Paying Bookstores for Helping with a Pilot
App for Tipping Authors
Over 50% of the books people read are borrowed or bought used.
Yet the authors receive nothing when those copies are read.
AE provides a solution: an app that lets reader tip authors.
Pilot to Kickstart the App
AE is initiating a pilot to introduce the app and answer two questions:
- Will readers tip authors?
- Will authors promote fair tipping?
How the Pilot Works
It will take place at brick and mortar bookstores.
To participate, a bookstore:
- displays the poster below or a matching postcard at its register(s).
- asks the authors it deals with to check out out AE.
AE will track tips and author support.
The pilot ends when enough data has been collected (over a maximum of one year).
Bookstores Receive 20% of the Tips
20% of the tips will be split among participating bookstores.
Each participating store will receive an equal share (each store in a chain gets a share).
For example, if the tips are $100,000 in total, 20% = $20,000. If 10 stores are participating, each store will receive $2,000.
Bookstores Receive Tips Made Outside Their Local Area
Wherever a tip is made, it goes into a tip pool. Bookstores equally share 20% of this pool.
Bookstores Receive Unclaimed Tips If the Pilot Fails
If the pilot fails and AE shuts down, authors who have not collected their tips within 1 year will forfeit them. The "stranded tips" will be split among the participating bookstores.
Bookstores May Withdraw Any Time
A bookstore that withdraws before the pilot ends will forfeit its share of tips.
After the Pilot
If the pilot generates promising results, AE will improve the app and introduce a referral payment program for bookstores and book related websites.
If the results are negative, tipping will be halted and the existing tips will be distributed to authors and bookstores.