How Do Backorders Work?

At your request, we will backorder out-of-stock, not-yet-published, and not-yet-received titles.

These are filled on a first-ordered, first-served basis.

We strongly recommend backordering high-demand titles and not-yet-published titles to ensure availability. Publishers often limit our quantity of high-demand titles to the quantity we have registered on backorder.

When setting your default for ordering you may choose one of four standing backorder requests:
1. Backorder every title not in stock
2. Backorder not-yet-received (NYR) items only
3. No backorders
4. Backorder from primary DC only

New accounts will be automatically flagged to backorder every title not in stock. You may change your standing backorder requests at any time.

Customers may override their standing backorder requests when making individual orders.

Electronic ordering systems have options that apply to the entire order (check with the systems provider).

Non-electronic orders may include backordering all out-of-stock titles or backordering on a title-by-title basis.

You may also choose to HOLD or RELEASE your backorders:

If you select HOLD, your available backordered titles will be automatically shipped with your next order according to your established shipping instructions, unless you request otherwise. If you decide to override your shipping instructions, you will bear any extra freight costs. If you haven't requested any new product in 8 days, we will go ahead and ship the backordered product that has arrived.

If you select RELEASE, your backorders will ship individually as we receive them. RELEASED backorders do not qualify for free shipping and are released on Wednesdays after they have been committed for a minimum of eight days.

You may also establish a minimum shipping quantity in either units or dollars. Once you do, we will not ship until your order reaches the minimum requirement.

If requested, we will also send you a monthly backorder status report to let you know the titles still backordered and any titles cancelled.

New release titles that have been placed on backorder will remain on backorder until we receive them. Backorders on out-of-stock items are automatically cancelled 60 days after ordering unless you specify otherwise.