Used Book Debate

[eris404]

Wasn't sure where to put this, since it is slightly off-topic for the general forum, but I think also relevant to some discussions that occurred here in the past. I remember asking some time why reselling books isn't illegal and got some excellent responses. Well, it turns out that not everyone is happy that books can be so easily and readily resold.

On a SciFi/Fantasy email list, I was pointed to this blog:

http://bookstoretourism.blogspot.com/2005/06/used-book-debate-at-bea.html

The author attended a panel at a conference (I believe Book Expo America), the topic: "Toward Quantifying the Used Book Conundrum." Some interesting points (quoted directly from the site):

# Many consumers don't differentiate between new and used books anymore.

# Many consumers now feel that paying full price for a book is foolish when you can get it for cheaper. It's part of today's "bargain culture."

# Used books help to keep authors' careers afloat by sustaining their audiences and even creating new ones.

# An author's books may be out of print, but the used book market keeps them circulating.

# Many authors feel that since a book is their intellectual property, they should be compensated again if the book is resold.

# Bookselling is the only industry where the person who created the product wants additional payment if the actual item is resold. This is not the case in the auto or housing industries, for example.

Now, I know I buy a lot of used books, whether fiction, text books or gaming books, and I can't imagine how they would even begin to try to track used book sales. How do you feel about this? Is there is good solution?

 

[WayneLigon]

I don't see any debate about it. I purchased the book and after I'm done with it, I'll do with it as I will. I'm not renting it. If I buy a chair and get tired of it, I sell it and certainly don't expect to compensate the furniture store again.

They may not be happy about it, but they'd do just as well to get over it.

Point #3 there should tell authors - especially the struggling midlist authors - 'get over it'. Otherwise, your book would be before the public eye for 1-3 weeks, then be stripped for returns and never be seen again by anyone. This way, people keep rediscovering your work and will seek out your new stuff. I can't tell you the number of authors I've discovered that way, and it's fueld a lot of sales to the bookstore rather than the used book place. I usually can't go to the used book place and say 'I must have the rest of this series!'. Only the first seller can do that.

 

[Turanil]

# Many authors feel that since a book is their intellectual property, they should be compensated again if the book is resold.

# Bookselling is the only industry where the person who created the product wants additional payment if the actual item is resold. This is not the case in the auto or housing industries, for example.

People always want more money. The amount of persons who sue for frivolous reason is a testimony of that. Now, it's just a matter of finding any excuse to claim money. My opinion is that if those who buy used books would have to pay again the author, then if you lend the book to a friend or you sister, you will also have to pay, etc. An by the way, what about public libraries?

 

[WayneLigon]

An by the way, what about public libraries?

I've heard people seriously suggest that a fee should be tendered back to the publisher for every lending, just as if you were renting a video (at least, I assume some sort of fee goes back to the studio for that - I have no idea if that it so). I've even heard these same people describe public libraries as 'a problem'. Intolerable.

 

[der_kluge]

I agree with everyone. Once I buy a book, it's mine, not the author's. The very idea is proposterous.

 

[Angel Tarragon]

I agree with everyone. Once I buy a book, it's mine, not the author's. The very idea is proposterous.

Agreed.

 

[eris404]

Just to play devil's advocate here (not that I don't agree with you), many authors don't make a whole lot of money from their writing. I'm guessing it's not the Stephen Kings of the world who want to get money from used book sales, but the midlevel author whose books are in danger of going out of print or whose books would never be sold in places like Walmart (of which there are far more than there are of traditional bookstores or even chains like Borders). Or what about small gaming companies?

It is a paradox, though - one of the ways to keep your books in the public eye so that you can continue to be published is a way which will make you or the publisher no money at all whatsoever. As someone who aspires to become a published writer, I'm sympathetic to them. As a consumer, I'm not. It just feel like there should be some enlightened compromise.

 

[Cthulhu's Librarian]

I seem to recall something very similar in the music industry in the mid-late 90s. The one artist I remember in particular was Garth Brooks, he ordered his label to refuse to distribute his CDs and any promotional material to any store that sold used CDs. They tried to do this with his next release, and found that cutting out that many independant stores was going to put a big slump in the sales of the new album, and dropped the whole thing.


As far as books go, there are some things that should be said about this, especially when it come to mid-list authors. Rather than write my own post, here is what Michael Stackpole has to say about used book sales-he makes some very good points.

From http://www.stormwolf.com/essays/msused.htm

Used bookstores are everywhere and serve a vital function in society -- they make books available at a reasonable price and are often the only source for out of print paperbacks. I have bought and do buy books from used bookstores, especially when the books are out of print and not available elsewhere.

Readers should be aware, however, that authors do not get paid for books sold in used bookstores. Our royalties are figured on sales by our publishers to bookstores, but used bookstores do not buy from the publishers. We get no credit for those sales because there is no accounting system for them.

Before you dismiss this as a rant by a greedy author, rightfully pointing out that if not for used bookstores many readers wouldn't take a chance on an author they've never read before, bear with me for a moment. Because the publishers have no way to track used bookstore sales, they don't have an accurate picture of the popularity of their authors. It could be that a book purchased from a used bookstore makes its way through 4-5 readers, and each of them decides they like this author. That's great, but his publisher has no way of knowing that.

Readers, in the current retailing system, really are patrons of the arts. If you find an author you like, by all means, buy a copy of his current or next book from a new book retailer. By doing that you show the retailers and his publisher that they have a reason to continue to sell and publish his books respectively. It's the only way you can let the publishers and retailers know you want to see more of this author's work. (Cards and letters to the publisher would be nice, sure, but the accountants tend to consider only dollars and cents.)

And concerning the greed factor, please understand that most authors make between 6-10% of the cover price of the books. In the case of books written in a series owned by someone else, the percentage can be decidedly lower. In other words, a $5 book produces 30 cents in income for the author. At that rate the author loses money on the postage for replying to a fan letter! With the average SF/Fantasy novel selling fewer than 20,000 copies, we're talking an income of $7,000 for what probably was a year's worth of work. Kinda dismal, really.

Yes, patronize used bookstores for the books you can't get elsewhere. If you find an author you like, support her by buying her books *NEW* and guarantee you'll get more from them in the future.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I have a feeling that the issue with used books is not as much that you can sell your personal books to someone else, I think the issue is the fact that there are used book stores and people who make a living off of selling used books.

Of course I don't see whay this is any different than a person who sells used furniture. They don't compensate the furniture maker for reselling that, why should books be any different?

[edit] Well, I guess I took too long to submit this post...

Stackpole has a good point, and it is something I usually do. Used book stores are very hit or miss, and you often have to wait a while to get a copy of a particular book. Of course if a book doesn't sell well in the first place, there will be very few copies available in used book stores.

 

[Turanil]

I have an additional thing to say about this: most people have a limited income. In selling the books they did read, they get money with which they can buy new stuff, including new books...