Introduction
Launched in December 2024, the Industry Returns Initiative Review (IRI) will run between January and March 2025, and focus on ensuring that this best-in-class standard for the management of returns continues to meet the needs of today’s stakeholders.
What is IRI? It’s an on-going collaboration between booksellers, publishers, wholesalers and distributors to improve the management of all types of return. Widely recognised as the standard for the sustainable management of physical returns, IRI is based on a set of transparent principles designed to automate and streamline the returns process.
Without changing the rules, the latest review will focus on:
- Providing a better understanding of the role of sales and returns history in calculating returns allowances
- The correct use of returns rejection codes
- Reasons why a return might be rejected
- Providing worked examples to illustrate the more complex aspects of IRI
- The development of feedback loops to manage IRI related queries
- How IRI’s built in flexibility can help meet your trading partners’ specific returns needs
The review will be of interest to all returns stakeholders, including publishers, distributors, wholesalers, booksellers (physical and online), standards organisations, metadata aggregators and service and systems providers.
IRI Process Flow
Review group and lead
The review group is open to BIC member volunteers from across the industry and is led by Stephen Long, an independent consultant with over 35 years book industry experience. The review will run from January to March 2025 and meet regularly online. Completion of the review will be followed by a period of adoption and assessment.
Review Brief
More information can be found in the Review Brief.