Dragonlance Already on E-Bay?!

[BlackWych]

Looks like some reviewer is passing his copy off. Isn't this illegal?

Dragonlance E-Bay Link

 

[haiiro]

There may not be a set street date for the DLCS, which would mean it's OK to sell it before its officially released.

 

[shoplifter]

Anyone who was at Origins could have bought a copy, so no. Margarest Weis is also selling them via her website.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Release the book early, even at a convention, and people can sell it on the secondary market.

 

[EricNoah]

I do think it is improper/unethical for those receiving free review copies to then sell them.

 

[shoplifter]

I do think it is improper/unethical for those receiving free review copies to then sell them.

I concur. If I sell the copy I paid for though (not gonna do it..luv the thing ) that'd be a different story.

 

[Bagpuss]

I do think it is improper/unethical for those receiving free review copies to then sell them.

So does stuff just take up shelf space? or do you send it back? or just use it as fire lighters? or give it away?

 

[JoeGKushner]

I do think it is improper/unethical for those receiving free review copies to then sell them.

How so? If for example, I get a Shadowrun book and review it and don't play Shadowrun, should I

A: Toss the book in the garbage
B: Give the book away
C: Give it to a friend
D: Sell it on E-bay.

I can see giving the book away or giving it to a friend, but if none of us play Shadowrun for example, then I'm selling it on E-Bay.

 

[EricNoah]

I either keep it for personal use, or I give it to a friend, or I give it away at a gathering like the Chicago Game Days. Some of the materials I get specifically say "not for resale" and I treat all of them like that. It just doesn't seem right to me.

But then I keep getting reviewer copies and I never write reviews. Maybe a reviewer who actually put in the time to write a review would be more justified?

 

[DaveMage]

I'm looking at this interesting ethical quandry in two ways:

1) If the reviewer has perfomed the service (i.e. provided a review), then perhaps the book can be considered compensation for taking the time to do a review.

If that's the case, then the reviewer probably should be able to do whatever they want with it.

2) However, in the absence of a policy that the reviewer agreed to, I believe that if the reviewer does not choose to keep the book, the ethical thing to do might be to contact the sender and ask if they would like it back, or if they would like the reviewer to donate it to a particular group/person.

If the sender doesn't care, then the reviewer should do what they want with it.

If I were in this position, though, I'd keep it. I like the ideas that RPG books generate, even if I don't intend to use them as intended.

As for those who get review copies without doing reviews, see #2.