be advised that any third party property may be used only in the version of [redacted] that was created by Trafford, and may not be removed or used in any other versions of the book or other products or materials. To the extent Ms. [redacted] book incorporates any third party property and she wishes to use such property in a different version of her book, she must obtain a license directly from the holder of intellectual property rights.  We cannot, however, transfer the ISBN, as that is specific to Trafford, as the publisher.   Thank you for the opportunity to address Ms. [redacted] concerns. Please let us know if you have any further questions. A similar letter and documents have also been sent to Mr. [redacted]’s legal counsel.     Sincerely,   Eugene H[redacted]Global Director Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for the opportunity to review Mr. [redacted]’s concerns surrounding his purchase of the BlueInk Marketing Service.   Mr. [redacted] signed up with Xlibris on May 27, 2016 to publish his book entitled “[redacted]”, selecting a Black and White Poetry Classique...

publishing package and adding a Google SEM internet marketing search service. The signed and returned the Self-Publishing Services Agreement on May 29, 2016. The book completed its publication process and was made available for sale with his approval on June 16, 2016.    To assist our clients in developing a marketing plan for their work, an array of marketing and promotional services are available as add-on purchases at any time.  In October, he chose to add the BlueInk Basic Review marketing service for the discounted price of $700.   As described on our website, this service provides authors the opportunity to receive a professional opinion of their work by well-respected and highly accomplished critics. A BlueInk review is an expert’s honest assessment of an author’s work. As such, this service guarantees only that the book will be read and assessed by a professional; there are no guarantees that a positive review will result for any title submitted for this service or any other professional reviewing service.   Our staff is required to accurately present our services to clients and potential clients. In light of the allegations made in this filing, we immediately requested a review of all the conversations between Mr. [redacted] and his marketing consultant. Our review found that certain details of the BlueInk Service were inaccurately described during the discussions about the service prior to his decision to purchase. We thank Mr. [redacted] for bringing his experience to our attention so that we might initiate an investigation and address any actions that are outside our company’s integrity and customer service standards.   Per Section 8, subsection 8.2(b) of his self- publishing services agreement, when a service is fulfilled, it is no longer eligible for refund. In view of the findings of our investigation, we are making an exception.  A refund request for the full amount paid for the BlueInk Review has been approved and returned to the visa card used to make the purchase. The transaction ID is [redacted].   In summary, we apologize to Mr. [redacted] for any inconvenience, embarrassment or stress our staff’s miscommunication of the BlueInk marketing service may have caused him.  An exception to our refund policy has been granted and he has been refunded in full for the marketing service.   We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address Mr. [redacted]’s concern.   Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for the opportunity to review and address the editing and royalty concerns raised by Ms. [redacted] in her letter to your office.   Ms. [redacted] a.k.a. [redacted] signed up with Xlibris on September 22, 2009 to publish her book entitled “[redacted]”. She...

purchased a Black & White Premium publishing package for the special price of $1599 and opted to use an installment payment plan which added a $30 non-refundable set-up and processing charge, making her package total $1629. The production on her book began in October 2010, and was made available for sale with her approval on April 29, 2014.   The Xlibris publishing process gives authors control over the progress of their book by requiring them to be active in the steps taken to move their writing from a manuscript to the marketplace.  Before we move forward from one step to the next we must receive expressed approval from the author to do so. Our records indicate that all necessary approvals and signoffs to proceed from the initial production to the final distribution stage have been received from Ms. [redacted].   Copyediting Upon receipt of this complaint, a review of the published work was conducted.  The results show that the copyediting portion of her package which addresses the correcting of errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax may not have been properly executed. For this we apologize.  In addition we found changes were introduced by Ms. [redacted] during the design stage and after she approved the edited manuscript that created more editorial issues. To address these editorial concerns with her book, Xlibris will honor Ms. [redacted]’s request to re-edit her book. The corrected manuscript will be sent to Ms. [redacted] for review within the next 30 [redacted]s.  Upon her approval of the re-edited manuscript it will be endorsed to our production team for design and layout.   Since the original package was purchased in 2009, some of the marketing services included are no longer available and have been discontinued. Once the book with the updated content is completed and approved, we will re-launch those marketing services included in her package that are still offered or available---the Book Review, Press Release (100 Edition), hand out materials (business cards, postcards, bookmarks and posters), and CD ROM Archive. The copyright for her title has been registered in her name under Registration Number [redacted].   Royalty & Sales Data Ms. [redacted] states that she is not receiving royalties.  The accuracy of royalty earnings and their payment is very important to us.  Therefore, we initiated an audit of her sales and royalty data from her title’s initial publication thru the end of the third quarter of 2016. A copy of the resulting Sales and Royalty Data Report is attached for your reference.    The audit report is in two sections—the Sales Data Reported lists the information provided by our distribution network printers and vendors and the Royalty Payments provides the breakdown of payments and when they were made. The report shows that her book had sales and earned royalties in five (5) quarters--Q3 & Q4 of 2014, Q1 & Q2 of 2015, and Q3 of 2016. The Sales Data section shows the date and type of sale, vendor, format, quantity, royalty rate, withholding tax and royalty earned. The Royalty Payments section shows the checks issued.   Ms. [redacted]’s Author Agreement ( copy attached) stipulates that the royalty is a set percentage of the Suggested Retail price: of the book: 10% for softcover and hardcover books sold thru bookstores, libraries and resellers; 25% if sold thru the Xlibris website bookstore. For E-Books she received 50% of the selling price. These percentages are consistent with the audit report.   The audit confirms the information posted to her royalty statements is accurate. Royalty statements are accessible to her thru her My Author Center Account via our website.    Royalties are paid quarterly following a $25 threshold requirement. Royalty for the first, second and fourth quarters must amount to at least $25 to be qualified for its quarter’s payout. Royalty earnings that fall below the threshold are forwarded to the next quarter until the amount qualifies for payout. If the accumulated royalty earnings fail to reach the threshold throughout the three quarters, royalty is paid out on the third quarter regardless of the amount.     Our audit found that we have issued checks to Ms. [redacted] in accordance with the payment schedule and royalty payout requirements.  A total of three (3) checks have been issued and mailed to the address of record at the time they were issued. Two of the checks--one issued in November 2015 and one in November 2016--were returned by USPS as undeliverable. Each time, upon their return, we reached out to her requesting a valid address to re-send the check to.  We received no reply.   In this filing, Ms. [redacted] was required to provide contact information.  That identifying information—physical address, phone numbers and email--did not correspond with any of the information on her account except for the email address which is listed as the fourth alternate email for us to reach her. It is the responsibility of the author to notify us of any changes in contact information.   We will consider the contact information provided with this to be notification to update her information. We have updated her account and are re-sending royalty check # [redacted] dated 11/15/16 to her via Certified Mail, tracking number [redacted], to the [redacted] address.   Federal Withholding tax To comply with US tax withholding and reporting requirements, we are required to withhold 28% tax from royalty income unless there is a valid signed IRS W-9 form from the author on file. Per federal regulations, the amount withheld is deposited with the Internal Revenue Service quarterly. As Ms. [redacted] has yet to provide this document, taxes were withheld from her royalty earnings and will continue to be withheld until which time she submits the appropriate IRS form. We direct her to her My Author Center account on our website where she may view the forms and complete the submission.    Refund and Termination Ms. [redacted]’s desired settlement is confusing.  She states that she wants us to re-edit her book and re-market it at no additional cost to her and also asks for a refund and the cancelation of her author agreement.   As the work was completed and released with her approval she is no longer eligible for refund.  We have agreed to re-edit and re-launch her book at no additional cost to her.    In August of 2016, at her request, she was provided instructions on how to cancel her agreement. She was advised to send a signed letter of intent to that affect.  To date no such letter has been received.   In summary, after a review of the copyediting of her manuscript, we agree that the editing was lacking. We have committed to re-edit the work and prepare a revised version of her book.  With her approval we will re-launch the book into the marketplace utilizing the marketing tools listed above.   An update of the contact information on her account has been made and the outstanding royalty check has been sent to her via Certified Mail.  We trust that Ms. [redacted] will keep us abreast of any future changes in her contact information.   We hope the information provided with this letter illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns.   Sincerely,   Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms. [redacted]’s request for a refund of unfulfilled services purchased from iUniverse. On June 30, 2011, Ms. [redacted] purchased the Online Premier Pro Publishing Package from iUniverse for $2,109.83. She opted to pay in monthly installments,...

adding a non-refundable payment plan fee of $30 for a grand total of $2,139.83. In November of 2011, after reviewing the Editorial Evaluation prepared for her manuscript, Ms. [redacted] advised that she would be making revisions and anticipated sending a revised manuscript by the end of August 2012. On August 6, 2016 we received her revised manuscript.    Editing Services and Book Releases On August 31, 2016, Ms. [redacted] chose to purchase Content Editing for $1,880.27 as well as Proofreading for $590.94. Again, she chose to pay in consecutive monthly installments.  The $30 non- refundable payment plan fee was added making her total cost for editing services $2,501.21.   Her manuscript was scheduled for Content Editing on September 2, 2016 and the edited manuscript was returned to her for her approval on October 17, 2016. After editing is completed, we ask that the author carefully review all changes made by the editor. Here the author has the opportunity to decline any changes the editor has made or make any additional changes they desire before returning the final manuscript to us for endorsement to the next phase of book preparation. On November 21, 2016, Ms. [redacted] returned her manuscript to us. On November 30, 2016, she asked questions about decisions the editor had made and was told that she could reject any changes she was not happy with. She chose to move forward with the manuscript and it was sent for the Proofreading service on December 16, 2016. On January 17, 2017, the Proofreading was completed and the manuscript was sent to her for review. She was asked to review all changes made and either accept or reject them. We received her corrections on January 24, 2017 and her electronic proofs were sent to her the next day for approval. Ms. [redacted] did one more round of corrections and was sent a second set of electronic proofs. We received her Cover, Interior and Pricing Sign-Off Forms on January 30, 2017 and her book was made live the same day. On February 12, 2017, Ms. [redacted] sent an e-mail stating that she needed to make corrections to the dedication page and the second to last page with her contact information, but that the rest of the interior manuscript was fine. On February 25, 2017, Ms. [redacted] was given a free resubmission to make these corrections. The corrections were made and the resubmission was completed on February 28, 2017.   Marketing Services On December 29, 2016, Ms. [redacted] purchased several marketing services for her book (a list of these services and their costs is attached).   Once Ms. [redacted]’s book was published, we began fulfillment of her marketing services. We received the requisite forms and approvals from Ms. [redacted] to proceed with the following services: Book Signing Kit (February 6, 2017), Coast-to-Coast Book Gallery 2017 (February 8, 2017 and March 9, 2017), Advertising and Giveaway on Goodreads (February 13, 2017), Web Design (February 13, 2017), Book Marketing Kit (March 1, 2017), Press Release (March 1, 2017). On February 24, 2017, Ms. [redacted] purchased the Book Exhibit Plus – International service for $2,450 and the Website Setup Doman Name Registration & Web Hosting for $50. She, again, elected to pay in monthly installments which added a non-refundable payment plan fee of $30 for a grand total of $2,530. She signed the Installment Payment Plan Agreement the same day (copy attached). At the time of the order, she made an initial payment of $655. Subsequent attempts to charge her credit card for the payments due on March 24, April 24 and May 24, 2017 were declined. As stipulated in the payment plan agreement, because of the declined payments, this order and any other service orders in progress will be placed on hold pending payment resolution.  On April 13, 2017, Ms. [redacted] called stating that she found typos in her book and that she wanted to cancel the Book Exhibit Plus – International service. She spoke with her Marketing Consultant and later the same day sent an e-mail stating that she would not be cancelling any services. On May 5, 11, 18 and 23, 2017, we attempted to contact Ms. [redacted] to get approval for the draft of the Ingram FINE Online Ad. On May 26, 2017, Ms. [redacted] called and asked what the status of the refund for the Book Exhibit Plus – International was. She stated that she wants to cancel it due to the issues she found with the editing of her book. On May 30, 2017, we asked that Ms. [redacted] send us a list of the errors in editing that she found in her book so that we could determine if the edit was satisfactory. She stated that she would provide a list of errors by June 2, 2017. On June 1, 2017, in a phone call with her Marketing Services Representative, Ms. [redacted] asked that we hold off on all pending marketing until the issue with editing is fixed. As of this writing, we have not received a list of editing errors from Ms. [redacted]. The editorial team would be happy to go over the editing that was done; however, they need the list of problems so they know what they are to look for. Due to the fact that Ms. [redacted] had opportunities to review her manuscript both after the editing was completed as well as after the proofreading was completed and before final sign off, we are unable to offer a refund for editing or proofreading. She also could have made any changes she wished during her free resubmission in February. As we are a self publishing company, the author has the final say on any changes or edits made to the manuscript. This is the reason we require author approvals at every step. Regarding those marketing services purchased by Ms. [redacted] for which we have received full payment, all of them have either been fulfilled or are in progress. The status of each service can be found on the attached list. Services that have been completed or are in progress are ineligible for refund. Per Ms. [redacted]’s wishes, we have cancelled the Book Exhibit Plus – International and Website Domain Name & Hosting renewal services as those are the only two that have not been started. As stated above, she made one payment on the order of $655 and the three subsequent payments declined. As a courtesy, we will waive the $90 in decline fees. On June 23, 2017, the amount of $625 ($655 less the $30 payment plan fee) was returned to Ms. [redacted]’s credit card, transaction IDs: [redacted] and [redacted]. In closing, while 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. The Book Exhibit Plus – International and Website Domain Name & Hosting order has been cancelled and $625 returned to her [redacted]’s credit card. The hold on her account has been lifted and the Sincerely, Elaine H[redacted] Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,   Thank you for the opportunity to investigate the interruption of her books’ listings on our bookstore and to assure Ms. [redacted] that we are committed to working with her to complete her remaining book of poetry.   During 2014 and 2015, Ms. [redacted] purchased five (5) publishing...

packages from Xlibris to publish her works.  Four (4) titles have completed their publication and the fifth project is currently in Production. We have attached the list of projects on Ms. [redacted]’s account with the dates of their purchase, materials submission and publication for your reference.   Ms. [redacted] relates that her books in publication are not appearing on the Xlibris Bookstore and on Google and speculates why.   Appearance of Books on Xlibris Bookstore Xlibris conducts bookstore and title maintenance yearly. Tests are conducted to ensure that the online bookstore system operates effectively and efficiently. These tests check the functionality of the system and probe to ensure it is running up to code.   During the maintenance tests conducted between May 24 and June 2, 2016 several Xlibris titles were temporarily removed from the online bookstore. Her titles were among those affected.  We extend our apologies to Ms. [redacted] for any inconvenience or frustration this temporary interruption may have caused her and assure her that the issue was immediately addressed as soon as it was discovered.  Her titles were restored to the bookstore on May 31, 2016.  Please reference the attached May 31, 2016 internal email confirming with screenshots that all four (4) of her titles in print during the period, had been restored to the bookstore.   In order to respond to her reference of a Google listing statement, more specifics are needed, such as the address where she found the reference, where in Google she was searching (a general search; a specific vendor search ; from her personal website), is she referring to one or all of her titles, etc. Without such information we are unable to investigate further.   Customer Satisfaction Surveys Customer satisfaction surveys are sent to authors at the end of each publishing stage and allow Xlibris to continuously monitor and improve the customer experience of our authors. We can assure Ms. [redacted] that her feedback is used only for customer satisfaction analysis and process improvement initiatives.   Partial Submission of Materials for Package Five In her filing she attributes her inability to submit the materials of her entire manuscript to the failure of Xlibris’ drop box transmission system. In her emails of May 24, 2016 sent to her submissions representative, she explains that the delay in her submission is the result of the breakdown of her own computer system.  Copies of those emails are attached.   Settlement Request Ms. [redacted] has requested a refund on the project currently in production and assurance that the contractual responsibilities for listing her books will be honored for her lifetime.   According to the refund policy of the Self-Publishing Services Agreement she signed, Section 10.1, she is no longer eligible for refund as the effective date of the agreement, January 18, 2015, exceeds six (6) months. A copy of the agreement is attached for your reference.  We assure her that we are committed to continue to allocate the necessary resources to assist her in completing her submission and the publication of her work. We await the completion of her submission at her discretion.   Regarding her concern that her work be listed by Xlibris for the duration of her lifetime, we refer her to the term information of the agreement contained in Section 2. The agreement has no expiration date and unless the agreement is terminated by her, us or both parties as described in Section 9, the listing of her books for sale will continue with Xlibris and our distribution network partners until notice is received of her demise. Should she desire to bequeath her book rights to someone, she may do so through her will.   In closing, we again apologize for the interruption of the listing of her books on our website due to title maintenance work.  Her bookstore listings were restored immediately upon learning of the interruption situation and thank her for her understanding.    In accordance with the terms of her Self-Publishing Services Agreement, the package in production is no longer eligible for refund and her request has been declined.  We are prepared to work with her to complete the publication of her work and await her full submittal of materials.   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 the response would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.First, in response to AuthorHouse’s position that they are not required to send a 1099 if under $10, even if tax is withheld, their submitted proof is invalid. The IRS’ bulletin 2004-20 does not apply to me or my situation. And I quote from the IRS website from the very link AuthorHouse supplied,“Royalties; information reporting. This ruling providesguidance concerning the reporting requirements of sections 6041 and 6050N of the Code for payments by publishers to LITERARY AGENTS on behalf of an author.ISSUESWhat is the correct information reporting for royalty payments made by a publisher for the rights to an author’s book or other literary composition if such royalties are PAID TO THE AUTHOR’S LITERARY AGENT who then forwards all or part of such payments to the author?”I am not a literary agent, I do not have one, and the overwhelming vast majority of AuthorHouse’s authors do not have one either. AuthorHouse is aself-publishing (vanity publishing) company! Quoting an IRS ruling, which is not a law, that pertains to a completely different situation is ridiculous. Payments are paid directly to me and to other authors.Furthermore, AuthorHouse’s claim that all I had to do was call and ask and a 1099 would be generated for me as they did in their responseto this complaint was for the benefit of those who read these complaints. The facts of the matter are I did call and ask for a 1099 to be generated and was told by their customer service department in the Philippines that a 1099 would NOT be sent to me, but they would give me the information over the phone. If they had sent me the 1099, I would not have complained about this in the first place. Using a ruling pertaining to literary agents as the basis for not generating a 1099 for authors when taxes are withheld, regardless of the amount, is without legal justification. I am confident from the overall tone of AuthorHouse’s response that their solution to generate a 1099 if only an author asks is disingenuous and there will be no policy change at their company as a result of this complaint.Secondly, pertaining to the matter of the e-book royalties and AuthorHouse’s position that they were paid correctly: This is complete nonsense. This appears to be their company policy and I could care less about it. I have a Book Pricing Agreement that was negotiated at the time my book waspublished that clearly states e-book royalties will be paid at the rate of $3.04. I have attached that book pricing agreement to this reply as evidenceand would hope the Revdex.com does not put it out there for public display.  Furthermore, as you can see the e-book royalties are not paid at 50% as AuthorHouse attests. Please have AuthorHous submit MY book pricing agreement that shows I agreed to be paid 50% of the sales price for an e-book as counter proof their position is correct since they say they have one, but do not… “The Book Pricing Agreement shows the price and royalty for the e-pub version of Mr. [redacted]’s book.  The eBook royalty is 50% of the net received by AuthorHouse.”).This exact problem occurred one year ago when illegal e-book sales were found after AuthorHouse was told there would be no such sales (attached e-mail 3). After extensive complaining and efforts, AuthorHouse assigned Mr. Adam [redacted] to resolve this issue. Mr. [redacted] agreed that the royalties were not being paid correctly and AuthorHouse paid restitution and said this would not happen again (e-mail 5), and yet here we are again. Furthermore, I agreed to allow e-book sales, regardless of sale price and e-book format, as long as I get the legally negotiated royalty fee of $3.04 and a sale price of $6.60 (e-mail 5). If AuthorHouse policy is to only pay 50% of the sales price, then they need to make sure they do not sell the e-book for under $6.08 as any grade school student knows. I have extensive personal e-mail correspondences in my possession between various AuthorHouse personnel and myself from the previous problem as evidence that what I wrote is factual. Ihave included just a few to prove what I have written is true.I sent a few of the correspondences from Mr. [redacted] to Ms. R. J. [redacted] as evidence that this problem has reoccurred, as well as a copy of myBook Pricing Agreement which she claimed to not have and asked for. She clearly ignored both, when she basically sent me a form letter response to the issues raised in the complaint.As for the comment, “If Mr. [redacted] submits a W9 via his author center, he will not be subject to further tax withholding and then he would not have to deal with this issue in future years,” my response is: I have no intension of trusting the safekeeping of my social security number to any company that has demonstrated on multiple occasions to be dishonest, unresponsive, and inept in dealing with various matters. Thirdly, as for Mr. [redacted] response to the sales reporting system on their website being inaccurate and having missing sales information, “We are unclear what Mr. [redacted] is referencing. If Mr. [redacted] would elaborate on this claim, we will be happy to research and explain further,”I make the following comments: When I called AuthorHouse about the royalty and tax reporting issues, I explained to customer service on a recorded phone line what the problem was. I was told on more than one occasion when I contacted them the sales reporting system was not intended to be accurate with an answer something to the effect of, “it is only intended to be a good rendition of the actual sales.” Basically it is not to be relied uponand they have no intention of looking into the sales reporting system errors and fixing them.If Mr. [redacted] claims to not know what the issue is, then maybe he should listen to the recorded conversation between Ms. [redacted] and me that explains the problem concisely and everything else in my complaint instead of asking for me to tell AuthorHouse “just one more time.” Listen verycarefully, the sales reporting system on AuthorHouse’s website cannot be relied upon as being 100% accurate. If Mr. [redacted] generates a 2014 sales report for my book and compares that report with the 2014 royalty report, he will find they to not agree. There is a missing book sale for September 2014! He says he has done an audit and found no problems. Untrue, because there is a problem. If the sales reports supplied to authors are inaccurate, then how can an author rely on what the expected royalties are to be paid? I cannot be any clearer on this matter. It only requires “someone” at AuthorHouse to actually do some work and then fix the problem. I can attach the actual reports to this reply if the Revdex.com requests I do so to prove what I have said is true and that what Mr. [redacted] has said is untrue, but I do not want this personal information out in the general public. Or, AuthorHouse can do what I have made mention of to find the problem themselves instead of me explaining it just one more time and doingnothing. Either make the sales reporting system accurate, put a disclaimer on the website that says the sales reporting system is not 100% accurate so that authors know not to rely on it, or remove the ability to get sales reports off the website. I suppose AuthorHouse can lie and say they fixed the problem and simply do nothing which is how they handle most of their problems is seems.It is unconscionable to believe in this day and age of computers that a sales report cannot be made to be factual. One can only wonder how many other computer reports AuthorHouse uses to conduct business are not one hundred percent factual. Clearly, I cannot be the only author that has this problem and the others are simply being kept in the dark.Fourthly, pertaining to the suspicious coding of book sales by AuthorHouse to circumvent royalty payments, I make the following comments to Mr. Hopkin’s explanation. Mr. [redacted] states,“If a retail order is sent to and printed at our primary printer, Lightning Source, then that is the way the order will appear on the royalty statement.  The order will be entered as a Lightning Source order, as that is the business entity that sends the order information.  Lightning Source sends us a list of those books printed with the quantities for each month within a quarter.  The list does not tell us where Lightning Source received the order-Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.” And also, “It is correct that no consumer can order directly from Lightning Source.  This is because they are a printer, not a retailer. As stated above, if a retailer has their order printed at Lightning Source, that order will reflect as Lightning Source and not the retailer on the royalty statement.”When I contracted AuthorHouse to print my books, I was told that every retailer, other than Amazon had to go through AuthorHouse. This is because when Amazon received an order they would use their own company printers to print each copy of my book ordered. However, everyone else’s books would need to be printed by AuthorHouse’s printer Lighting Source. How is it a consumer (retail purchaser) cannot buy my book directly from Lighting Source, but another retailer in some still unexplained way can do so? Either I was told a lie when the contract was signed to print my books, or I am not being told the truth now. Which one is it?Furthermore, Mr. [redacted] claims that Amazon, Barnes and Noble in someway order books to be printed from Lighting Source in his rebuttal.If his explanation were true, then those sales would be coded as Lighting Source sales according to his explanation since Lighting Source does not tell Authorhouse which retailer (does Mr. [redacted] really mean wholesaler) has purchased the book. But, the facts are, the sales reports do identify all sales from Barnes & Noble and Amazon as sales from these companies and not as sales from Lighting Source!Additionally, to run on and on about some “proprietary, secret” information list is ludicrous. No distributors are being used to put my books on retail shelves. This is a print to order business! I was told that if my book was to be offered at retail outlets, not on the Internet, that it was my responsibility to make this happen. To in someway claim that sales cannot be recorded accurately because a distributor is needed for an Internet website saleis not applicable. I can understand if a “real” publisher who actually prints books and sends them to book stores would require a distributor, but to claim a print to order business needs a distributor is highly suspect. I do not need to know every company on the secret list of Authorhouse’s distributor, but only the company that ordered the book. If it was the distributor that is allowed to order books from Lighting Source directly, which again I was told does not happen, then code the sale as a sale from the distributor.Mr. [redacted] further writes, “1. This list is the proprietary information of our distributors (Ingram and Baker & Taylor Book Distributors).  The list of retailers with which they do business with is not public information and is not released to consumers.  We can say that many of the large retail outlets (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, etc.) use these distributors to facilitate inventory and therefore have access to our authors’ books.”   I repeat, whether these retail outlets use distributors or not is a moot point! My books are not inventoried anywhere as is the case for the overwhelming number of books printed by AuthorHouse. It is an on-demand print as ordered business! You see, I sell so few books, that a distributor has never ordered one on my books to put on a store book shelf. Since my books are not inventoried, for what purpose does a book distributor need ever order my books? Who then is making the purchases directly to Lighting Source print each book as it is ordered if not AuthorHouse (as I was told when I was first contracted AuthorHouse)?In my marketing information I had printed at the time I purchased the book printing services from AuthorHouse, it clearly says to contact Authorhouse for all retail sales. I have attached a sample of this information as proof of my position (unable to send Attachment 6 due to limit of attachments). It does not say to contact Lighting Source or some distributor.As for some last remaining observations to Mr. [redacted]’ explanation, “Mr. [redacted] responded to Mr. [redacted]’s email on March 20, 2014, providing much of the same information that has been provided above.  The email is attached.  There is no mention of having anyone else reach out to Mr. [redacted].”It seems strange that Mr. [redacted]’ claims to have researched this problem and yet the person he calls Mr. [redacted] is the woman I spoke with at customer service in the Philippines. So at issue is, did this women lie to me when she said she was Ms. [redacted] from the royalty help desk and sent me an e-mail after our conversation when in fact the real R. J. [redacted] is a man. Remember, these are recorded phone lines. Or, did Mr. [redacted]’ even talk with the real R. J. [redacted] who is a woman?Mr. [redacted] writes “As stated previously, there was no mention on the part of Mr. [redacted] of Mr. [redacted]’s e-book royalty being $3.04.  The contracted royalty rate for ebook sales is 50% of net payments received, which is the royalty rate Mr. [redacted] is receiving for ebook sales.”This is an absolute lie, a fabrication of the facts. Either Mr. [redacted] did not tell Mr. [redacted] the facts when he investigated this issue or Mr. [redacted] is simply replying with another predetermined answer. I have attached my Book Pricing Agreement and other e-mails with AuthorHouse. I can only wonder what Book Pricing Agreement Mr. [redacted] was reading or not reading.Mr. [redacted] points out, “The four calls Mr. [redacted] received were from his previous marketing consultant. However, that representative is no longer assigned to Mr. [redacted]’s project.  Mr. [redacted] has placed on the Do Not Call/Email list so no additional calls should be received. If Mr. [redacted]desires to purchase additional services or books he is welcome to call us and we will route the call accordingly.”If this is how AuthorHouse handles problems, then we can see why they have problems. Reassigning an individual from one account to anotherwithout further training only moves the behavioral problem to another author. Secondly, I did not ask, nor do I ask, to be put on the “Do Not Call/Email” list so that no one will deal with me when problems arise. This is exactly the opposite of what I want to happen! It appears I was already on this list since getting anyone to do anything is a problem in and of it self. Thirdly, I am quite sure it was NOT the marketing consultant who called me since I have had various marketing consultants call me and without exception, every last on of them reside in the Philippines! All these calls were made from the Indiana company office which is exactly who I asked to call me about this problem when I contacted customer service since customer service could not deal with the problems. Politely claiming if I call again for service in the future is welcome and my call will be routed accordingly is exactly what I tried to do to solve this problem. Asking me to do the same thing again and expecting a different result is unbelievable. Lastly, the problems I addressed had nothing to do with marketing and therefore the so called “sacrificial lamb in the Philippines (the marketing consultant)” being reassigned is nothing but another lie. How about firing the individual who actually called me from Indiana and hung up on me 4 times withoutsaying a word so they could claim they tried to call me to resolve the problem, but I was not in? This might actually go a long way in fixing some of the problems your company has.As for remaining things Mr. [redacted] says AuthorHouse is going to do, which is nothing, I have answered his comments in my responses above. Again, if the Revdex.com wishes to actually see the sales documents or additional e-mails on this matter dealing with the previous problem on this same issue, then I can send them since AuthorHouse’s representative, either Mr. or Ms. [redacted], ignored everything that was sent to him or her.I am still looking for exactly the same results that I asked for in the original complaint to settle this matter. Nothing has change by AuthorHouse responding with a bunch of misdirection, fluff, and lies.Regards,[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr. [redacted]’s concerns regarding royalties for his book, [redacted]. Mr. [redacted]’s book was published with AuthorHouse on December 16, 2015 and released with his approval into the distribution channel. We use print-on-demand...

technology to fulfill book orders, which eliminates the need for warehousing and the expense of inventory.  The term print-on-demand is literal; only when an order is placed (a demand made) is a book printed, packaged and shipped to the purchaser. To verify sales, a report is provided by each of our print partners and e-book distributors validating the number of books printed or e-books downloaded. These reports are collated, verified for royalty eligibility and royalties disbursed quarterly. Attached with this letter are the following sales and royalty reports: A Quarterly Royalty Report showing all royalty earning sales from December 2015 through December 2016. This royalty statement is available to Mr. [redacted] at any time by logging into his author account on the AuthorHouse website.A report from CreateSpace showing Amazon sales of Mr. [redacted]’s book.A Sales & Royalty Payment Report with two sectionsSection 1: all reported sales of Mr. [redacted]’s book from the December 2015 through December 2016.Section 2: a listing of all royalty payments made to Mr. [redacted] which includes detailed information about each check. After conducting a thorough review of the sales and royalties for Mr. [redacted]’s book we are able to confirm that all the information we have provided him corresponds to the information we received from our distribution partners. We only pay royalties on the sales that are documented and reported to us from our distribution partners. Mr. [redacted] claims that our sales data and the Nielsen Bookscan data are inconsistent. As Nielsen is a separate company that we have not affiliation with, we do not have access to any information from them which means that we cannot verify how they obtain their information nor are they willing to provide or share where or how they acquire their information with us. If Mr. [redacted] can provide more specific details about the sales he feels we did not report, such as specific names of the retailers with dates of purchase, or dated sales receipts, we would be happy to look into the matter further.In closing, we hope that this information clarifies our royalty processes for Mr. [redacted]. We can confirm that all sales that have been reported to us have been accounted for as shown in the attached reports and royalties paid to Mr. [redacted].Sincerely,Elaine H[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.
 
Ms. [redacted] has raised concerns regarding the price of her book “[redacted]” since Author Solutions acquired Trafford Publishing in...

2007, and has requested the cancellation of her book.  This is the first request for cancellation that we have received from Ms. [redacted].
 
The list price of Ms. [redacted]’ book was set at $25.50 (USD) and $29.33 (CAD).  This amount was high enough to cover the printing costs of the book and allow Ms. [redacted] to earn royalties after industry-standard discounts were offered to sellers.  Amazon.com had listed the book for $21.92, actually discounted from the list price.  Amazon.ca showed listings for the book starting at $41.40 CAD.  However, these listings on Amazon Canada were through third-party sellers.  Trafford cannot control prices set by Amazon, and neither Trafford nor Amazon can control prices set by third-party sellers.
 
Per Ms. [redacted]’ request, we have cancelled her book in our system.  It has been removed from our online bookstore and we have notified our trading and distribution partners of the cancellation.  Any inventory already existing in the channel may cause the title to be included in the databases of online retailers until that inventory is depleted.  Please note that royalties have already been paid on this inventory.  Ms. [redacted]’ original agreement with Trafford was non-exclusive, and she would have been free to republish with another company at any time.  She is still free to do so, and we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.
 
We hope the information provided with this letter illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms. [redacted]’ concerns.  Please let us know if additional steps need to be taken for an amicable close to this case.
 
 
[redacted]
Global Director of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for the opportunity to review the sale and fulfillment of the Bookstore Pitch Campaign for Mr. [redacted] book project and his request for refund.
Mr. [redacted] signed up with Xlibris on November 12, 2014 to publish his book entitled “[redacted]”. The title was...

released to print with his approval on January 9, 2015.  Prior to and after the release of his book, Mr. [redacted] purchased two (2) marketing and promotional services-- the Trifecta Review on December 2, 2014 and the Bookstores Pitch Campaign on January 31, 2015.
Bookstore Pitch Campaign
The Bookstores Pitch Campaign was developed to make it easier for published authors to reach out to independent bookstores across the country. A full description of the service is attached for your reference and can be found on our website at the following address:
http://www.xlibris.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=PKG-6024
The campaign includes a three (3) month pitch of the author’s title via a customized sales kit featuring the author’s book to a total of twenty-five (25) independent bookstores nationwide with a focus on the author’s local area or state.  Attached are the reports sent to Mr. [redacted] as the pitch progressed.
The results list the designated cities and number of bookstore his title was presented to.  From those presentations two (2) bookstores, one in New York City and one in Chicago, IL agreed to order and stock copies of his title. 
The fulfillment details of the other inclusions of Mr. [redacted]’ Bookstore Pitch Campaign were reported to him through email following their completion. His ad appeared in the ForeWord Magazine’s Fall issue and in the Forecast catalog of Baker & Taylor in the September 2015 issue.
The Bookstore Pitch Campaign was fulfilled as it is described on the website.
Marketing Consultant
In his filing Mr. [redacted] indicates that his conversation with his Marketing Consultant failed to provide adequate information regarding the service. Our marketing consultants offer opportunities to authors to take advantage of services with consideration to the book’s genre, budget, and market. The promotional services offered to Mr. [redacted] were all done in good faith and based on what his marketing consultant felt would be most beneficial to his book. 
A review of the conversation between Mr. [redacted] and his marketing consultant confirms that some service and fulfillment points were not discussed in detail prior to the purchase. Although the details were available online through our website, Xlibris understands that these details may have helped in setting proper expectations for Mr. [redacted] regarding the fulfillment of the services.  We thank Mr. [redacted] for alerting us to his concern and have taken appropriate actions to provide additional training regarding the presentation of the specifics of the Bookstores Pitch Campaign service.
Refund
The completion of a service renders it ineligible for refund.  However, in light of our research findings, we have made an exception. As of this writing, a refund of the $3579 payment for the Bookstores Pitch Campaign service has been processed back to Mr. [redacted]’ credit card.  The monies have been returned in three (3) installments: $1266.67 via [redacted]; $1266.67 via
[redacted]; and $1266.66 via [redacted]
A refund of the $30 installment surcharge is currently being processed and should be completed within 5-7 business days.
In conclusion, we apologize to Mr. [redacted] for any inconvenience he has experienced due to the incomplete information provided him regarding the Bookstores Pitch Campaign marketing service.  Although we have completed the service as it is advertised, he has been refunded in full.
Sincerely,
Elaine [redacted]
Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to clarify for Ms. [redacted] her concerns with the pre-submission information provided her editorial assessment and her refund request. Ms. [redacted] purchased an Empower publishing package from Balboa Press on January 22, 2015.  Ms. [redacted]...

received a discount from the standard price of $4999, purchasing the package at a price of $3999.  That day she spoke with Jose Fortich of our Finance Department, who explained to her the refund policy, to which Ms. [redacted] verbally agreed.  On January 23, Ms. [redacted] signed and returned the Self-Publishing Services Agreement. A copy is attached for your reference.  Pre-Submission Information Guides Ms. [redacted] states that she was sent too much information at the start of the process, some of which did not apply to her book.  The initial email sent to every author attempts to provide all of the information that an author may need for the publishing process, in order to prevent surprises later in the process.    The information is presented as separate PDF guides for easy reference throughout the publishing phases.  The document guides sent are:  ·         How to Claim Your Free Author Learning Center Subscription (sign up instructions) ·         Fair Use Guidelines (copyright law guide for using images and portions of another’s work) ·         Manuscript Preparation Guide (pre-submission checklist of manuscript elements to identify if   adjustments are needed before submitting)  ·          Walkthrough of the Online Submission (step by step how- to for submitting online) ·         Balboa Press Submission Form (form for submittal of manuscript) ·         Image Submission Guide (criteria for usable images)·         Cover Idea Aid (design suggestions for appealing to your target audience) ·         Marketing Text Information (guide in developing cover copy as marketing tool) ·         Road Map (step- by-step guide that walks author thru the phases of book preparation with timelines and contact points)  As self-publishing requires author input throughout, these guides are reference documents for the author’s use to ensure that the their submission goes smoothly and, once submitted, to help the author keep track of their book’s progress and identify the items that will need their attention.   Hard ReturnsIn her filing, Ms. [redacted] mentions hard returns are in her manuscript, stating that her understanding of hard returns is when one presses the “enter” key to start a new paragraph.  Attached is the page from the Manuscript Preparation Guide discussing hard returns.  This page states “hard returns at the end of paragraphs and between paragraphs like the ones in the left image are correct.”   Ms. [redacted]’ manuscript has these correct hard returns, so she would not incur additional fees for them.  Attached is an email trail from Check-In Coordinator Barb Carter spanning from March 6 thru March 9, 2015, reassuring Ms. [redacted] that she would not incur fees related to hard returns.  Editorial AssessmentMs. [redacted]’ package included an Editorial Assessment, described on the Balboa website as an overview of the manuscript which includes an assessment of the book's strengths and its areas for improvement, a sample Line Edit showing the types of errors found, and a service level recommendation.  The Editorial Assessment is not a replacement for editorial services.  Rather, it is a preliminary diagnostic tool, examining sections of the manuscript in detail (the first chapter or 1500 to 1700 words) to pinpoint areas in need of improvement.  A two to three week timeline is allotted and will vary with the number of assessments in house. Additional detail can be found on the Balboa Press website. Ms. [redacted] states that after she had received confirmation that her work had met Balboa content standards and was accepted for publication, she contacted her Publishing Consultant to advise that she had made editorial changes to her manuscript in the interim and was sending the updated manuscript.    As the original manuscript was already in the Editorial Assessment phase, it was the one used in the assessment. Ms. [redacted] believes that the sample edit was performed by a computer, citing one perceived error in the Editorial Assessment.  In fact, the editor performing the Editorial Assessment service did read the first portion of Ms. [redacted]’ book and manually performed the sample line edit.  The error that Ms. [redacted] cites is actually grammatically correct, though not accurate in the context of the sentence.  The assessment also points out additional errors and recommends line editing.  A copy of the assessment is attached; a copy of the line edit is available upon request.   Editorial recommendations are not requirements; any action taken is at the discretion of the author.  The assessment confirms that the original manuscript contains errors. As evidenced by her statement regarding the submission of an updated manuscript, Ms. [redacted] recognized that editorial changes were needed in her original manuscript.    Who can publishMs. [redacted] is concerned that, in her words, “anybody can publish anything so long as they pay the price.”  As clearly stated on the Balboa website, we have certain criteria for the books we will publish. As a division of Hay House, Balboa Press focuses on works related to the mind-body-spirit subject matter and that are in line with our core values: to help people improve their lives and the Earth. If a work does not conform to these standards and those outlined in the Self-Publishing Services Agreement, it is subject to rejection or cancellation.    Authors who meet the criteria may choose to self-publish their work with Balboa Press.  Ms. [redacted] made that choice and hired Balboa Press to provide certain publishing, distribution and promotional services to fulfill her objective of publishing and selling her book.  A copy of her Self-Publishing Services Agreement is attached. RefundMs. [redacted] requested a refund from her Check-In Coordinator Ms. Carter on March 23, 2015, and cites delays in this refund.   Although Ms. [redacted] had previously mentioned that she was considering a refund, she decided to move forward with publication.  After her request on March 23, the refund was processed and paid on April 3, well within the 35-day timeframe stated in the Self-Publishing Services Agreement, Section 10. Refunds, Paragraph 10.4 Timing of Refund Issuance, which reads: 10.4 Timing of Refund Issuance. We shall make commercially reasonable efforts to process any refund due to You within thirty-five (35) days of the date of the applicable termination, absent any extenuating circumstance or dispute regarding the applicability or amount of refund. We may refund to You via the payment mechanism that You paid Us with, or such other mechanism, in Our discretion. Ms. [redacted] states that she was told after her Editorial Assessment that she could receive a full refund less $150, yet she provided no documentary evidence to support this statement which is contrary to her services agreement.    The manuscript had been submitted and the editorial assessment completed. The interior design phase had yet to begin, making her eligible for refund per element (b) of the Services Agreement, Section 10. Refunds, Paragraph 10.1 (copy attached) which reads as follows: 10.1 Refunds following Termination.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% Subsequently, Ms. [redacted] is eligible for a refund equal to her payment of $3999, less 50% or $1999.50. The amount of $1999.50 was returned to the AMEX card used to make the original purchase on April 3, 2015, Transaction ID a8f43a1cd3c242b3a62b4eaa62aaca0e. The refund should appear on Ms. [redacted]’ credit card within 3-5 business days.In conclusion, Ms. [redacted] received the detailed submission guidelines that all authors receive prior to submission. Ms. [redacted] was advised that the hard turns in her manuscript were a part of its design element and not subject to any fees.  The Editorial Assessment of Ms. [redacted] original manuscript found some errors and line editing was recommended. Ms. [redacted] has been refunded in accordance with the terms and conditions of her Self-Publishing Services Agreement.  The $1999.50 refund will appear on the credit card used to make the purchase. We hope the information provided with this letter illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms. [redacted]’ concerns and process her refund. 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

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for your continued assistance with Ms. [redacted] royalty payments.Ms. [redacted] acknowledges receipt of the physical check but states she has not received the three (3) EFT payments for WestBow.As stated in our previous response, the transmittal will bear reference to CDI (Content Distributors Inc) and not WestBow Press.  Content Distributors (CDI) is the royalty disbursement division of WestBow Press.   We have conducted a second search of our EFT transmittals to establish if the transmittal had been rejected or returned.  We were again unable to find either a rejection or return notification for the three (3) payments in question. As the funds were not rejected, the bank has received the funds and would have posted them to the account provided them.  Since Ms. [redacted] states that she has received none of the 2013 payments, we suggest that the designated EFT account number from 2012 may have contained an incorrect number or sequence.  Since Ms. [redacted] withdrawal from the Direct Deposit option in December 2014, we no longer have access to the account number that was designated for verification.  As only Ms. [redacted] and her bank may view her account, we suggest that she revisit her account for the specific deposit amounts from CDI around the highlighted dates.  Depending upon her bank’s policy, the date the payment is posted to her account may vary by a few days.  If she does not find them she should contact her bank with her account number and the payment information.  They should be able to provide assistance in determining if the deposits were attributed to another account in error. QuarterPayment TypePaymentDateRoyaltiesEarnedTaxWithheldPaymentAmountQ4 2012Direct Deposit3/1/2013$9.11 $2.55 $6.56 Q1 2013Direct Deposit5/30/2013$1.00 $0.28 $0.72 Q2 2013Direct Deposit8/29/2013$2.04 $0.57 $1.47 We trust this information demonstrates the steps we have taken to resolve Ms. [redacted] concern.Sincerely,Elaine [redacted]Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address Mr. [redacted] royalty concerns regarding his book, [redacted]. Mr. [redacted] states that there have been more sales of [redacted] than XLibris has reported and compensated him for. To verify the accuracy of the...

sales and royalty information we requested an audit of our distribution partners for each of Mr. [redacted] ISBNs since the initial publication in October 2012. Sales Audit Print-on-demand technology is used to fulfill orders for Xlibris titles. A sale is made only when an order is received which either triggers copies to be printed and or an e-book released in order to fulfill the order. The sales data is collected from each print and eBook partner, collated by ISBN and validated for royalty earnings, resulting in royalty payments. Statements showing the sales and royalty data for each author’s account are posted.  Partial sales data may still appear on the author’s online account at any time within the quarter; however, the final and official sales data is calculated at the end of each quarter. The attached Sales Informer Report is a compilation of the data received from our distribution retail partners and identifies each invoice number, order date, order quantity, the net amount, the royalty earned and how it was calculated. This report presents the sales figures in US Dollars, which is how all invoices are entered into our payment system. The US Dollar amount is then converted to Australian Dollars based on the exchange rate at the time of payment. The US Dollar amounts on the Sales Informer Report match all invoices in our payment system. Royalty Payments Royalties are calculated for each calendar quarter and payments made 60 days after the end of the quarter following a required threshold of NZD$90.  If the royalty fails to meet the threshold it carries forward and is added to the earnings of the following quarter until the cumulative royalty exceeds the threshold.  However, the cumulative amount is paid in the 4th quarter payment even if the threshold is not reached. The payment schedule is as follows: first quarter (for sales January through March) payment by May 31, second quarter (for sales April through June) payment by August 31, third quarter (for sales July through September) payment by November 30, fourth quarter (for sales October through December) payment by February 28 of the subsequent year. The timing of actual receipt of the payment by the author may occur after these issuance dates, due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, transit time in the mail. Attached you will also find a Payment History Report which lists the three (3) check payments issued to Mr. [redacted] since his book entered into the distribution channel in October of 2012. He states that he has only received one payment for royalties amounting to NZD$9.99, which he declined to cash due to the banking fees involved. Unfortunately, the assessments of these banking fees are out of XLibris’ control. Mr. [redacted] says he has not received the other checks issued to him. A review of the address confirms that they were sent to the same address. Once a check is mailed XLibris is unable to monitor its delivery since our quarterly royalty checks are sent in bulk without tracking information. Our royalty payment system does not currently support the direct deposit of royalties into a New Zealand bank account.  Subsequently, we recommend that Mr. [redacted] request a royalty Hold be placed on his account. This would allow his royalties to accrue each quarter until they reach an amount desirable to him and surpassing the banking fees associated with depositing or cashing a check. Also, he can request that these royalties be issued to him outside of the quarterly payment schedule, allowing us to send the check with tracking information which would be provided to him to monitor the delivery. This option of a royalty Hold would help with both the banking fee and lost check issues. Because checks issued to New Zealand clients are negotiable for one (1) year, he has the following options: Place his royalties on Hold and designate a threshold for payout.Return the check for NZD$9.99 to be voided and added to the accruing royalty balance.Request the NZD$51.87 amount of the stale check from 2/24/2015 be added to the HoldReturn the check for NZD$9.99 and have it re-issued and mailed with tracking information.Request that the NZD$51.87 check of 2015 be reissued and mailed with tracking. We await his decision regarding both checks and the Hold status option. Tax Withholding Mr. [redacted] asks why taxes were withheld from his royalties. As indicated on our website and in the Self-Publishing Agreement, author royalties may be subject to tax requirements and international treaties. In order to determine the appropriate taxable amount, the author must provide the necessary information and documentation to comply with these tax requirements. For non-US citizens a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”) and a W-8BEN are required. Without this information we are required to withhold taxes in compliance with the tax code or other governing laws and regulations and will remit the amount to the appropriate government agency. Customer Service Mr. [redacted] says he was “given the run around by a number of XLibris representatives” however a specific complaint is not specified. We do not find that any communication from Mr. [redacted] went unanswered by a representative, nor do we find that any inaccurate information was relayed in response to his royalty inquiries. After Mr. [redacted] purchased his publishing package from XLibris he says he was contacted by Xlibris’ Marketing representatives to encourage him to purchase marketing services. These promotional and marketing opportunities are offered to assist authors in gaining exposure for their work in the marketplace.  The purchase of any of these marketing tools are optional and entirely at the discretion of the author. Should Mr. [redacted] desire to no longer be made aware of new services and special events, he may request to be placed on a do-not-contact list. In Summary In summary, sales data has been reported accurately and royalties paid in accordance with the quarterly payment schedule, the tax withholding requirements and the address information provided by him. Queries he made regarding how royalties are calculated and paid have been accurately and courteously answered and reflect the information posted on our website and in the Self-Publishing Services agreement. We have no control over fees charged by banks in other countries to accept checks drawn on a US bank. We await Mr. [redacted] decision regarding how he desires to proceed with the disposition of his royalties and if he wishes to be placed on a do-not-contact status for marketing services. Sincerely, Elaine [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]
 
Thank you for contacting me. I have found different problems out as I check into my records. Xlbris has shown dishonest business practices. I did not know how to "continue" with the original complaint, after first filing. In September, they told me my book went "live". I asked [redacted] what "going live" with my book meant. No one got back to me about this. I thought it may have been on their sight. I did not find it. I have questioned them repeatedly about my book. They make many errors in this company. They have tried getting more money from their very own errors. I kept e-mails for my records. I threatened them by sending an e-mail to [redacted]. I told her that I will call the FBI and have them investigate this company by Friday. Things started to happen, and I found many more of their actions messed up real bad.RE: Amazon and Xlibris.com sight. I found it on the Barns and Noble sight today. It shows unprofessional publishing through glitch type errors. Small fonts drop down on some words to about a 4, as the normal is a 12 font, I believe. They did a good job on the picture layout. They do have some honest, good, and decent employees. The management is leading them down a fateful road in today's economy.
God bless you,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for giving us the opportunity to clarify the refund eligibility for Ms. [redacted]’s publishing package.Ms. [redacted] purchased the Essential Access publishing package from Westbow Press on March 8, 2013 for $999. In addition she chose to add an e-book format for $99. For payment...

Ms. [redacted] selected the installment payment plan option which added a non-refundable payment plan fee of $75, making her total expenditure $1173.Publishing Agreement and Payment Plan Agreement TermsOn March 8th as part of her purchase of the Essential Access package, her sales representative James [redacted] emailed her a copy of the payment plan agreement including the terms of her installment payment plan and a link to the Westbow Press Publishing Agreement and the Westbow Editorial Standards. Mr. [redacted] requested that she reply to the email he sent her acknowledging she had read and agreed to the payment plan and the publishing agreement documents he had provided her. On the same date that she purchased the package, March 8th, 2013, Ms. [redacted] replied with the following statement: “I have read and agree to the terms and conditions of the publishing agreement and the terms of the payment plan agreement.” ([redacted])The payment plan explains the terms governing when and how the installments for the purchase price of the package are to be made. The publishing agreement contains the terms and conditions for publishing with Westbow Press, including the cancellation and refund policy.  A copy of both the publishing agreement and Mr. [redacted]’s email to her is attached for your reference. In the body of the complaint she includes verbiage from the installment payment plan agreement which confirms a $75 non-refundable processing fee for the setup of the plan. However, she has omitted any reference to the cancellation and refund policy of the WestBow Publishing Agreement despite her acknowledgement of having read and agreeing to it.  The publishing agreement’s refund policy is found in Schedule A, Section 5 and states:If AUTHOR terminates this agreement for any reason other than a breach of contract by PUBLISHER, AUTHOR agrees to pay PUBLISHER any amounts due on services purchased. PUBLISHER will refund amounts paid by AUTHOR as follows:Prior to submission of manuscript                                100% less a $150 setup feeAfter submission, but prior to interior design              50%After interior design, but prior to final sign-off            25%After six months from contract date                            0%RefundMs. [redacted] states that in March of 2015 she realized that the book she planned to write would not materialize, and she then requested a refund for her publishing package. As this date exceeds the six (6) month timeline outlined her publishing agreement’s refund policy she is no longer eligible for a refund.Her package purchase occurred on March 8, 2013; the refund request was received on April 6, 2015, by her Check-In Coordinator in the Production department, Tyler [redacted]. The refund request was assigned to sales representative Matt [redacted] on April 8, 2015. Nine (9) business days later, the refund request was denied due to the package purchase date exceeding the six (6) month cut off for refund eligibility. Mr. [redacted] notified Ms. [redacted] of this on April 21, 2015, a copy of the email is attached for your reference.Ms. [redacted] states that there is no mention of a time constraint in the contract and quotes the Installment Payment Plan Agreement as her resource. The payment plan covers the collection of monies toward the purchase of her publishing package and, as quoted in her complaint, defers to “the Terms and Conditions with respect to the Work” (the WestBow Publishing Agreement)…. “to which we have agreed to perform Services including distributing the Work and/or performance of other Services as instructed by you.” Legal LetterMs. [redacted] says in her Revdex.com filing that she hired a lawyer to send Westbow Press a formal letter; however we received no letter from a legal representative or firm. On May 11th, 2015, we did receive an email titled “Formal Demand Letter” sent from Ms. [redacted]’s email address, which contains no mention of having hired a lawyer, stating only that she planned on exploring her legal options. Westbow Press received no letters or emails after that date.In summary, Ms. [redacted] agreed to the terms and conditions of her Westbow Press Publishing Agreement and the installment payment plan in March 2013. As her request for cancellation and refund occurred two (2) years later, in accordance with the refund policy of her publishing agreement, she is no longer eligible for refund.If Ms. [redacted] desires to withdraw her cancellation request, she may still do so and the project will be placed on hold indefinitely awaiting the submission of a completed manuscript.  Sincerely,Elaine [redacted]Manager of Author Satisfaction

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]

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.
The company has given me a partial refund of $655 for services that I had requested cancelled.  However, in their response, they ascertain that the rest of the services I paid for have been fulfilled or are in the process of being fulfilled.  I disagree with that statement.  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.  I have attached that letter to this one.The company's response states that on January 17, the editing was complete and I accepted the changes.  What they do not reply is that I was told to take out several thousand words from the book because "new authors should not have a boom much more than 70,000 words."  I was not happy with the editing job but was told by one of the numerous people I talked to in this process, to accept the edits so that they could move on with having the book go live.  I am still not happy with the editing and would like to resubmit the entire manuscript if they will not grant a refund.I cannot open the attachments they sent so I cannot see what services they claimed that have been fulfilled.  I have still not received bookmarks and other promotional materials that I paid for or free books I am entitled to.They did not address pricing of my book in their responses. I also still feel that the price for a paperback and hardcover for a new author is too high, but the company set the prices based on page count.  I explained previously why I have not responded to the Ingram part of the marketing package.My contention that I should get a full refund still stands.  I am not satisfied with the editing, publishing, marketing, or how I have been treated by this company.  They care more about selling services to authors rather than selling books.  
  Regards,
[redacted]

Dear Revdex.com,
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to address Mr. [redacted]s concerns regarding his publishing package and our Self-Publishing Services Agreement.
On December 12, 2013, Mr. [redacted] purchased the Book Launch Premier Pro package from iUniverse taking advantage of a $1000 discount and...

a free Author Website Standard Setup (valued at $379), for a cost of $3299. He elected to use a payment plan which added a non refundable payment plan fee of $30, making his total $3329.
Services Agreement and Fulfillment of Services
On the same day, a Self-Publishing Services Agreement (revised 11/08/2013) was sent to Mr. [redacted] via e-mail for him to sign and return to us. Per policy, work on a book project can only begin after this document is signed and returned to us by the author.   On January 21, 2014, Mr. [redacted] indicated that he was nearly finished with the book and would return the agreement with his completed manuscript.  Mr. [redacted] states in his filing that he was advised there was no time limit to finish his book which is correct.  However, a fully executed agreement is required before iUniverse staff may begin preparation of the work for publication.  
Although an agreement was made available to him in December 2013, he requested and was sent another copy of the services agreement in January 2015.  To date, Mr. [redacted] has not signed this agreement; therefore, we are unable to move forward with any of the services included in his package.
Editing Services
In his filing, Mr. [redacted] claims that iUniverse is refusing to provide the full editing services that he purchased. A list of the services in his Book Launch Premier Pro package are attached for your reference and may also be found on the iUniverse website at: http://www.iuniverse.com/Packages/BookLaunchPremierPro.aspx
The package includes one (1) editing related service, the Editorial Evaluation service, which is not a full editing service as he suggests. The service is comprised of a review of the manuscript and recommendations for improving the work.  In addition to assessing the author’s work to ensure it has fulfilled the basic requirements of a published book, an editorial evaluator will provide a general overview of the manuscript with constructive comments.  A detailed report of the evaluator’s observations will include both the strengths and weaknesses of the work and a recommendation of the editorial service level appropriate for improving the manuscript further.  The author may choose to arrange for the implementation of those recommendations by hiring an independent editor, purchasing an iUniverse editorial service, implementing them himself or ignoring them altogether.   
The fulfillment of the Editorial Evaluation is incumbent upon the receipt of a signed Self-Publishing Services Agreement from Mr. [redacted].
Services Agreement Objections
In his filing he indicates that he objects to the “sampling” and distribution rights elements of the agreement.  These elements are basic to the print-on-demand, self-publishing industry and make it possible for a title to reach into the global marketplace and for the consumer to conveniently discover and purchase a title. The package he selected, the Book Launch Premier Pro package, contains services that utilize these elements to further target the consumer thru on-line retailers, storefront bookstores and media outlets both traditional and social.  
Mr. [redacted] states that he no longer wishes to publish his book, yet he asks for some services to be performed---editing and twenty (20) copies of his book.  In order to provide copies of his book, it must complete the publishing procedures. Without a signed agreement, no work will be performed on his manuscript.  
Refund
On December 23 a refund was issued to Mr. [redacted] in the amount of $3299 to his AMEX ending in ….300. Mr. [redacted] should see the refund reflected in the next 3-5 business days depending on his card company.
Sincerely,
Elaine [redacted]
Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to investigate and resolve Ms. [redacted]’s concerns and request for a refund. Ms. [redacted] purchased a Select publishing package from iUniverse on April 20, 2015.  She received a discount from the usual package price of $899, purchasing the package at...

a cost of $719.20.  She was sent a Publishing Services Agreement, which she was to sign and return electronically.  On April 21, she spoke with Publishing Consultant Rhonda [redacted], requesting a refund and cancellation due to elements of the Publishing Agreement and also negative online reviews of the company.  Ms. [redacted] and Ms. [redacted] agreed to speak again the following Friday, April 24. After the call on April 24, Ms. [redacted] assigned the refund to her supervisor, Kate [redacted].  While the refund was not processed immediately, it was well within the refund timeline outlined in the Publishing Services Agreement Ms. [redacted] received (attached for your reference).  From that Agreement: 10.4 Timing of Refund Issuance. We shall make commercially reasonable efforts to process any refund due to You within thirty-five (35) days of the date of the applicable termination, absent any extenuating circumstance or dispute regarding the applicability or amount of refund. We may refund to You via the payment mechanism that You paid Us with, or such other mechanism, in Our discretion. Upon receipt of this complaint, we expedited the refund.  Ms. [redacted]’s Select package price of $719.20 was refunded in full.  The refund was paid on May 14 and should reflect on Ms. [redacted]’s credit card within 3-5 business days.  The refund was paid to her Discover ending in [redacted], transaction ID [redacted].  We trust this information illustrates the steps we have taken to address Ms. [redacted]’s concerns.  Sincerely, Eugene H[redacted] Global Director-Author Satisfaction