posted on June 12, 2001 02:56:18 PM new
I just tracked a book price from the original owner to various 3rd party sellers.
It is a collectible ScFi book. The 'owner' of the book has it listed at $157.00, Alibris has it listed at $192.00 (pays the owner $125.00 when it sells), Barnes & Noble has it for $211.00 (pays the owner $140.00 when it sells) and Chapters.ca has it listed for $345.00 Cdn or $225.00 USD (it appears from their Out of Print shipping info that they sub-contract Alibris to supply these books).
This is not various copies of a title---this is one single used book. Identical descriptions on all the above sites.
posted on June 12, 2001 05:51:45 PM new
Precisely why I refuse to patronize Alibris or Amazon. Damn shame when the bought out Bibiocity and Bibliofind. Ruined two very nice sites and jacked up prices well beyond what is reasonable -- and for what? For nothing. The customer gets nothing more than he/she did when buying books from Bibliocity or Bibliofind, yet the prices have risen by 20% or more. In fact, the customer actually gets less now, since he/she is unable to directly communicate with the seller without using Alibris or Amazon as go-betweens.
I suspect the acquisitions and price-gouging have put a chill in the online used-book market.
posted on June 12, 2001 06:34:30 PM new
Spaz, are you referring to the out of print purchasing service offered by Amazon? I am not aware of any additional amount or fee added to a book that I sell on Amazon. I believe that is the arrangement with Alibris but not having purchased through Amazon's Out of Print Book Search Dept. I don't know how they charge.
I have purchased through Z-shops and Marketplace on Amazon. Amazon collects it's standard commission which is far less than Alibris collects.
posted on June 12, 2001 07:07:11 PM new
Amazon use to have an Out of Print process where you would request Amazon to locate an OOP book --which they would from a bookseller and then let the customer know they found one and give them the jacked up price. Zshop has eliminated this need---and this OOP program ends in July (or at least that is what the email told me)
--with Zshop or Marketplace you are dealing directly with the Bookseller.
[ edited by Zazzie on Jun 12, 2001 07:10 PM ]
posted on June 12, 2001 07:19:33 PM new
thanks for confirming what I thought Zazzie, and it's interesting that the Out of Print program will be ending in July. I had been thinking to myself it would be logical for them to shut it down with the way they've linked Marketplace listings to the out of print book item pages.
I'm quite happy with selling through Marketplace and Z-shops on Amazon, and think my pricing is competitive or lower than ABE or Alibris.
posted on June 12, 2001 07:22:44 PM new
When I buy books--I prefer to buy on ABE, then I know the full price is going to the bookseller. But most of my bookbuying happens at the garage sale level--
BUT--bookbuyers are welcome to buy from me on any service I am listed on
posted on June 13, 2001 12:41:11 AM new
I bought a rare controversial OOP book on Ebay 2 copies mint for $20. Sold one on Half.com for $75 the other on Amazon for $66
It's all in what books you know and which books have a demand. I'm not a bookseller but pick up a few OOP ones here and there try Half and Amazon after a few weeks normally just put on Ebay for what I paid and take the profit.
It's all how much time you can wait. Sometimes Half just takes too much time for my fast paced auction sales I'm accustomed to with my vintage jewelry business.
