Will buy.com get sued?

Stalker0 · May 28, 2008

Stores break ship date sometimes, we've all seen it happen....but this one is pretty serious. A major release of a huge book sale 10 days earlier than the expected date.

Do you think buy.com is going to get some legal action over this?

zoroaster100 · May 28, 2008

There were multiple sites releasing the books early.

Mouseferatu · May 28, 2008

Sued? Probably not. But I'm guessing they're going to have to pay a hefty penalty to WotC, or else face not getting any more WotC/Hasbro product for a good long while.

Sammael · May 28, 2008

I very much doubt anything is going to happen, other than some obligatory "don't do it again" letters from WotC's legal department.

CleverNickName · May 28, 2008

Sammael said:
I very much doubt anything is going to happen, other than some obligatory "don't do it again" letters from WotC's legal department.

Wasn't Buy.Com the same outfit that released "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" a week early? If so, they must have some good lawyers on their payroll...Rowling's publisher was going after them with both barrels.

AllisterH · May 28, 2008

Sammael said:
I very much doubt anything is going to happen, other than some obligatory "don't do it again" letters from WotC's legal department.

Er, it would be more than that.

There probably looking at a serious fine and worse, a call from HASBRO's lawyers....That is never a nice thing.

Korgoth · May 28, 2008

I wonder (Potter + D&D + whatever else) at what point this can become a class action, if at all.

Ten · May 28, 2008

Hmmm, the best I can see is breach of contract, but even that would be tenuous in court since I doubt hasbro could prove that some copies getting released early caused some sort of monetary damages. I'm willing to bet that buy.com may get a stern talking to. At worst, Hasbro could say "We aren't going to sell you any books in the future", although fat chance of THAT happening, it only hurts Hasbro.

The whole harry potter getting released early thing was hilarious, as Rowling's people made all sorts of outlandish claims that were downright silly. Release date is a pure contractual business between distributor and publisher, and there is nothing beyond that that would hold in any legal sphere IMHO.

DevoutlyApathetic · May 28, 2008

Korgoth said:
I wonder (Potter + D&D + whatever else) at what point this can become a class action, if at all.

There isn't really a good reason for that. Neither Hasbro nor Rowling's publisher would be unduly burdened by the cost of legal counsel. Even if one started a Class Action the other wouldn't have any reason to join it.