ALLi gathers author reports of unpaid Barnes & Noble Press royalties

Some self-published authors have been waiting the better part of a year for payments from Barnes & Noble Press, according to ALLi. The outlet reported that early in 2026, Barnes & Noble changed its banking partner from Chase to Wells Fargo, a change acknowledged only in a quiet help-centre note. ALLi reported that the new arrangement broke royalty payments to certain kinds of financial institution, including digital banks and intermediary banks that route international transfers, and that this has not been stated publicly by B&N.

ALLi reported that one B&N representative, writing to an affected author, admitted the company is unable to process payments to some institutions and is awaiting guidance from its banking partners. B&N's public help centre tells authors no action is needed, while individual agents have informally suggested authors move to a different type of bank account to get paid, according to ALLi. There has been no clarifying statement from the company, the outlet reported.

ALLi reported that it wrote to Barnes & Noble Press requesting written confirmation that royalties continue to accrue in full, a timeline, refund of fees charged on failed payments, an interim payment method, and publication of the list of unsupported banks, and received no reply. According to ALLi, authors affected are disproportionately outside the US, many banking with Starling, Wise and similar institutions, with some having received no money since March 2026. ALLi reported that some authors were told repeatedly their own banking details were at fault and asked to re-enter information that had not changed in years, and that some had return fees deducted from royalties that failed to pay through no fault of their own.

Here's what stands out in ALLi's dossier: a company that changed its own bank, in its own help centre, in a single quiet note — and then told affected authors nothing further while telling the public no action was needed. Those two messages don't sit well together, and ALLi's letter asking for a timeline and a published list of unsupported banks went unanswered.

If you bank with Starling, Wise, or a similar institution and haven't been paid since March, you are not alone, and you are not the only one being told your details are the problem. ALLi reports that some authors were asked to re-enter banking information that hadn't changed in years — a request worth pushing back on if you know your details are correct.

If you've had return fees deducted from a payment that failed to go through, that's a fact worth putting on record, whatever caused it. Royalties owed are a contractual debt under B&N's own Royalty and Payment Terms, and ALLi makes the point plainly: a change of banking partner does not discharge it.

Here's your move this week. If B&N Press owes you money or paid you late this year, email ALLi at the address given with "B&N Press payments" in the subject line. Tell them your bank, the amount owing or delayed, and the date of your last successful payment — a few lines is plenty, and ALLi says it will treat every report in confidence. The more precise and complete your report, the more useful it is to a dossier that's already being compiled. ALLi says it has written to B&N again and will update on developments. Don't wait for the clarifying statement that hasn't come — get your case on file now.