The publishing industry's whole system needs to be reorganized

Damon Brown: They cannot just give the books away and if they throw them in the dumpster intact someone will pick them out and sell them on their own creating more loss of income. The industry credit back programs usually require the front cover(with publishing info) of paperbacks and softcovers to be ripped off and sent back to the distributor. The interior is thrown away or recycled. Industry practices need to be changed but calling Waldenbooks alone will not do it. The whole system needs to be rethought, reorganized, and re-implemented. (December 11, 2009 at 5:52pm)

Donate, Not Dumpster: Damon, you're right that the publishing industry's "whole system needs to be rethought, reorganized, and re-implemented." See this post for a more detailed look at the history of book returns and why this irrational system got set up in the first place:

http://thelatestoutrage.blogspot.com/2009/12/pulping-is-publishing-industrys-dirty.html

But shining a light on the 200 Waldenbooks that are closing and spreading the word that many unsold books may be needlessly destroyed in the process is a very useful way to raise awareness about these wasteful business practices that have largely been kept hidden from the public. (December 11, 2009 at 6:44pm)