This is a message for all my readers who are out of pocket due to pre-ordering my new cookbook Tonight from Booktopia which collapsed in July 2024, and a personal offer to refund.
key points
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Booktopia, a major Australian book online retailer, collapsed on 3 July 2024.
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Pre-orders of my new cookbook Tonight on or before that date will not be fulfilled or refunded by Booktopia.
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I am personally offering a refund to all customers affected by the Booktopia collapse.
Personal offer for refund
This is a message for customers who pre-ordered my new cookbook Tonight from Booktopia before 3 July 2024 when Booktopia when into voluntary administration. On this date, trading ceased and no orders prior to this date will be fulfilled by Booktopia nor refunded.
This means people who pre-ordered my new cookbook Tonight from Booktopia on or before 3 July 2024 lost their money.
I have received upset messages from readers and I wholeheartedly agree that it is unfair and unjust. It’s been really bothering me, so I decided to do something about it and personally refund affected customers myself.
How to get your Booktopia refund for pre-orders of “Tonight”
A number of people have reported success getting a refund from their credit card provider, PayPal and bank. If you do not have success doing this, please follow these steps so I can refund you:
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Email me at booktopia-refund@recipetineats.com
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Include a copy of your Booktopia receipt for your pre-order of Tonight
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Provide your bank account name, BSB and account number.
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I will send you a refund for the book(s) you never received.
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Use the money to go and get my new cookbook from a shop! 🙂
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This offer is valid until 31 October 2024.
For further information, please see the FAQ question below, including why am I doing this? – Nagi x
Booktopia collapse and my refund offer FAQ
Booktopia is an Australian online book retailer that was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. On 3 July 2024, it was placed into voluntary administration (“VA”), which is legal jargon for bankruptcy, said to have debts of ~$60 million it was unable to pay.
When Booktopia was placed into VA, it ceased trading immediately. It was bought by the new owners, digiDirect (an online electronic store) in August 2024 upon which trading resumed.
Customers who pre-ordered my new cookbook Tonight from Booktopia on or prior to 3 July 2024 will not receive a refund nor have their order fulfilled.
This is because when the new owners purchased Booktopia in August 2024, they did not inherit the obligations for unfulfilled orders prior to their purchase date.
I completely agree. But it’s bankruptcy law. The money you paid to Booktopia when you pre-ordered my book is considered a creditor and can only be paid if there are sufficient funds, having regard to the order of priority in which creditors rank (secured creditors rank higher than un-secured creditors). In the case of Booktopia, there were not sufficient funds.
As for the new owner, they purchased Booktopia without the obligation to fulfil pre-orders of books prior to their purchase date. It is not just my cookbook, but many other books as well as money paid by customers for orders not yet delivered plus gift cards, all of which are said to have totalled in the region of $15 million.
Orders of Tonight from Booktopia since the new owners acquired the company should not be affected by this problem. The new owners are obligated to fulfil these orders so you should receive my cookbook on the release day in Australia – 15 October 2024.
Not for a fact, but I had heard rumblings through the grapevine. A quick Google was all it took.
However, while I did not encourage readers to pre-order my book from Booktopia (I never provided a link, ever), I could not actively discourage people from pre-ordering from Booktopia.
I also could not stop Booktopia from doing whatever marketing they wanted to do to encourage their own customer base to pre-order my book.
Because I’ve received distressed emails from readers when they were advised that their pre-orders from Booktopia would not be fulfilled, nor would they be receiving a refund. And it’s been bothering me to the point that it’s stifling my excitement for the launch of my book next week (15 October).
Asking the new Booktopia owners to honour the pre-orders would be pointless. I used to work in corporate. I know how they operate, they aren’t going to offer refunds “just to be nice”. It’s legally not their problem – they bought Booktopia on the basis of this reality.
But I can do something about it. So I decided to offer refunds myself. I will rest easier at night!
I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say. But I will personally honour the refunds of everyone who submits a valid claim before 31 October 2024.
To be honest, it will be more work for us to mail out copies of the book, or ordering online to get it sent, rather than refunding.
Terms and conditions of this refund offer
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Please try to get a refund from your credit card provider, bank or PayPal first! A number of people have reported success with this.
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My refund offer applies only to pre-orders of my new cookbook Tonight from Booktopia made on or prior to 3 July 2024.
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Valid copy of receipt must be provided as proof of purchase.
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Does not apply to pre-orders of my book from any other retailer, or from Booktopia after 3 July 2024. (Booktopia resumed trading in August 2024 when it was acquired by new owners and recommenced pre-orders of my book).
