Conference questions not quite up to par! (contd)

50. 
Big Book Pricing

Would Conference discuss whether the current pricing strategy for Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book) best supports our Primary Purpose? 

Background 

Our basic text, the book Alcoholics Anonymous, affectionately known as the “Big Book”, provides clear‐cut, precise directions on how to recover from alcoholism.

“To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book.” Foreword to the First Edition

Broad distribution of the Big Book thus becomes a fundamental part of our Fellowship’s 5th Tradition, or Primary Purpose, and an essential element of individual members’ 12th Step activities. It is generally accepted that every AA member ought to possess a copy of the Big Book, and we are encouraged to make it available not only to still‐suffering alcoholics, but also third parties such as the family, wives, doctors and employers.

With permission from Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Incorporated, the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) prints several editions of the Big Book and distributes them for sale. Our current pricing strategy is cost‐plus; a profit margin over and above the costs of production. The General Service Board’s 2013 Annual Report provides the following figures:

Literature income: £ 518,608

Literature expenses: £ 181,839

From these figures we can estimate an average profit margin of 64%, which provides substantial flexibility to adjust our selling price to best meet the needs of the fellowship. Of course we understand some margin over the cost price is to be expected (in order to fund literature activities such as translations and the creation of new literature) but when evaluated against the importance of our fellowships’ primary purpose, the impact of our current pricing strategy with such a large profit margin on our basic text is worthy of our attention and continual review.

At least one independent publishing house has been set up in the USA to supply our basic text at cost price. The Anonymous Press, for example, sells their “Mini Edition” for US$0.89 (1000 pieces), which is approximately 53 pence per copy. In contrast, our own Pocket Edition Big Book costs £5, for which one could buy almost ten “Mini Editions”. For more information see http://anonpress.org/store/mini.htm. Copyright restrictions mean independent printing is not currently possible outside the USA. We also feel that buying literature from outside agencies would seem to contravene Traditions 6 and 7, as well as General Service Conference Literature Committee Advisory Actions, which recommended in 1977 that “A.A. groups be discouraged from selling literature not distributed by the General Service Office and the Grapevine” and again in 1986, that “A.A. groups be encouraged to display or sell only literature published and distributed by the General Service Office, the A.A. Grapevine and other A.A. entities”. However, we present this example to demonstrate that more affordable literature could be obtained, and that there is an existing demand for it. Therefore, we feel that Conference ought to discuss this issue, and as a Fellowship consider whether or not a new pricing strategy is required (i.e. competitive or demand‐based) to best meet any underserved needs and supply our basic text at the optimum price, so as to encourage maximum purchasing and distribution of our message as contained in the Big Book into the hands of the still suffering alcoholic, and ultimately bringing more recovered alcoholics into the fellowship.

Note: If the current costs of production per unit were to exceed the optimum selling price as determined by the pricing strategy review, then we also suggest a review of the current printing processes.

General Service Board Annual Report 2013

Terms of Reference No. 7 Background information was misleading and CSC have asked Honorary Treasurer to include this subject in the Finance Report given at Conference.

Comment: Firstly we're not aware that it is “generally accepted that every AA member ought to possess a copy of the Big Book”. They may or they may not. The programme after all is “suggested” and not mandatory, something which might come as a bit of a shock to sundry Step Nazis etc who seem to think otherwise. Secondly, in our view, any 'profits' gained by selling literature (used to subsidise service activity – usually based at York (or New York)) runs contrary to Tradition Seven. We believe that ALL AA conference approved literature should be downloadable free (with a facility for making a donation ie. a voluntary contribution) with hard copies made available strictly at cost price.

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
 

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

PPS Plymouth Intergroup corruption