Author Solutions, LLC

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to clarify how Ms***’ refund amount was determined. On January 24, 2018, Ms*** purchased the Elite Color Publishing Package from LifeRich Publishing for $1,She elected to pay in monthly installments, which added a non-refundable
payment plan fee of $for a grand order total of $1,She signed the Installment Payment Plan Agreement and the Services and Distribution Agreement on January 25, (copies attached for your reference). At the time of the order, Ms*** made an initial payment of $The payment was split into two charges on two different credit cards: $on the first card and $on the second We received a call from Ms*** on January 26, requesting to cancel her publishing package and a refund request was entered into our systemAll refund requests are reviewed for eligibility by our finance staff and require their approval for payment The refund policies stated in Section (Termination & Refunds) of the Services and Distribution Agreement and Paragraph of the Installment Payment Plan Agreement were appliedSee attached documents. Ms*** writes that her request came prior to her submission of a manuscriptRefund terms regarding this circumstance are addressed in Section of her signed AgreementAccordingly, she was eligible for a refund of 100% of the package purchase price less a $setup feeSince she had made the initial installment payment of $550, the $setup fee and the $non-refundable payment plan fee were deducted from that amount, making her refund $325. On February 2, 2018, the $was returned to Ms***’s credit card, transaction ID ***. We trust this information addresses Ms***’ concerns Sincerely. Elaine H***Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to further clarify for Mr*** the author book purchase discountAs referenced in our previous response, Mr*** signed up with Trafford Publishing in February 2003, April and January At that time Trafford Publishing was headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia sharing facilities with Morriss Printing who printed specialty and print-on-demand titles for Trafford’s clientsIn April of 2009, the assets of Trafford Publishing were purchased by Author Solutions; however, Morriss Printing continued on its own as a separate businessWe wish to call his attention to the clause in the publishing agreements for Trafford Publishing prior to its purchase in that reads: “changes to the Trafford Publishing Agreement may be necessary from time to time without notice to reflect evolution of Trafford’s services.” When Trafford Publishing became an Author Solutions imprint, their titles became part of a more robust print and distribution network reaching more online booksellers and consumersInstead of having only one printer to fill orders, Trafford titles now have multiple printer resources located throughout the US and in several countries that can print orders and ship more efficiently to the end consumer no matter where they may beWe can understand why Mr*** would want the cost of goods and services to remain as they were when his books were released many years agoWe wish we were able to accommodate him as we have done on previous ordersHowever, marketplace increases in costs for raw materials, machinery and labor costs have risen during the last years and our printer network partners have periodically increased their costs to usThe suggested retail price of his book has and will remain the same, despite the rise in the costs to produce itIt is important to remember that print-on-demand titles are literally printed to order; no inventory existsIf one book is ordered, one copy is printed; if books are ordered, are printed, and so oneThe discount offered is based upon the number of books that are ordered at any one timeSadly, we are no longer able to honor the 50%+ discount margin for small orders that he has enjoyed for years and quotes in his filing. Going forward, we will follow the quantity discount schedule for author purchases as posted in the FAQ section of our website and that were included in our original responseSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for giving us the opportunity to further clarify Ms***’s refund eligibility and communication with Westbow Press.ContractMs*** states in her letter that she had not previously seen the Publishing Services AgreementThis Agreement was sent to Ms*** on two (2) separate occasionsThe first time was by Sales Manager MrDonavan *** on April 20, before Ms*** committed to her publishing packageThe second time was on March 3, by her Sales Representative James ***Regarding the Agreement, Ms*** states “I never signed the Publishing Agreement,” however her signature on her reply email does state “I have read and agree to the terms and conditions of the publishing agreement…” Ms*** refers to the fact that the Publishing Agreement wasn’t filled out by hand, however the electronic signature she provided to Mr*** does serve as her agreement to the terms.Legal RepresentativeThanks to the clarification given by Ms*** regarding the circumstances in which her legal letter was sent to Westbow Press we were able to confirm that the letter was indeed received on June 15, After conferring with MrEugene *** we found that the letter was sent to him directlyMr*** did call Ms*** regarding her refund; however since the refund request was denied per the terms of the Publishing Agreement no further discussions took place.CommunicationAttached with this letter you will find a call report generated for Ms***’s phone number for the entirety of This report shows all inbound and outbound call attempts between Westbow Press and Ms***There are columns for the direction of the call (inbound or outbound), the name of the Westbow Press representative involved in the call, the date and duration of the call, the event log, and the subject as given to the company operator at the onset of inbound phone callsMs*** states in her letter that she called MrMatt *** twice on April 21, however as shown on the call report there was only one (1) incoming call directed to Mr*** in Mr*** did reply to Ms*** via email the same day as her voicemail explaining the status of her refund request so that she had the information in writingMs*** mentions that she made numerous phone calls to Westbow Press, which is confirmed in the call report; however no voicemails were left for representatives requesting return calls aside from the voicemail left for Mr***.In SummaryMs*** provided her electronic signature stating that she agreed to the terms and conditions in the Publishing AgreementThis Agreement contained the terms to which Westbow Press refunds are determined eligibleIn accordance with the terms of the Agreement and in recognition that her publishing package was purchased more than two (2) years ago, she is no longer eligible for a refundSincerely,Elaine ***Manager of Author Satisfation

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this response/resolution is satisfactory to me.
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to explain what transpired with Ms***’s refundBelow is a timeline for Ms***’s project: March 25, 2014-Ms*** purchased a publishing package ($974) and US Copyright Registration ($85), which she chose to pay for on a three payment
installment payment plan, which added a $payment plan fee. This makes her total $April 3, 2014-Ms*** signs and returns the Terms and Conditions of her publishing package, as well as the payment plan agreement. These documents are attachedApril 24, 2014-Ms*** calls customer service, requesting cancellation of her publishing package because of issues with the illustrator she choseMay 2, 2014-Rich ***, Publishing Services Manager, emails Ms***, stating he is aware of her intent to cancel and requesting a time they could discuss the matter furtherMay 6, 2014-Mr*** emails the author again, stating the same as aboveJune 11, 2014-Ms*** calls customer service to follow up on her cancellation request. June 17, 2014-Mr*** emails Ms*** againSeptember 17, 2014-Ms*** calls to follow up on her cancellation request. She speaks with Mr***, and agrees to think about publishing, forgoing the cancellation. Mr*** also follows up with an email, providing his contact information so Ms*** can reach out to him when she makes her final decision. October 3, 2014-Mr*** speaks with Ms***. She asks that her check in coordinator, Sarah ***, email her designer the pertinent information for setting up the illustrations for her book. The check in coordinator emails both the designer and Ms***November 7, 2014-Ms*** speaks with Ms***, who says she needs to follow up with her designer to find out if he’s going to help her and if he has any questionsMany follow up emails were sent to Ms*** during this time, with no response from her. She was emailed and called by her check in coordinator on: December 9, 2014, December 27, 2014, January 21, 2015, January 30, March 17, 2015-Ms*** speaks with her check in coordinator. She is still unsure about publishing at this timeMarch 19, 2015-Ms*** speaks with her check in coordinator, as*** about her package inclusions and the illustration services that AuthorHouse offers. April 15, 2015-Ms*** speaks with Mr*** requesting a refund and cancellation for her project. Mr*** says she is unlikely to receive a refund, as the Terms and Conditions state that after months of purchase, a refund is at the discretion of the service provider. April 29, 2015-Elaine ***, Author Satisfaction Associate, emails Ms*** to inform her that she is no longer eligible for a refund, per the Terms and Conditions that she signed. May 26, 2015-Ms***’s refund has been approved and paid. She will receive $for her publishing package (this is the package price of $974, less the $administrative fee) and $for the US Copyright Registration, totaling $The refund details are as follows: $to Visa ending 5589, transaction ID *** $to Visa ending 5589, transaction ID *** $to Visa ending 5589, transaction ID *** The refund is in accordance with the refund policy in the signed Terms and Conditions, had the refund been processed prior to the month deadline. The $payment plan fee is non refundable, as outlined in the signed payment plan agreement. In closing, as the outline above shows, after originally requesting the cancellation of her project, Ms*** changed her mind in September and agreed to rethink publishing. In October, she even requested specific information regarding the illustrations for her designer. It wasn’t until April that Ms*** seemed definite in her request to cancel, which was over one year after purchasing her package. Because Ms*** originally requested a refund prior to the month deadline, she has been refunded according to the Terms and Conditions. Sincerely, Eugene *** Global Director Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to address Ms***’s concerns regarding the consistency of her book’s printingsWe apologize to Ms*** for the margin variances in her print orders. In order to determine the cause of print issues, visual examples are requested by the printer,
which Ms*** graciously provided. Because Westbow Press uses print-on-demand technology, books are only printed when an order is receivedAn order may be for a single copy or several hundred copies, for efficiency, orders for titles with the same trim size are combined into batch runs compatible with the capacity of the printer’s machineryPOD Industry standards do allow for some varianceMs*** placed her first book order on December 28, On January 8, 2018, she expressed dissatisfaction with the margins in the books being too low and a print quality inquiry was issued with our print vendorThey confirmed that a production issue had occurred and replaced her twenty-book orderMr*** acknowledged the replacements were acceptable on January 20, Prior to receiving the replacement, on January 15, 2018, she placed her second order for thirty copiesUpon their receipt, she advised that some of the books were satisfactory while others had the same low margin issue as the first orderThe investigation was re-openedIn order to evaluate the issue for multiple discrepancies, on January and 24, the print vendor requested and Ms*** provided some specific examples of the problem (photos and a copy of one of the books in the shipment)On January 24, 2018, Ms*** filed this complaintThe results of the evaluation found that he print files were accurate; however, a discrepancy in how this print vendor’s system was reading the file’s trim size specifications was discovered, causing the margin issueThe print vendor has assured us that the discrepancy has been resolved and replacements are being sentIn summary, the margin discrepancy in the printing of Ms***’s book was isolated and the necessary adjustments made by the print vendorReplacements of the book have been sentFuture orders will reflect the correct marginsWe apologize to Ms*** for the inconvenience and frustration the print issue may have caused herWe trust this information illustrates the steps taken to resolve Ms***’s print concernSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to clarify the connection between our content evaluation and the cancellation and refund of Mr***’s project On November 29, 2017, Mr*** signed up with Xlibris to publish his book entitled “***!” He
purchased a Black and White Premium publishing package at a promotional rate and opted to use a three-month auto-installment payment plan. The use of the payment plan added a $non-refundable surcharge, making his total purchase $The same day he spoke with payment plan staff, made the down payment of $and agreed for the remaining payments to auto-charge on the same day of the month in the following two monthsWe received his signed Services and Distribution Agreement and Installment Payment Plan Agreement on November 31, 2017, copies attached Content Evaluation As stated on our website and in Section of the Services and Distribution Agreement, all manuscripts and materials submitted receive a Content EvaluationThis evaluation is a review process in which we assess all submitted materials to ensure that they meet our standards for publishingThe Content evaluator looks for issues that could potentially put the author at risk for copyright, libel or fair use infringementThe full content guidelines are on our website at the following linkhttps://www.xlibris.com/faq/Content_Evaluation.aspx#contentguidelineslist)We received Mr***’s materials on January 10, and endorsed them for Content EvaluationThe reviewer flagged some content lacking permission to use documentation primarily excerpts from copyrighted materials. On January 13, 2018, we emailed him these review results along with recommendations to address them as follows: • Obtain express written permission from the copyright owner and cite the source• Remove the content that is an issue• If the full text of any single source you are citing includes over 5,words, please reduce the text to words or less• If the full text of any single source you are citing includes less than 5,words, please reduce the text to equal no more than 10% of the total work you are citing To resolve these issues and enable the publication of his book, Xlibris worked with Mr***, receiving his updated manuscript on February 13, The updated document received a new reviewUnfortunately, fair use policy concerns regarding the copyrighted text on images submitted and the allowable limits of text copied from news articles appeared. We reiterated the previous recommendations (see above) and encouraged him to use them to resolve the issues in his second submissionWe preformed reviews of two additional updated manuscripts with similar resultsOn March 6, 2018, we discussed and reiterated the findings and recommendations on the fourth manuscript with himWe found no contact from him until March 21, Mr*** writes that he does not agree with the copyright standards we require based upon his experience with another publisherOur Legal Department assures us that the guidelines laid out on our website comply with the US Copyright laws that include fair use and citation policy issues, a concern in Mr***’s work. It is important to note that our website offers a direct link to the copyright office so the author may communicate directly with the officeCancellation and Refund Xlibris received a call from Mr*** on March 21, requesting the termination of our services agreement. According to Section Termination and Refunds of the agreement (attached), projects with manuscripts failing our content evaluation process like Mr***’s qualify for a refund of the amount paid toward the publishing package less a $content review fee and, if a payment plan used, the $non-refundable installment surcharge as stipulated in the Installment Payment Plan agreement (attached)On March 23, 2018, we refunded $to the cards used to make the purchaseThe amount reflects the total purchase price less the $payment plan fee and the $content review fee which is $less $less $= $Please refer to the transaction details below $to Visa ending 2862, transaction ID *** $to Visa ending 0336, transaction ID *** $to Visa ending 0336, transaction ID *** Depending upon his bank, the funds take from five to seven business days to appear on the account In summary, we review all manuscripts for compliance with our standards for publishingThese standards are readily available for review on our websiteWe apologize to Mr*** for any frustration he may have endured during the evaluation process of his workAt his request and in accordance with the terms of his agreements, we cancelled his project and refunded his purchase We hope the information illustrates the steps taken to address Mr***’s concerns Sincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID***, and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]Regards,*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to clarify the services rendered and the refund terms and conditions of Dr***’s Services & Distribution agreementOn January 5, 2018, Dr*** agreed to the purchase of an Online Platform Publishing package for the special pricing of
$3,249.26. She opted to pay using a 4-month installment payment plan, adding a $sfee to her initial payment and making her total purchase $3,Her initial payment of $occurred that day with the three (3) remaining installments scheduled for the same day of the month in the following three monthsOn January 8, 2018, she returned her electronically signed Services & Distribution Agreement and Installment Payment PlanFor your reference, attached are copies of those signed agreementsEditorial Services in Online Platform Package Dr*** writes that she believed editing was included in the publishing package she selectedIn November 2017, she and a publishing consultant communicated by phone and email about the services of the Online Platform publishing packageHer consultant emailed an itemized list of the package contents on November 20, In addition, descriptions of all the services of the Online Platform package are available on our website along with a comparison page of all the standard packages and their componentshttps://www.westbowpress.com/Packages/PackageCompare.aspx The Online Platform package contains an Editorial Assessment, which is an editorial diagnostic toolWith this service, we edit a portion of the manuscript, up to words, and submit a general overview to the author with constructive commentary for improving the bookAn editorial consultant discusses the assessment’s recommendations and suggestions with the authorAuthors are under no obligation to take advantage of our editorial services; they may choose to use an outside editor, edit their work themselves or bypass changes altogether and proceed to the next phase of publicationA link to the description of this service is readily accessible on our website at: https://www.westbowpress.com/Servicestore/ServiceDetail.aspx?ServiceId=BS-Prepar...⇄ for Publication Timeline On January 24, 2018, Dr*** submitted her manuscriptWe acknowledged its receipt the following day and advised her of the entry of her manuscript into the pre-publication phases As stated on our website https://www.westbowpress.com/Whywestbowpress/editorialstandards.aspx and in the Self-Publishing Services agreement, all manuscripts and materials submitted receive a mandatory Content EvaluationThis evaluation is a review process in which we assess the submitted materials to ensure they meet our standards for publishingA trained reviewer looks for issues that could potentially put the author at risk for copyright infringement or libelIf the manuscript contains no potential issues, the work proceeds to the next phase of its publication. If potential issues exist, the author receives notification and recommendations for resolving themOn February 5, 2018, the system automatically charged her card $for the second installment On February 6, 2018, her book completed its Content Review and her checoordinator advised that the work had passed and was proceeding to the Editorial Assessment phaseHe explained the timeline of 3-weeks and reiterated the scope of the serviceOn February 12, 2018, we emailed the results of the Editorial Assessment and sample edit, plus notification that a consultant would contact her to discuss the assessment, noting that the purchase of editorial services is optionalThe editorial consultant assigned to her project called her the next day to go over the assessmentHowever, Dr*** insisted her package contained editing and asked to cancel the project and receive a refundOn February 14, 2018, her publishing consultant reached out to her to apologize for any misunderstandings and reiterate their November communications and the services included in her packageOn February 19, the Refund Team reviewed her request for eligibility and amountThey determined that per Section of the terms of her Services & Distribution Agreement and Section of the Installment Payment Plan, she had submitted her manuscript but design work had yet to beginAt this stage, she is eligible for a 50% refund of the package purchase price less the $service feeThe refund calculation is as follows: the package price of $3,less 50% = $1,less the $service fee = $eligible for refundable. She made two payments ($+ $812.32) totaling $1,leaving a balance due us of $Subsequently, the two amounts negated one anotherBetween February and March 7, 2018, we called and sent emails to explain the calculation to her several times and awaited her acknowledgement before finalizing the cancellation of the projectOn March 5, 2018, the third installment of $was charged. On March 7, 2018, we were able to speak with Dr*** and she confirmed that she did not desire to continue publishing with usHowever, on March 5, the third automatic installment of $charged her cardWe immediately cancelled the project and the payment plan and refunded the $payment via transaction ID ef2d823983e341f2bee035937104318eIn summary, we apologize to Dr*** for any frustration resulting from misunderstandings regarding our services and agreementsRefund eligibility for Dr***’s project followed the terms and conditions of her signed Services & Distribution Agreement and Installment Payment Plan Agreement We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to assist Dr*** with the publication of her workSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to address the timing of Ms***’s refundOur records confirm that on January 27, 2018, Ms*** agreed to purchase a Seed Publishing package from Xlibris at a discounted rate of $She also chose to use a 3-month installment payment plan
that added a $non-refundable service fee, making her total $She spoke with the Payment Central staff regarding the terms of the payment plan, making her first payment plus the payment plan fee that dayOn January 29, 2018, she spoke to her publishing consultant and with a team leader by email, expressing her desire to cancel her publishing commitment because her manuscript is still in its creative stagesThe paperwork for her request was prepared and forwarded to the Refunds Team the following dayThe Refunds Team reviews all refund requests for eligibility, reimbursement amount, payment method and verification of the information necessary to complete the transactionOn February 12, 2018, the refund approval was authorized and $was returned to the credit card used to make the purchase via transaction ID ***The refund amount represents her initial payment less the $service feeDepending upon the policies of her bank, it can take from five (5) to seven (7) business days for the funds to appear on her accountThe remaining package balance has been cancelledIn our review of her account, we are unable to substantiate or refute her statement of a promise of a refund in seven (7) day from the day of the requestIn summary, as requested, Ms***’s publishing package and payment plan commitments have been cancelledA refund has been made to the credit card used to make the initial payment less the non-refundable service feeWe trust this information illustrates our attention to Ms***’s refund requestSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com:
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to review Ms***’s publishing experience
During January of Ms*** purchased a Basico package with Upgrade to Profesional Black & White Package from Palibrio to publish, *** *** *** which was released to print with
her approval on April 30,
Three years later, on January 29, Ms*** purchased a Black and White Nuevo Professional Publishing Package for her work titled, “*** *** ***.” The book completed its publication process and was made available for sale with her approval on July 1,
In this letter, we will be addressing Ms***’s concerns in the order that they were raised in the complaint
Package Inclusions and Assigned Representatives
Contrary to Ms***’s claim, the publishing packages she purchased to publish her books do not include editing services. An accurate list of the inclusions in Ms***’s most recent publishing package is available online and can be accessed from the link below. http://www.palibrio.com/publishing/black-and-white/professional.aspx
The author centered publishing process of Palibrio requires authors to collaborate with different representatives to ensure that their vision is translated into book formatAn “ASESORA EDITORIAL” provides free consultation to ensure that authors get the self-publishing help they need when making a decision on which publishing package to purchase
The publishing process begins, once an author has chosen the publishing packageThis is when the author is assigned a “REPRESENTANTE DE SERVICIOS AL AUTOR”, who helps out with the fulfillment of the services included in the author’s chosen publishing packageMrSergio ***, described by Ms*** as her Editorial Asesor was in fact her “REPRESENTANTE DE SERVICIOS AL AUTOR”
Due to the length of the publishing process which may take two to three months or longer depending on the author’s requirements and type of book; it is for authors to be reassigned to another representative to ensure that they are extended constant and consistent support every step of the wayAs a publisher, we make sure that our representatives go through the same training to give the same level of support to our authors in completing the publishing process
Production Timeline
Ms*** was reassigned to MrJose ***, a “REPRESENTANTE DE SERVICIOS AL AUTOR” on May 26, After receiving the complete materials and the last set of instructions for the book from Ms*** on June 5, 2015; the book was moved to production and the initial interior and cover proofs were sent to the author for review on June 8,
A list of changes and edits to the text and cover was received from Ms*** on June 9, The alterations were implemented by Palibrio free of charge and a new set of corrected proofs were sent to her on June 15, Ms*** contacted Palibrio on the same day to complain that her instructions were not followed and the changes she requested were not done
A review of the corrected proofs showed that all instructions and changes received were implemented as requested by Ms***Subsequently, Palibrio requested Ms*** provide a sample of the errors and unimplemented instructions but she refused and asked to speak with a Production ManagerMs*** then provided Palibrio with a new set of corrections which were again implemented by Palibrio free of chargeBased on the service order of the publishing package purchased by Ms***, she is entitled to only one round of corrections limited to formatting changesAfter two more free rounds of corrections, and with the assistance of our Production Manager, Ms*** approved the review proofs sent to her and the subsequent publication of her workWe have attached the approval forms submitted by Ms*** for your reference
In summary, for both of Ms***’s works Palibrio allocated the necessary resources to complete her projects in accordance with the services included in the packages purchasedThe opportunity to request changes, revisions and modifications to the work during its preparation phases was exercised and duly executed. Her recent title completed its publication and was made available for sale with her approval on July 1, 2015.
We trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address Ms***’s concernsPlease advise if additional steps need to be taken for an amicable close to the case
Sincerely,
Elaine ***
Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.
I want to express my gratitude to the Revdex.com of Central Indiana for handling my complaint with such efficacy, for facilitating and accelerating the process.I have received the refund and I thank the responsible parties for their response and the satisfactory resolve.I thank Elaine *** and Zach V*** for having expedited the matter to be resolved as I had requested and for having taken into consideration the special circumstances, as known.Regards, *** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Regards,
*** ***, ***As I stated from the beginning I strongly feel this is a scam for the following reasons:(1) Xlibris never stated up front (first week after receiving my manuscript) that the manuscript had to be more 25% authors original work (checked with other publishers and this is NOT their policy).(2) Never signed a contract stating that if termination of contract occurred 20% would be deducted from my payment.(3) Xlibris waited days after receiving manuscript to tell me my manuscript didn't follow their guidelines after telling me the first week my manuscript looked okay.(4) If they feel so strongly about this guideline Xlibris should state this guideline to the author at first contact NOT wait days after payment and manuscript has been madeThis tactic is shabby and totally unethicalWaiting this long (days) before telling the author of this guideline and not refunding the total amount paid has smells of a scam.(5) I will not be satisfied until I receive my FULL refund for the reasons stated above

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
I understand that from time to time printing cost rise, but an increase of 25% makes it difficult to stay competitive in my small scale of selling my booksI am a retired Air Force Officer and sell my books as a hobby at mostly local book faresI also donate books to schools and aviation booksWith a 25% cut in my author's discount rate I will be losing money on my books.I would like to suggest a compromise: Provide a 40% author's discount rate for book orders 1-for my books "*** *** ***" "*** *** *** *** *** *** ***" and "** *** ** *** *** *** ** ***".I am working on a new book and I would prefer to use Trafford's as the publisher, but I find myself checking with other publishers.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below. The purpose of my initial filing was due to Westbow not living up to their contractual obligation. The refund they are offering is fine because it is not about the money. It is about the dishonesty. I am fully aware of the twelve month process needed to complete the copyright registration. In fact, I was hoping it was still in process to avoid the fee of changing the publisher's name. That is why I called Westbow asking for the required information, so I could speak with the copyright office to find out if I was too late in the registration process to make the change. The representative would not give me a direct answer until she knew I wasn't budging. This is when I was told my book was never sent for copyright registration and if I would like, she could do that now. This is ten months post publication of my book.I was in correspondence with the Library of Congress to determine what needed to be done to request a new LCCN number, and I was told they do not have receipt of my book from Westbow to fulfill their requirements. Again, this is ten months post publication of my book. I searched the Library of Congress database for myself and other Westbow authors, and the return was zero. None of us showed up in their database. I searched other self-published books in the database, and their information was available. I was told my book through Westbow was not in the database because my book was not received.Since the company's response stated they did fulfill all of these requirements, I would like the information associated with my copyright registration, so I can verify that Westbow did as it said. I would also like a receipt or some other proof that my book was sent to the Library of Congress for review and fulfillment of their requirement. If Westbow is reputable, this should not be a problem to procure.
Regards,
*** ***

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.MY CONTRACT says NET SALES less PRINTING, RETURN and SHIPPINGAs a POD ordered through Amazon, you can exclude Return and Shipping costs to ARCHWAY, and therefore should NOT come off of Royalty calculations to their author They need to have a SEPARATE ROYALTY CALCULATION WHEN BOOKS ARE NOT ORDERED THROUGH ARCHWAY PUBLISHING ALSO, AN INDUSTRY DISCOUNT IS NOT SPECIFIED IN THEIR ONLINE ADVERTISING NOR IS IT PART OF THE CONTRACT This is the first time that has appeared anywhere Basically, they have included several miscellaneous and undefined fees that were not present in the original contract THEY ARE IN BREACH OF CONTRACT
Regards,
*** ***

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Ms***’s concerns regarding her book, *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***On February 14, 2017, Ms*** purchased the Essential Full Color Publishing Package from AuthorHouse for the discounted price of $She
elected to pay in monthly installments which added a non refundable payment plan fee of $for a grand total of $1,She electronically signed the Services and Distribution Agreement and Installment Payment Plan Agreement the same day (copies attached)Please note that documents requiring signatures are sent via DocuSign for authors to signMs***’s Publishing Consultant sent her a description of the publishing package she chose via e-mail on January 18, 2017, before she purchased the publishing packageIn addition, a description of the Essential Full Color Publishing Package and its inclusions are available on our website at the following link: http://www.authorhouse.com/packages/essentialpackage_fc.aspx A color hardcover bundle option is listed on the website page as available for an additional cost, however, Ms*** failed to add a hardcover version to her package when purchased or at a later dateSubsequently, in fulfilling her package, only a softcover and an e-book format of her book were createdWe are unable to provide her with a hardcover version of her book or a refund for something that was not purchasedOn February 25, 2017, we received the Cover, Interior and Pricing Sign-Off forms indicating that Ms*** had examined the electronic files and approved them as ready for printHer book was made live the same dayOn March 13, 2017, Ms*** purchased the Resubmission service for $and a block of Interior Revisions for $due to images being croppedShe requested that pages and be moved up so that the cupcake at the bottom of page would still be visible and that page be moved down to line up correctly with the illustration on page We made the requested adjustments and sent a new round of electronic proofs for her to view and approve on March 15, On March 17, 2017, we received the signed Interior Sign-Off form stating that she had reviewed the proofs and approved of the adjustmentsShe later contacted us after receiving her new complimentary copy and stated that she was still unhappy with the corrections, but would not make any further changes because of the costThe ten (10) free softcover copies due with her publishing package were then printed and delivered to her on May 19, After carefully comparing and reviewing both sets of files for Ms***’s book and her originals, we have determined that although we followed her instructions and she signed the Sign-Off forms, we will grant her a Resubmission free of charge to fix the problems mentioned above as we do not believe we resolved the issues appropriatelyWe will also replace the ten (10) free softcover copies that were sent to her in May once the Resubmission is completed and approved by herWe encourage Ms*** to review her book in its entirety and advise us of any additional “match-up” issues that need to be addressedRegarding sales and royalties, Ms*** may view this information at any time by creating an AuthorCenter account on the AuthorHouse websiteIn her AuthorCenter she will have access to her Quarterly Royalty Report which is updated after the close of each quarter around the same time that payments are issued (see the royalty payment timelines Ms*** included in her filing)Her book went live during the first quarter of at the end of FebruaryFrom that time until the end of the first quarter on March 31, there were no royalty earning salesThere have been sales during the second quarter; however, they will not appear on her Quarterly Royalty Report until the quarter has ended and the statements have been finalizedThis usually happens at the end of August or early SeptemberIn regards to her book being listed as “used”, because of the timing of the listings she describes they are most likely an example of a distributor using virtual inventory. Our books are print-on-demand titles, meaning each book is printed when ordered (on demand). This presents a problem for bookstores as they are unable to place an order for a book that is not in stockBecause of that, distributors will advertise copies as on hand when no copies have actually been printedThis enables bookstores (who are their customers) to see copies available for purchase, thus allowing them to place ordersSome retailers get deep discounts through the distributor (which do not affect the royalty amount at all) and advertise the book at a lowered price and place the word “used” on a book listing to grab the attention of bargain hunters. In closing, we would like to apologize for any miscommunication regarding a hardcover version of Ms***’s bookBecause the publishing package she purchased did not include hardcover publishing, we are unable to provide a hardcover versionIn regards to the issues with illustrations, we are granting Ms*** a free Resubmission and will be happy to replace the ten free copies she received as part of her publishing package once corrections have been completedSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com, Thank you for the opportunity to examine Ms*** refund requestOn March 28, 2018, Ms*** committed to the purchase of a Black & White Basic Publishing package at a special price and opted to pay using a three-month auto-installment payment plan, which added a non-refundable
$sfee, making her total $Payment Central staff verified the purchase and sthe payment plan with the first payment of $made that day and the remaining auto-payments scheduled for the same day in the following two monthsWe received her signed Services & Distribution Agreement and Installment Payment Plan Agreement the following day, March 29, Copies attachedEditing Services Ms*** writes she believed editing was included in the publishing package she purchasedOn March 28, 2018, her publishing consultant, Jacob R***, emailed her acknowledging her decision to publish thru us and reiterating the services included in the Black and White Basic Publishing package she choseEditing services are not included in this package An itemization of all the services included in each package we offer is readily available on our website along with an informative package comparison chartThe chart shows that copyediting is included in some of the more comprehensive packages but not in the basic core packagesWhy? Because editing is not a one-size-fits-all serviceEach author’s work is unique and may or may not require an editor’s assistanceFor those that desire editorial help, we offer several levels of editorial services ranging from proofreading to line, content or developmental editing, all at an additional cost based upon the word countAuthors may forego using any of our editorial services, procure editorial help elsewhere or decide to self-edit; the choice belongs to the authorIt is important to us that the information provided by our consultants and all staff is accurate. To determine if any confusing or misleading statements regarding editing occurred, we requested an audit of the recorded conversations between Ms*** and her publishing consultantThe audit reveals that the consultant spoke with the author and separately with the person paying for the packageThe audit corroborates Ms***’ statement that she sent her manuscript before committing to publishing with usIt also reveals that she affirmed her purchase of the Basic package and payment planPrior to finalizing the purchase and making payment arrangements, the consultant inquired if she was aware that the Premium package includes an editorial componentHe asked if she would like to consider it or if she wanted to stay with the Basic package for nowShe chose to stay with the Basic packagePlease note nothing precludes Ms*** from adding editing to her Basic packageRefund Ms*** suggests that because she submitted the manuscript prior to signing the agreement she should be exempt from the terms of the agreement. We emailed a services agreement to her the same day she verbally agreed to the purchaseHad she expressed concerns or questions prior to finalizing the agreement, we would have been happy to address them with herWith her electronically signed agreement, she confirmed she had read the terms and agreed to themSection of the attached Services & Distribution Agreement explains the refund and cancellation terms governing her package. Refund eligibility is specific and determined by the preparation phase of the work at the time of cancellation validationPlease reference the following excerpt from Section 4, Termination & RefundsIt explains when Submission occurs and refund eligibility prior to and after submission: If You terminate the Agreement, or if We terminate the Agreement for Cause (as defined below) at any time or without Cause after We have fulfilled the Publishing Services and Marketing Services, Refunds will be issued as follows: For Publishing Packages: Prior to submission of Your Manuscript: 0-calendar days after the purchase: 100% of purchase price, less $or 10% of the purchase price, whichever is greater More than calendar days after the purchase: No Refund After submission of Your Manuscript but prior to final approval, if the refund is not due to failure to comply with Our Content Guidelines: After submission of Your Manuscript but before design work begins: 50% of purchase price After design work begins but prior to final approval: 25% of purchase price After You have given final approval of the Work: ? No Refund NOTE: Submission of Your Manuscript occurs when You first deliver to Us any text or images intended for publication Ms***’ project falls into the submitted but before design work begins category, qualifying both the author and Xlibris for a 50% of the purchase price or $eachShe made two payments totaling $After deducting the $due Xlibris, the balance of $was returned to the credit card used to make the purchase on 5/2/via transaction ID ***Cancellation is complete for the project and the final installment on the payment planIn summary, in accordance with the terms of the Services & Distribution and Installment Payment Plan Agreements, we returned the amount eligible for refund to the credit card used to make the purchaseWe trust this information illustrates the steps taken to address Ms***’ concernSincerely, Elaine H*** Manager of Author Satisfaction

Dear Revdex.com,Thank you for giving us the opportunity to respond to Mr*** regarding his concerns about errors in his published book.On May 26, Mr*** purchased the Discovery Black & White publishing package from AuthorHouse for the discounted price of $and elected to use an
installment payment plan which added a non-refundable $payment plan fee, making his total cost $630.Mr*** questions in his filing why he was not informed of errors in his bookThe items included in the Discover Black & White package can be found at the following link on the AuthorHouse website: http://www.authorhouse.com/packages/discoverypackage_bw.aspx Please note that none of the publishing features listed for the package is an editorial serviceHowever, a full range of editing services is available to the author for purchase as an aoptionPer Subsection of his Self-Publishing Services Agreement, AuthorHouse will only perform editing services if they are part of a purchased service.On May 28th, Mr*** was contacted by his CheCoordinator both by phone and email with manuscript submission information and instructions which included image selection and submission, content guidelines, and additional fees for specialty design services and potential services prior to and after publicationAs no editorial services were purchased Mr***’s manuscript was formatted using the manuscript text and instructions he providedOn September 1, Mr*** was sent the electronic proof copies of both the interior and cover of his book for his approval prior to the book files being sent to our printer and made available for purchaseThe forms were sent via e-mail along with the following text: “Proofing is one of the most important steps in the publishing process, so please take the time to thoroughly go over the design and text on both the cover and interior files…Once you approve both your interior and your cover, we will submit your book to the printerIf any changes are needed at that point, corrections fees plus an initial charge of $200--$to change the files at the printer will apply.” The same day, Mr*** returned the signed final approval forms for both the interior and cover of his book, copies attachedSubsequently, on September 2, the files were sent to the printer for installation into the print system and availability in the marketplaceThe approval and signoff steps are stipulated in the Self-Publishing Services Agreement that Mr*** signed on May 27, 2015, in section 4, titled Your Publishing Obligations:“Approval and SignoffWe will provide You with a copy of Your completed Work for Your complete and thorough review prior to publicationIf, upon review, You are satisfied that each aspect of Your Work is accurate, complete and otherwise complies with Your objectives, and accepted the Suggested Retail Price, You will sign the following forms indicating Your approval and return them to Us in a timely manner: (a) the Galley Signoff Form; and (b) the Cover Signoff FormYou are deemed to have given final approval of Your Work and the Suggested Retail Price as of the date on which We have receive the last of the forms above signed by You ("Final Approval")After Final Approval, You waive any and all claims against Us or Our Affiliates, or Our Contractors arising from or related to any alleged errors, omissions or other content or pricing issues discovered in Your Work after Final ApprovalYou are responsible for the Fees for any subsequent changes, corrections or other Services, including Additional Services, requested by You after Final Approval.”Request for ModificationsOn September 21, Mr*** e-mailed requesting a return call and expressing his displeasure that he found errors in the printed book he had received and declaring that we should have notified him of these errorsAs requested, his publishing services associate (PSA), James *** tried unsuccessfully to contact him by phone. He was unable to reach him or to leave a voice mail at any of the four (4) contact phone numbers provided. As a result, the PSA sent an email requesting that Mr*** send us the changes he desires so that we could assess what costs might be involvedOn September 28th, Mr*** emailed the interior modification formIn order to prepare a cost assessment, the PSA inquired if there were also exterior revisions and confirmed the receipt of Mr***’s modification form. The PSA compared the changes requested on the modification form with the original manuscript and the galley Mr*** had approved. The errors appear in both the original manuscript and the galley. Although Mr*** had the opportunity to review the galley and identify any changes he wished to have made prior to giving his approval, he made no such requestOn September 29th, the PSA advised that in order to make the revisions requested the cost would be $($for the printer removal and reinstallation fee and $for a block of interior corrections)The same day Mr*** e-mailed stating that no one ever told him that he had to find errors to make correctionsThe PSA clarified for Mr*** that the was the dollar amount and not the number of corrections to be madeSince this exchange, the PSA has explained on several different occasions that the errors in the book were in the manuscript sent to us and approved by Mr*** via the signed approval formsIn closing, because Mr*** has provided his final approval releasing his title to print, in accordance with Section 8, Subsection of his signed Self-Publishing Services Agreement, he is ineligible for refundMr*** was given the opportunity before his book went live to review it and make all corrections that he deemed necessaryBy signing and returning the final approval forms for both the interior and cover of the book, he authorized that the book was ready to be published. He is welcome to make corrections to the book now, however fees associated with the resubmission will apply.Sincerely,Elaine ***Manager of Author Satisfaction

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
This company had no corspondance with me in regards to evidence of the promotion only about more moneyI found them rude and abusive to the point the were overpowering me there was no respect for me as the author.I have no confidence in them and would like the contract broken between us
Regards,
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