Returns and Resale Price Maintenance in Book Distribution

도서유통(圖書流通) 효율화(效率化)를 위한 공정거래정책(公正去來政策)

  • Published : 1991.06.30

Abstract

Resale price maintenance has long been employed in book distribution, perhaps longer than for any other product. Another unusual practice in the book trade that has proven to be quite durable in spite of its substantial cost in real resources is the returns policy. Publishers typically grant the right to return unsold books within a stipulated time for full credit against future orders. This paper investigates the functions and effects of resale price maintenance in the book trade, and argues that resale price maintenance and returns are substitute methods of providing the same economic function. Resale price maintenance can be used to compensate booksellers for initially stocking books with uncertain prospects and for providing a conduit through which manufacturers acquire information about consumer demand (market testing services). Permitting the return of unsold books for full credit places a floor under retail prices and transfers a considerable portion of the cost of introducing a new product line back to the publisher. Both reflect publishers' needs to have their books displayed. In the U.S. returns privileges were first proposed in 1913, roughly coincident with the Macy decision outlawing RPM. Publishers slowly granted return privileges, which become nearly universal by 1970. The decline in margins in recent years has been accompanied by an increase in returns as the return policy served to substitute for lost margins on successful titles as a methods of compensating full-line booksellers. In contrast, returns privileges are unusual in countries where price maintenance in books has been practiced. These observations are consistent with our analysis. In Korea, resale price maintenance of books is practiced under an exception to Korean antitrust law. The availability of effective price maintenance is likely to reduce the use of returns programs. Since consumers prefer to obtain books at outlets where they know the books are likely to be stocked rather than taking a chance on stores that carry a more limited line, it also provides a strong incentive for booksellers to expand. But the privilege of resale price maintenance should be confined to books which publishers want to be price maintained. Resale price maintenance and returns system differ in the transactions costs associated with inventory holding, and publishers' judgement on the comparative advantage of the two schemes should be honored. Publishers should also remain free to authorize sales at discount at any time not to impair the ability of booksellers to dispose of product variants that prove unpopular.

재판매가격유지(再版賣價格維持)는 어떤 다른 제품보다도 도서유통(圖書流通)에서 가장 오랫동안 쓰여 왔으며, 원칙적으로 재판매가격유지를 금지하고 있는 우리의 "독점규제(獨占規制) 및 공정거래(公正去來)에 관(關)한 법률(法律)"에서도 출판물(出版物) 등 저작물(著作物)에 대해서만은 이를 예외적으로 허용하고 있다. 본고(本稿)는 도서유통에서의 재판매가격유지(再版賣價格維持)와 반품제(返品制)의 경제적(經濟的) 기능(機能)과 효과(效果)를 분석하고 있다. 재판매가격유지는 서점(書店)이 수집 전달하는 시장정보(市場情報)에 대한 재산권(財産權)을 확립하여 판매전망이 불확실한 도서가 취급 전시되도록 하는 것으로 반품제(返品制)가 이와 동일한 경제적 기능을 제공하는 대체적(大替的) 수단(手段)이 된다. 미국에서 재판매가격유지(再版賣價格維持)가 위법화(違法化)되자 반품제(返品制)가 도입되었고 판매마진이 감소하면서 반품율(返品率)이 증가한 것이나, 재판매가격유지를 허용해 온 영국 등 유럽제국에서 반품제 없이 도서유통(圖書流通)이 이루어지고 있는 것이 이를 뒷받침해 준다. 도서(圖書)의 재판매가격유지(再版賣價格維持) 허용으로 출판사들은 반품(返品)에 따른 비용(費用)을 감소시킬 수 있고 서점들이 대형화(大型化) 유인(誘引)을 갖게 될 것이다. 그러나 재판매가격유지계약(再版賣價格維持契約)을 체결한 출판사가 많지 않다는 것은 이미 반품제(返品制)가 광범위하게 쓰이고 있는 현실을 반영하는 것으로 재판매가격유지는 출판사가 원하는 도서에 대해서만 허용되어야 하며 할인판매여부(割引販賣與否)와 시기(時期)도 출판사가 제한없이 결정할 수 있도록 하여야 할 것이다.

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