Another Update on TRAFFORD

So, the quality of the books was sub-par.  The covers were printed MUCH darker than our proofs and previous orders.  I couldn’t sell them.  Disappointing.   $187?   I think…  20 books and S&H.  I had been wrapped up enough with other things that I didn’t think too much about it.

But then a marketing rep from Trafford called, trying to get me to BUY a marketing plan from Trafford.  I told him why I wasn’t interested: 1) I do all the marketing and press for the books because we don’t have a budget for it right now.  2) Why would I trust Trafford to be successful with this when they can’t even get the consistency in print?  They don’t have a great track record for the last two years.  I told him about the last print.  He suggested that I talk to Lisa (who I ordered from) and try to get another print.  He checked to see if she if she was available.  Lisa had already gone home.  So, then he tries to sell me the marketing plan again.  I do mention to him that we have been with Trafford for 9 years now…that we were one of the first to publish with them.  We don’t have it in the budget.   He was very young and sounded like a very nice kid, but when he suggested that I re-write my budget to include marketing…well, I told him all my problems with Trafford.  Poor kid was so overwhelmed he laughed…like, for a while.  Then he offered me the marketing plan. 

So, I called Lisa on Friday.  She didn’t apologize.  She told me that she would have me talk to customer service.  On hold for a while.  CS has gone home.  Okay.  She suggested that I write her an email describing the issue, then she would contact customer service and they would get in touch.  So, I wrote the email and enclosed photographs of the new printing in contrast to new books we still had from the last printing.  And the receipt.   Well, it’s Tuesday and 7:48pm in Toronto….I think they are still in Toronto.  I haven’t heard from anyone.  I would like a reprint, because I can’t sell these and have any integrity with the product.  It seems a shame to spend nearly 200 on something you can’t use. 

So, at the opening, one of the C4 workspace office managers asked me about the self-publishing process.   He said he may go with Amazon.  Well.   I couldn’t argue.