In the publishing industry, the term “remaindered” reflects a quiet but telling stage in a book’s commercial life. It signals a shift in how value, circulation, and readership relate after a title has completed its primary sales cycle. Behind the practice lies a complex mix of economics and logistics, where storage costs, print runs, and market demand all factor into a publisher’s decision. Exploring how and why books become remaindered reveals much about the life cycle of printed works and the delicate balance between production and commercial viability.
Remaindered Definition
In its simplest form, a remaindered book means it has been sold cheaply because it did not sell as expected, and no more copies of that edition will be produced under the same agreement. In publishing parlance, when a book becomes remaindered, the publisher seeks to recover at least part of their investment (printing, warehousing, distribution, etc.) by offering those leftover copies at steep discounts rather than holding them indefinitely.
Key Elements of the Definition
- It typically involves unsold stock from a print run.
- It involves some sort of discount or liquidation sale.
- It often signals that the publisher considers the sales of that edition to be finished or near-finished.
- It may or may not mean the book is permanently out of print—it may simply mean that edition is being cleared.
Why Books Get Remaindered
- Overstock and slow sales: Publishing involves forecasting demand, printing a number of copies, shipping them out, and committing warehouse space. When a title sells slower than forecasted, excess stock builds up. The cost of continuing to store unsold books may exceed the benefit of keeping them.
- Print run cycle and edition changes: Often a hardcover edition is replaced by a paperback, reducing the market for the hardcover. At this point the remaining hardcovers may be remaindered to make space and clear inventory.
- Tax or accounting reasons: In the United States, a landmark case—Thor Power Tool Company vs. Commissioner (1979)—changed the way publishers could carry unsold inventory on their books. After that ruling, many publishers chose to remainder or pulp books earlier and in greater quantities.
How to Recognize a Remaindered Book
- The remainder mark: One of the simplest signs is a mark placed on the book, often a slash, dot, or line on the top or bottom edge of the text block. This mark signals the book is remaindered and prevents its return as full-price merchandise.
- Price discount or placement: Remaindered books are often found in bargain bins, discount tables, or “$4.99” racks in bookstores. They may be new or never read but sold at vastly reduced prices.
- Publisher or edition status: Sometimes, the edition shows signs that it is being phased out: small print run, fewer new shipments, or possibly an upcoming newer edition. That may hint at remaindering even if no mark appears.
- Condition and collector value: For collectors of first editions or fine bindings, a remainder mark typically reduces value compared to unmarked copies. According to the International On‑Line Booksellers Association, “A remainder mark reduces the value of a book compared to an unmarked copy of the same printing.”
Implications of Being Remaindered
- For the publisher and retailer: Through remaindering, publishers recover part of their investment instead of keeping unsold copies in storage or sending them for pulping. The growing expense of warehousing and distribution makes this a practical way to close out a title’s sales cycle. Retailers, in turn, clear shelf space and offer the books at marked-down prices, trading a smaller profit for quicker turnover.
- For authors: When a book is remaindered, the author typically receives no royalties on remaindered copies or only minimal royalty payments as determined by contract. Some authors see remaindered titles as a second chance: discounted copies may reach readers who would not have otherwise purchased at full price.
- For readers and bargain seekers: From a reader’s perspective, remaindered books can represent excellent value: essentially new copies at discounted cost. However, readers should check the edition, condition, and marking so they know what they are getting. Some potential drawbacks include using more outdated content (in nonfiction) or editions that may not be supported further.
- For collectors: For collectors of first editions or fine bindings, a remainder mark is a detractor. While remaindered copies may still be interesting, they rarely hold the same value as unmarked copies. The IOLA page notes that “the mark and its location … should always be noted in a book description” for this very reason.
Remaindered vs. Out of Print
A common confusion involves thinking that being remaindered means being permanently out of print. That is not always the case. A book may be remaindered even if it remains in print in a different format (e.g., paperback or digital). In other words:
- Remaindered means the edition is being cleared.
- Out of print means no further printings are planned (or rights have reverted).
Thus, a turnover to paperback or ebook might render the hardcover remaindered while the title remains widely available.
Further Reading
Remaindered book on Wikipedia
Getting remaindered is not the end of the line by Alison Flood, The Guardian
Book-Club Guide To a Remaindered Book by Rebecca Mead and George Prochnik, The New Yorker
