Sending multiple issues to a distro

[Mab]

Sorry if this is a completely random question...

Is it bad form to simultaneously send multiple issues of your zine into a distro for consideration?

I've never sent more than 2 issues of RatBrat to a distro at one time, and I imagine it would be overwhelming if someone sent you like 5 or 6 zines at once, but I was just wondering if there was a general consensus on this or if there's some sort of unwritten ettiquette about it?

[Billy Da Bunny]

i think every distro is different. when i was running a distro, one or two issues was fine. if you feel all your issues are the same style, one issue is enough. the distro will either like or dislike it. if they want more, they'll ask. two issues is good though, to show some variety. again, if they want more, it's then up to THEM to ask.

[ciaraxyerra]

i don't mind getting multiple issues of a zine. it's true that if i'm not into it, i'm not into it, but there have been a few times when i liked one issue that someone had written, but not another...& therefore only picked up the one i liked. it was nice to have the zines available for perusal rather than just assuming i would like or not like other issues based on the one issue i had.

sometimes it's a real pain in the ass to open up a package full of six really thick zines that i know i am not going to be into. but...that's not really what you're asking, i guess. & it's also evidence that i am a total misanthrope. it's nice of people to send me zines, even when they are sending me zines i am not really into.

two more things: 1) there have been times when someone just sent me their most recent issue & i LOVED it & wanted to see everything else they had available. i guess that is a situation like what billy described--if a distro wants to see more, they will ask. it's wise to include a note that states you have more to show them if they are interested. 2) sometimes being a very prolific zinester creates a problem for a distro. as great as it is for a zinester to be quick about churning out new issues, i can tell you that having a bunch of back issues available in my distro catalogue is not always a good thing. people get overwhelmed, they don't know which issue to order, & they don't end up ordering anything at all. or i have just barely added one issue to the catalogue & started moving copies when they have a new issue finished, ready to steal focus. i have stopped working with extremely prolific zinesters in the past because their proflifitude (not a real word) was just not compatible with me maintaining my sanity while running the distro.

for example, when i first started the distro, i was psyched to carry "the east village inky"--in part because ayun is so reliable about making a new issue every three months (give or take). but the reality was that i eventually had twelve back issues in the catalogue & no one was ordering them because they didn't know if issue #14 was a better choice than issue #21, & maybe they already read issue #12, they didn't remember, & all those zines that are $2 each is a whole lot of money to drop at once, etc. i still read "the east village inky" myself (i subscribe), but the whole distro relationship aspect just was not working out. we were working at cross-purposes, unfortunately.

so when you send a distro a lot of zines at once, it can be overwhelming sometimes. if they pick up five or four zines, they may feel that they are over-saturating their catalogue with a single zinester & orderers will have a hard time choosing what to order. just something to think about, i guess...banging out a new zine every two months is not always a good thing.

[Alex Wrekk]

Short answer: yes. I think it is being presumptuous unless you make a note that you are sending it just for fun or tell the person who runs the distro that they can give them out for free.