Why Would Anyone Choose Hybrid Publishing?

This is not a criticism, but a genuine question. Why would an author go the hybrid publishing route? 

As I understand it, with this model the author pays 100% of upfront costs, ranging from $10,000 to more than $25,000. To be sure, there are lower-cost presses, but it would be almost impossible for an author to pay less than, say, $3,000. Hybrid should not be confused with vanity publishing, which an author should never choose, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the potential advantages. Yes, one would get professional editing, cover design, and formatting, but there's still a price tag (and a hefty one) attached to all that.

As for distribution and marketing, the jury is still out. Some hybrid publishers, the most expensive ones, may have success getting a book into stores and libraries, but from the accounts I've read from authors using the service, the marketing piece still falls entirely on the author. 

And one more note: Hybrid publishing requires, on average, four to six months for a book to be made available for purchase. This is still far better than traditional publishing, but wow. I can't even imagine tolerating a wait like that.

For all its downsides, and there are a bunch, at least self-publishing bestows democratization upon the average, everyday writer.  

Maybe because hybrids do vet manuscripts and won't accept just anything, good or awful, it's an ego boost? I can't afford to pay to have my ego stroked. Sure, we all want acceptance and we'll take it from just about anyone, but one good review will do that, and it's free. 

A successful self-published author can do virtually everything a hybrid does:

1. Pay for editing, cover design, and formatting OR do it themselves. 

2. Get bookstore and library distribution via D2D OR by begging.

3. Marketing is a moot point. It's gotta be done by the author either way.

And they sure don't have to wait months for their book to become available.

I obtained a newsletter subscriber who is also a writer, and he sent me a nice note that included a link to his novel. Being the curious sort, I took a look at his Amazon page and noted the publisher. It was a hybrid (I looked them up), but I also saw that his book had only sold eleven copies. Even I've done better than that! Of course, I don't know how many copies he sold through other channels, but still, eleven is not good.

My thoughts on hybrid publishing are that an author a) needs to feel pretty certain their book will prove popular; and b) be assured by the publisher that it possesses a robust distribution channel. Before spending thousands of dollars, even in the low thousands range, the author would need to be confident of recouping their initial outlay of money. But I could be wildly off the mark. Maybe there are authors who have that kind of spare cash lying around. Even so, wouldn't they feel ripped off if their book sold only, say, eleven copies?

I so regret the total I spent just on marketing alone. I didn't, however, pay it all out at one time, so I had that going for me, at least. And I did my own formatting (while pulling out my hair) and my own editing. I paid $270.00 for cover design. I don't regret that part. 

No matter how you slice it, publishing is a gamble, and 99% of the time, the house wins. If I was to do things over, I'd still pay for a cover, but I would only do cost-free marketing, plus maybe a paid ad or two, simply to gauge my book's sales potential. I wouldn't spend money I hadn't yet earned in royalties, and I sure wouldn't pay a publisher---any publisher---thousands of dollars on a bet.