Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox

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Title:	Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox
Creator:	Susan M. Garrett
Date(s):	April 1989
Medium:	print
Fandom:	multifandom, print zines
Topic:
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Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox is a 1989 essay by Susan M. Garrett.

It was first printed as a part of The Fantastically Fundamentally Functional Guide to Fandom, an instruction manual meant to explain the basics of fandom and fanworks to new fans and to be a reminder to more seasoned fans.

This essay was also reprinted in Southern Enclave #47 (Winter 1997), which is online here.

The essay is meant to address careless and rude fans who both create and consume fanworks:

With a little bit of common courtesy and common sense, fans could make fandom a really keen place to work and play. Fans created this playground and only fans can be responsible for their actions.

Some Topics Discussed

• "At least half of all zines purchased are through mail order."
• how soon you get what you order differs by editor, and ranges all over the place
• "Can't I just stick a check in the mail? Sure, if you don't care whether or not you ever see it again." -- You need to keep copies of your correspondence, send an inquiry to the editor before you order, make sure you give the publisher/editor all the information they need so they can send the zine to you
• while not required, it is polite to send a postcard to let the editor know it arrived
• can I ask the editor to send me just one story?
• should I ask for a refund it there is a page missing, or a page is not readable?
• how long should I wait for a zine to arrive?
• what are some options if your zine doesn't arrive?
• should you pay in advance, aka pre-order?
• this article assumes fans paid by check; this far, far predates websites and credit cards
• the article does not discuss fans paying for zine by putting cash in an envelope, which was one method of payment, nor does it discuss money orders, SASEs, or mailing overseas

From the Essay

Don’t ask an editor for a copy of one story from a line because you’re not interested in the rest of the zine.

People who do this are just plain rude. If it’s your friend’s story, ask them for a copy of the draft manuscript. An editor works hard to put together a complete package that costs them ‘x ’ amount of dollars for the cover, binding, and printing. It isn’t fair or courteous to ask an editor to ‘just copy out those 15 pages for me and I’ll pay you for the copying’. By asking an editor for a copy of one or two stories, you defeat the purposes of a fanzine—to present work from a variety of people in the best possible light—and imply that both the editors and contributors have nothing to offer to you. Don't do it. And if you do, don’t be surprised if you get a very terse reply.

There's a page missing in my zine. Should I ask for a refund?

It would be foolish to ask for a refund for a missing page. Printing mistakes happen and a few missing or tom pages should be replaced by the editor upon request—I'd suggest contacting the editor and enclosing an S ASE. If you have major problems with the zine, as in you are missing at least twenty pages and the rest are only half printed on one side, notify the editor of the condition of the zine and ask for a new copy. They may require you to return the bad copy. Whether or not they refund or provide return postage is pretty much up to the editor, but it would be a nice gesture on their part if they did so.

What if I still don't get an answer, and no zine has shown up?

After three weeks from the first inquiry [at least four weeks ago], check the editor’s address and try again, still following the same procedure of sending a letter and SASE. If there is still no answer after three more weeks, try one more time. After this, there are a number of options you can follow, but much of what you do depends on your personal situation.

—Has your check been cashed? If not, there’s a good chance that it was never received, or that the editor is holding checks until the zine is actually ready. There is no excuse for ignoring repeated SASEs except grave physical illness or major family emergencies, as dashing off a quick note saying that the zine is delayed would be relatively easy.

—If the check has been cashed, you might want to take more drastic measures. The problem with fandom is that it is a hobby, not a business and there are very few agencies to which you can turn for recompense. Unfortunately, there are always a few dishonest people who will rip off fans, but there are also a lot of well meaning people who have delay upon delay, medical difficulties, or family problems that just will not permit them any time for their hobby. I, for one, know that upon my accidental demise, my family wouldn’t have the slightest idea how to begin to go through my fannish projects, even though I keep very good records of all transactions—this being one reason why I do not take partial payments on orders.

One current option is bringing the situation to a public disclosure in the fan press, through letterzines or trade zines. Present your information very succinctly in your complaint. You may find that other people will come forward, having had similar problems with that editor. If the editor resolves your complaint, have the decency to mention this in the same place you posted your complaint or, if the complaint has not yet seen print, try to have it withdrawn or a retraction printed.

Because you are dealing through the United States Post Office, you can take the legal step of filing suit against the editor for Postal fraud. This is a serious matter, however, and you should try every possible solution before taking this step. It is helpful to know whether or not other people have had a similar problem, because a combined suit may be filed on behalf of all of those who have lost money—another good reason to try to recover your money first through fannish methods.

Ninety-eight times out of one hundred, the situation can be resolved to your satisfaction, either with the receipt of a zine or the return of payment

Should I put a downpayment on a zine to hold my order?

Prepayments are a tricky business. Editors sometimes ask for them for very responsible reasons:

—they can’t afford to print a zine unless they know they will sell V number of copies. Sending an SASE doesn’t always mean a sale, but sending a $5.00 down payment usually does. Thus, if they receive enough prepayments, it will be worth their while to do the zine.

—they don’t have the seed money required for the zine (usually by a printer, who will ask for a certain amount down and the rest upon delivery). Prepayments allow them to generate enough cash for the down payment. After the zine is printed, they offset the rest of their expenses with the order money.

When prepayment works, it works well. The buyer should know in advance approximately how much the cost of the zine will be and whether or not money will be refunded if the buyer no longer is interested in the zine by the time it’s Finished or if the zine is not done by a certain deadline. This allows the buyer to purchase a zine that might go out of print very quickly and might be impossible to reprint.

When prepayment doesn’t work, it’s a nightmare. As a buyer, you have no control over the content or quality of the zine, but you’ve already put down money on it that you may not be able to get back. By the time a zine is finished, it can be $10.00 or $20.00 more than the original cost estimate and, if the buyer wants to back out, he or she may very well lose their downpayment. Sometimes the zine goes under completely and no money is ever recovered.

The best way to handle prepayment is Caveat Emptor — let the buyer beware. If you give someone money for prepayment, make certain that you* re aware of their reputation. A person who has put out three quality zines in three consecutive years and has used prepayment successfully is a very good bet. Someone who has been trying to put out a zine for five years and can only offer excuses is not someone you want to give your money to. If you don't know who you’re dealing with, don’t send money...wait. Support the project through an SASE. That way, you spend twenty-five cents, you’ve let the person know that you’re interested in the finished project, and you lose nothing if the zine doesn’t come out.

Other Essays in This Series

• The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom
• S.A.S.E. or You Want an Answer When?
• Telephone Courtesy OR How to Make Enemies Without Even Trying
• A Buyer's Guide to Fanzines OR How to Not Drop $200 in a Hurry
• Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox
• The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab
• Research, OR Ignorance is Not Bliss
• Pseudonym
• Simultaneous Submissions, Resubmittals, and Reprints, or, Where I Have I Seen This Before?
• The Fanzine Bill of Rights
• L(etter) O(f) C(omment) or How Am I Doin'?