PublishAmerica, F ain't for Fantastic

This Business is not Better Business Bureau Accredited

Publish America, LLP

Phone: (301) 695-1707Fax: (301) 631-90734510 Metropolitan Court, Frederick, MD 21701support@publishamerica.comhttp://www.publishamerica.com

F

On a scale of A+ to F Reason for RatingBBB Ratings System Overview

Reason for Rating

BBB rating is based on 16 factors. Get the details about the factors considered.

Factors that lowered Publish America, LLP's rating include:

• 240 complaints filed against business
• Failure to respond to 64 complaints filed against business.
• 14 complaints filed against business that were not resolved.
• Overall complaint history with BBB.

In mid October 2010, guided by the company's belief that an "adversarial relationship" exists between Publish America (PA) and BBB, a representative for Publish America stated the company "can no longer in good conscience participate in BBB's dispute resolution program." The company ceased responding to BBB complaints at that time and informed BBB that "any people who file complaints against PA, including those with current complaints (filed with BBB prior to October 2010) that are outstanding, will have to submit their complaints directly to PA."

Although BBB continues to inform PA of any complaints received, BBB also encourages authors to try to resolve their disputes with Publish America directly. Complainants whose disputes are not resolved may want to consult an attorney for advice.

According to PA, contracts expire after seven years. In order to better understand the contractual commitment with Publish America, BBB advises authors to read the contract completely and to review the FAQ page at www.publishamerica.com, as well the rest of the website. Authors who have questions about the terms and conditions of the contract, its duration, any cancellation provisions, author's responsibilities, etc. may want to review the contract with an attorney prior to signing it.

Publish America states that some important aspects of their contract include:
1. PA will pay authors "climbing royalties" starting at 8%.
2. PA authors are not obligated to pay any money out of pocket in order to get their book published pursuant to their contract. According to PA, "A symbolic $1 advance underlines that all financial risk is carried by the Publisher."
3. The author retains the copyright to work in his/her name as well as all movie and audio rights.

PA states that the books they publish are available to bookstores everywhere. This typically means Publish America books can be ordered through various booksellers, but the company readily admits "bookstores cannot possibly stock all new books." Additionally, "Publish America does not guarantee placement of its titles on the bookstore shelves." According to PA, "as part of the commercial relationship, authors are expected to assist with the promotion of their books."
The company issues royalty statements (and if applicable, royalty checks) every six months. According to Publish America, the royalty statements itemize the number of books for which PA has received payment, as well as the price paid. Additionally, the company states, the royalty statements calculate the author's royalties "based upon the applicable royalty percentages(s) set forth in the contract." Furthermore, "Authors should be aware that it often takes up to 90 days for PA to receive payment from booksellers." According to PA, authors who question the accuracy of their royalty statements should contact the company directly.

Customer Complaints Summary

240 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years | 76 closed in last 12 months

Complaint Type	Total Closed Complaints
Advertising / Sales Issues	25
Billing / Collection Issues	11
Delivery Issues	52
Problems with Product / Service	152
Guarantee / Warranty Issues	0
Total Closed Complaints	240