Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

So I was looking some items up on eBay earlier and after I checked them just for curiosity I typed in a name of one of my books and got a shock when it came up. 10 copies were available by this seller who sells lots of books and apparently the sales are legit. I wasn't sure how to react and I felt it was wrong but there's really nothing I can do about it and I mean if I want to look at It in a positive way it means more exposure possibly.

Has anyone ever comes across their books on eBay without their knowledge and how did it make you feel?

Would you consider saying anything to the seller or maybe even embrace it and list it as a place to buy?

As long as the seller brought the copies in the first place, I'd be totally fine with it.

I mean, all it means is that someone is helping you to get your books out to a few people who may not have noticed them otherwise, and publicity is good!

I wouldn't list ebay as a place to get copies of your books though, because you can't be sure this person will regularly be getting copies of your books to sell on there. Besides, you want to be directing people to the retailers where possible; most people already know you can usually find things on ebay, so if they're the kinds of people who would like to buy from there rather than a bookstore or something, then they'll already be planning to look there first anyway.

i found a copy of my book via a french seller on ebay marked up more than the book's worth (15 for a 5$ book!) it was considered "rare"

Reselling a book on ebay is a common practice among some readers who have purchased or received it free, and have no intention of ever reading it again or may have not read it at all.

Copies of my book are starting to show up on Amazon (and other sites) from people I'm not associated with. Feels kind of strange to be competing against my own work for sales. They are underpricing my Amazon price and readers think they are supporting my work, when in fact they are buying from competitors that probably got the work from copies I sent in for reviews. That was understood up front, so I'm okay with it ands it does get more exposure out there. Still hurts to see discounted books undercutting all the hard work and expense I put into bringing the novel to market.

I might be a little off topic here, so sorry in advance.

Some people are all about money. I've won many books from Goodreads giveaways, from other discussion groups, and from authors who sent me copies for other reasons. It would never cross my mind to sell any of them. To me they are jewels I cherish, and yes, even those I may have liked less.

I have minimal display shelves at the moment, and I had to sell books to second hand book stores. I sold traditional published books to make room to my indie stash. (Sometimes though, I wonder if I'd make the authors a favor by recirculate their books through those stores, but I just can't. I love my indie books!)

On the subject of the thread, I never checked if any of mine found their way to eBay, but if they would, I would take it as publicity and wouldn't think about it twice.

You know, they'd have to get them somewhere to sell them, which would mean, either copies I've given away or copies they would have to buy from me. (Yeah, sadly, I only sold one printed copy so...)

Now if they would look entirely different (format,size, cover etc.) then I would check it out further.

A couple of mine are on ebay, but they're priced way over what you'd pay on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I think they lie in wait for an easy mark to take the bait, then they'll order the book and send it on for a tidy profit. With enough books and enough marks, they might even make a modest living at it. Maybe I should put my own books on ebay, and undercut their prices.

Ken wrote: "A couple of mine are on ebay, but they're priced way over what you'd pay on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. I think they lie in wait for an easy mark to take the bait, then they'll order the book and ..."

You make a good point, Ken. I had not thought of the possibility that some book sales on ebay might actually be an ongoing scam.

Those who routinely read independently and self-published books know that most can usually be obtained for free or just a dollar or two. The con artists, to whom you refer, are targeting naieve, trusting individuals who do not know any better.

I found three copies of my book for $16.33 on E-bay which is much more than the paperback and e-book on Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Booksamillion, etc. where it is regularly being sold. I saw the name of the seller, which is a bookstore called OOdals in the UK issued brand new in paperback,at least one is that I saw(international seller)the other two I suppose are used but are in very good condition. There is nothing I can do about it either. But, what makes it suspect is that on Amazon I saw three used copies of my book, to be sold in paperback. Very, very weird or no?