Sounds like HarperCollins is entering the comic book distribution business [/metaphor]

From Roger L. Simon:

... HarperCollins Publishers is launching a new business that won't accept returns from retailers. In addition, the new entity intends to pay little or nothing in the way of advances to its authors

At first blush, this sounds like HarperCollins being cheap. But in reality, it looks more like the Image Comics model of publishing. A central publisher who will take on the work of independent writers, take on the heavy lifting of promoting, printing and getting the book into distribution, and share the profits, after expenses. Self publishing, without actually doing it yourself.

I presume that the books will have larger discounts to retailers than returnable books (otherwise this is a non-starter). This will put a little more pressure on retailers to decide what to stock and how much as more of the risk gets put on their heads for this.

This model especially makes sense in an Amazon.com/Ebay world where books can find buyers more easily and keeping large quantities in stock is less of a necessity. I'd imagine that this would be more for books that have less of a chance of mass appeal but a bit more than vanity publishing.