--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon…" description: "\"“Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold books, often less than 5 percent. The big book chains regularly returned 40 percent of all th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg" --- # Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold… ![“Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold books, often less than 5 percent. The big book chains regularly returned 40 percent of all the books they acquired from publishers, for full refunds,” quote by Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg) > ““Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold books, often less than 5 percent. The big book chains regularly returned 40 percent of all the books they acquired from publishers, for full refunds,”” [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Traditional retailers returned many unsold books for refunds, while Amazon kept returns low, showing efficient inventory management. **In simple terms:** Amazon’s low return rate contrasts with high returns elsewhere. Key Takeaway Adopt efficient inventory practices. Themes business retail efficiency Mood analytical informative Type business economic When to use this quote - bookstore management - e‑commerce strategy - logistics planning - financial analysis Key Concepts supply chain inventory control market competition Questions to Reflect On - How can small retailers reduce return rates? - What factors enable Amazon’s efficiency? A Different Perspective Amazon’s model may not apply to all markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazon/) [Amazon Returned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazon-returned-2029925/) [Big book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Books Percent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books-percent-2029926/) [Percent Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/percent-books-419058/) [Publishers Refunds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers-refunds-2029928/) [Unsold Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unsold-books-2029927/) ## Related quotes > [If you read one book a week, starting at the age of 5, and live to be 80, you will have read a grand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-buzbee/if-you-read-one-book-a-week-starting-at-the-age-of-5-and-live-to-be/) [Lewis Buzbee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-buzbee/) > [“The extermination of Poland's literary heritage was frighteningly efficient. Researchers have estimated that 70 percent of all books in Poland were destroyed or lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-rydell/the-extermination-of-poland-s-literary-heritage-was-frighteningly/) [Anders Rydell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-rydell/) > [It makes more sense to write one big book - a novel or nonfiction narrative - than to write many stories or essays. Into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/it-makes-more-sense-to-write-one-big-book-a-novel-or-nonfiction/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [I finished a big book the other day. 421 pages. That's a lot of coloring when you think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/i-finished-a-big-book-the-other-day-421-pages-that-s-a-lot-of/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [I have insane curiosity as to what happened in all these events. I will never know. I'm not a researcher. I don't possess that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-have-insane-curiosity-as-to-what-happened-in-all-these-events-i/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [“He savoured the moment. He’d like to take this moment and press it carefully in a big book, so that when he was old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/he-savoured-the-moment-he-d-like-to-take-this-moment-and-press-it/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [They have this big book called the 'DSM-IV,' you know, that is supposedly written about crazy people, but I think it is a book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-glasser/they-have-this-big-book-called-the-dsm-iv-you-know-that-is-supposedly/) [William Glasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-glasser/) > [“AA makes inflated claims about itself. Its foundational document, Alcoholics Anonymous (commonly referred to as the “Big Book” and a perennial best seller), spells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-dodes/aa-makes-inflated-claims-about-itself-its-foundational-document/) [Lance Dodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-dodes/) > ['A People's History of the United States' was actually a very big book for me. I read it in high school, and I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greta-gerwig/a-people-s-history-of-the-united-states-was-actually-a-very-big-book/) [Greta Gerwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greta-gerwig/) > [“HYSTERICAL HISTORY Bumping into Vincent O’Neil makes me think about what Uncle Frankie said. I need new material for Boston, not Vincent’s stale and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/hysterical-history-bumping-into-vincent-o-neil-makes-me-think-about/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [I like big books and I cannot lie. You other readers can’t deny That when a kid walks in with The Name of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-c-hines/i-like-big-books-and-i-cannot-lie-you-other-readers-can-t-deny-that/) [Jim C. Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-c-hines/) > [A big book is like a serious relationship; it requires a commitment. Not only that, but there's no guarantee that you will enjoy it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-big-book-is-like-a-serious-relationship-it-requires-a-commitment/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a big believer in big books, and that doesn't necessarily mean long books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-z-danielewski/i-m-a-big-believer-in-big-books-and-that-doesn-t-necessarily-mean/) [Mark Z. Danielewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-z-danielewski/) > [Some writers are writing one great, big book and just taking all these different avenues towards it. They might seem on the outside to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/some-writers-are-writing-one-great-big-book-and-just-taking-all-these/) [Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/) > [ Kanye \[West\] just says the funniest analogies that are so random. I should start keeping a book - in 20 years, I'll have a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-kardashian/kanye-west-just-says-the-funniest-analogies-that-are-so-random-i/) [Kim Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-kardashian/) ## More by Brad Stone > [“There was little science to Amazon’s earliest distribution methods. The company held no inventory itself at first. When a customer bought a book, Amazon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/there-was-little-science-to-amazon-s-earliest-distribution-methods/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“They agreed on five core values and wrote them down on a whiteboard in a conference room: customer obsession, frugality, bias for action, ownership,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/they-agreed-on-five-core-values-and-wrote-them-down-on-a-whiteboard/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“In a world where consumers had limited choice, you needed to compete for locations,” says Ross, who went on to cofound eCommera, a British…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/in-a-world-where-consumers-had-limited-choice-you-needed-to-compete/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“The first week after the official launch, they took $12,000 in orders and shipped $846 worth of books, according to Eric Dillon, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-first-week-after-the-official-launch-they-took-12-000-in-orders/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Look, you should wake up worried, terrified every morning,” he told his employees. “But don’t be worried about our competitors because they ' re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/look-you-should-wake-up-worried-terrified-every-morning-he-told-his/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“point of view is worth 80 IQ points”—a”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/point-of-view-is-worth-80-iq-points-a/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Amazon may be the most beguiling company that ever existed, and it is just getting started. It is both missionary and mercenary, and throughout…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/amazon-may-be-the-most-beguiling-company-that-ever-existed-and-it-is/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [We see Google experimenting in so many places outside of its core search and advertising business, whether that's bringing broadband Internet to the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/we-see-google-experimenting-in-so-many-places-outside-of-its-core/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“The production philosophy pioneered by Toyota calls for a focus on those activities that create value for the customer and the systematic eradication of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-production-philosophy-pioneered-by-toyota-calls-for-a-focus-on/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Apple’s founder reportedly fired employees in the elevator and screamed at underperforming executives. Perhaps there is something endemic in the fast-paced technology business that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/apple-s-founder-reportedly-fired-employees-in-the-elevator-and/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Just as Clayton Christensen had predicted in The Innovator’s Dilemma, technological innovation caused wrenching pain to the company and the broader industry”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/just-as-clayton-christensen-had-predicted-in-the-innovator-s-dilemma/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Eric Benson took about two weeks to construct a preliminary version that grouped together customers who had similar purchasing histories and then found books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/eric-benson-took-about-two-weeks-to-construct-a-preliminary-version/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [There's a new set of transformative technologies such as machine learning, AI, and virtual reality that will spawn another set of big tech franchises.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/there-s-a-new-set-of-transformative-technologies-such-as-machine/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“the people closest to problems were usually in the best position to solve them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-people-closest-to-problems-were-usually-in-the-best-position-to/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“Bezos is a fan of e-mail newsletters such as VSL.com, a daily assortment of cultural tidbits from the Web, and Cool Tools, a compendium…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/bezos-is-a-fan-of-e-mail-newsletters-such-as-vsl-com-a-daily/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) [Explore all 141 Brad Stone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) ## More Amazon quotes > [“If Amazon’s dream of a world without gatekeepers becomes reality, then the company itself will become a powerful gatekeeper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/if-amazon-s-dream-of-a-world-without-gatekeepers-becomes-reality-then/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [“There was little science to Amazon’s earliest distribution methods. The company held no inventory itself at first. When a customer bought a book, Amazon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/there-was-little-science-to-amazon-s-earliest-distribution-methods/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [I don't know anything about Amazon's culture; I've never worked there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-conrad/i-don-t-know-anything-about-amazon-s-culture-i-ve-never-worked-there/) [Parker Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-conrad/) > [“A responsible woman doesn’t see opportunities and needs and look the other way pretending not to see them rather she gets to work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agu-jaachynma-n-e/a-responsible-woman-doesn-t-see-opportunities-and-needs-and-look-the/) [Agu Jaachynma N.E](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agu-jaachynma-n-e/) > [“Jeff Bezos is famous for his “2 Pizza Rule” at Amazon: no meeting is to take place if the number of participants is too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-rogers/jeff-bezos-is-famous-for-his-2-pizza-rule-at-amazon-no-meeting-is-to/) [David L Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-l-rogers/) > [“The first week after the official launch, they took $12,000 in orders and shipped $846 worth of books, according to Eric Dillon, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/the-first-week-after-the-official-launch-they-took-12-000-in-orders/) [Brad Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/) > [“ Programs has a temporary results leading to nothingness, and the Gospel the brings the result of Eternal life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommie-scott/programs-has-a-temporary-results-leading-to-nothingness-and-the/) [Tommie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommie-scott/) > [The digital revolution is forever. They put importance on that option as well. With Amazon, you're getting the best of both worlds, with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-winding-refn/the-digital-revolution-is-forever-they-put-importance-on-that-option/) [Nicolas Winding Refn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-winding-refn/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead; ask about the scale of their dreams -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-pallotta/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of-2/) [Dan Pallotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-pallotta/) > [“Sure we do," said Theo, swatting at a branch. "We get to the spring, Alia gets cured. We argue over the best choice for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/sure-we-do-said-theo-swatting-at-a-branch-we-get-to-the-spring-alia/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [Wonder Woman isn't even American; she's an Amazon princess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/wonder-woman-isn-t-even-american-she-s-an-amazon-princess/) [Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/) > [Alternative services would mean that there would be services available to compete with Google, Facebook, Amazon, Dropbox, Skype, etc., and they would be run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikko-hypponen/alternative-services-would-mean-that-there-would-be-services/) [Mikko Hypponen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikko-hypponen/) > [“I'd disagree with the characterisations of him as competitive (which I think was just misinterpretation of his ambition) or secretive (which I think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brandt/i-d-disagree-with-the-characterisations-of-him-as-competitive-which-i/) [Richard Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brandt/) > [We got latched together and I was hoping you could separate us? (Amanda) They were made by your stepfather. Any chance you have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/we-got-latched-together-and-i-was-hoping-you-could-separate-us-amanda/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I don't like Amazon (wearing my author hat, not my customer hat).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/i-don-t-like-amazon-wearing-my-author-hat-not-my-customer-hat/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) [Browse all 434 Amazon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold books, often less than 5 percent. The big book chains regularly returned 40 percent of all the books they acquired from publishers, for full refunds,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brad Stone" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-returned-few-unsold-books-often/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amazon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-returned-few-unsold-books-often/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/brad-stone-2853_amazon_unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-retu_2611137.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few unsold books, often less than 5 percent. The big book…” — Brad Stone", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brad Stone", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stone/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Unlike traditional retailers, Amazon returned few...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-returned-few-unsold-books-often/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stone/unlike-traditional-retailers-amazon-returned-few-unsold-books-often/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```