Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Book prices


yperman

Recommended Posts

Firstly my suggestion in post 71 was entirely tongue in cheek :hypocrite: , but big thanks to Seaforths for the name.

I have discussed with a local charity shop the situation regarding Abe, as they have a number of collectable books with Abe inserts. If I buy a book that is also listed on Abe, the shop should log on to a computer system and mark the book as sold, however this does not always happen immediately and if they are very busy can sometimes be put off until the end of the day. The other difficulty they have is browsers, or buyers removing the Abe insert, sometimes they find it in another book, sometimes it had dropped out when a browser has opened the book and ends up on the floor and on occasions it has been missed when the buyer got to the till.

In any of these occasions the sale of the book would not be noticed and the "Sold" message not therefore sent to Abe. Between the time of actual sale and the time of the "Sold" message being entered, the book could also be sold on line, which would result in a cancelled order.

Abe's own seller guidelines recommend that sellers should update their inventory at least once per week, ensuring to remove any sold books. Conduct regular stock checks and purge and reload your listings several times per year to keep your inventory up to date. (my underlining)

Not an ideal situation, but I have also seen on internet auction sites, sellers stating "this item is also listed elsewhere and may be withdrawn from sale"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hadn't realised that Charity Shops would be listed with ABE. In fact, now that I actually think about it, the books could be sold anywhere and not necessarily online.

Hazel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think what niggles me the most is that when a book is cancelled by the seller they should take the trouble of contacting the buyer and say sorry for the disappointment

and explain why the order was cancelled. A couple of months ago a very rare book that I have been searching years for, came up for sale on ABE from a seller in Australia

so I ordered it , but later I was contacted by the seller and informed that he has accidentally listed his old stock and the book had been sold a long time ago. Although I was

still disappointed I appreciated the fact he had taken the trouble to contact me and explain why he had to cancel the order.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a couple of occasions recently I've had a message from ABE cancelling an order because the bookseller hasn't responded within, if I recall, 5 days. As the book disappears from their database once you order it, I'm none the wiser whether it's still available or not. Hopefully ABE make the dealer aware of my interest but who knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whilst carrying out some research recently, I came across an e book priced at £225 - yes I checked twice! Three google pages on I found the same book in pdf format for nothing. Keep trying folks.

TR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a couple of occasions recently I've had a message from ABE cancelling an order because the bookseller hasn't responded within, if I recall, 5 days. As the book disappears from their database once you order it, I'm none the wiser whether it's still available or not. Hopefully ABE make the dealer aware of my interest but who knows.

Yes, that also happened to me a few weeks ago with quite a scarce book, but luckily I then checked for the book on e-bay and as luck would have it there was a copy for sale

at half the price I would have paid on ABE, but like you say your left none the wiser.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had no real problems with ABE or Amazon except the hikes in postage after order, why would it come as a surprise to the seller that books can be heavy? OXFAM books have failed to deliver 3 times, on each occasion they didn't seem surprised and refunded my money immediately with no questions which leads me to believe they weren't sent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had no real problems with ABE or Amazon except the hikes in postage after order, why would it come as a surprise to the seller that books can be heavy? OXFAM books have failed to deliver 3 times, on each occasion they didn't seem surprised and refunded my money immediately with no questions which leads me to believe they weren't sent.

I see what you mean about postage hikes. Today I got a bill through ABE from a bookseller wanting another $11.95 U.S. for a book I ordered a few days ago. This has not happened to me before either but I have ordered a LOT of books in the past couple of weeks. I must say that it is a bit easier to know where you are with Amazon than ABE although I understand they are the same outfit.

Hazel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm keeping an eye on ' Ypres 1914- Messines' by Jack Sheldon and Nigel Cave. It's not been published yet, April I think. On Amazon, one of the affiliated sites is offering a used copy, light amount of wear, for £999.11. Plus postage. I think I'll pass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm keeping an eye on ' Ypres 1914- Messines' by Jack Sheldon and Nigel Cave. It's not been published yet, April I think. On Amazon, one of the affiliated sites is offering a used copy, light amount of wear, for £999.11. Plus postage. I think I'll pass.

And I see that the same vendor is offering a brand new copy for the same price ..... no, I think I'll pass as well!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Don't I know it...

As a friend of mine who runs an antiquarian book shop in Winchester pointed out to me, "You'll never get rich selling old books", and I suspect he wasn't wrong. I have certainly noticed I haven't become rich by buying them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A wild and possibly foolish though on these strange book prices (posts 109 110). Is it possible that these are some kind of money laundering scam for illegally obtained cash? List a price, say you've sold a book, pay the money into a bank account. You pay tax, but the money is now clean. Just a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A wild and possibly foolish though on these strange book prices (posts 109 110). Is it possible that these are some kind of money laundering scam for illegally obtained cash? List a price, say you've sold a book, pay the money into a bank account. You pay tax, but the money is now clean. Just a thought.

It's been discussed before, just away of keeping the listing on Amazon when the bookshop does not have the book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A wild and possibly foolish though on these strange book prices (posts 109 110). Is it possible that these are some kind of money laundering scam for illegally obtained cash? List a price, say you've sold a book, pay the money into a bank account. You pay tax, but the money is now clean. Just a thought.

Check to see if they also run hand car wash establishments or sell mobile phone covers on market stalls. Evidently you can make a grand a day selling knock off phone covers despite no one seeing any customers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always wondered why there were so many market stalls selling mobile accessories, Auchon - I'd always assumed there was a vast surplus of supply over demand as not to make it a very profitable business: I now know different...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Reading through some previous threads in the book review section (2004) I had to chuckle when someone who had just been given the chance of purchasing a first edition copy of

'Somme Harvest' in it's jacket for £19 was asking if it was a 'good deal ' or should they 'shop around for a better price'...surprisingly nobody said " BUY IT NOW !! " .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reading through some previous threads in the book review section (2004) I had to chuckle when someone who had just been given the chance of purchasing a first edition copy of

'Somme Harvest' in it's jacket for £19 was asking if it was a 'good deal ' or should they 'shop around for a better price'...surprisingly nobody said " BUY IT NOW !! " .

Just checked. Mine cost me £125 in 2009. I guess it might be twice that now.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm keeping an eye on ' Ypres 1914- Messines' by Jack Sheldon and Nigel Cave. It's not been published yet, April I think. On Amazon, one of the affiliated sites is offering a used copy, light amount of wear, for £999.11. Plus postage. I think I'll pass.

Mea culpa, mea culpa. I am afraid it got held up for a variety of reasons; with luck it should be out in May - probably towards the end of the month. Things have not been helped by having to move houses across Europe and packing - and then unpacking - about 210 boxes of books. On top of that, getting all the shelving up (not to mention paying for same) has taken a long time - the last nail went in about a week ago, 120 or so boxes have been unpacked and the contents put in approximately the right place. At the moment I am staying near my 92 year old father, currently in hospital but, with luck, out at the weekend; then it is back to book relocation. So, proofs back just after Easter, Jack to do his checks and the Index (lucky him!) and then it should be plain sailing. With luck the Menin Road 1914 in the same series shoudl be out retty smartly afterwards - it is written bar some tweaks, so setting and proofing to come and the job should be a good 'un.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and then unpacking - about 210 boxes of books.

Nigel are these all Great War Books?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crike, Nigel, you've got a lot on your plate!Hope your Dad is OK. Don't rush the book on my behalf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just checked. Mine cost me £125 in 2009. I guess it might be twice that now.

Tom had one ( jacketed) in a recent catalogue, I can't remember the exact price but it was about £250 / £300 a bit too much for me at the time but still I doubt I will ever

see another jacketed copy for a long, long time (if ever).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blast. I just sent a cheque for £999.12 to make sure I got the used one. I assumed Mrs Broomfield wouldn't think I'd just bought it if it looked a bit dog-eared. Curses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nigel send my best regards to your father, done many a tour with him, listening to the master.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nigel are these all Great War Books?

Thanks to you and Paul (and Mart for the good wishes for my father). The books are, I suppose, about 75% Great War or related; the rest are an eclectic mix, mainly of WWII and Medieval/early Modern History, a big interest in school and university days, along with the military history. I had the great pleasure of having Sir Michael Howard as my tutor on Clausewitz - just him (listening to my burbles) and me for about ninety minutes every week for a term. Lucky me!

Just been to see my father in hospital to drop off the papers. Alas, he is in a lot of pain from his back at the moment, so that's looking like rather a big setback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Blast. I just sent a cheque for £999.12 to make sure I got the used one. I assumed Mrs Broomfield wouldn't think I'd just bought it if it looked a bit dog-eared. Curses.

You wouldn't have got it anyway - you haven't paid the postage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...