Booksellers Beware!

[oggbashan]

Extract from UK Bookdealers' Trade News

UK: New consumer laws affect secondhand books

New consumer laws have come into affect as from today (some will say they came out of the blue!) and some aspects pose issues that our trade must consider and deal with. The Act covers secondhand goods when bought through a retailer.

One ruling (and there are others) is that for the first time anyone who buys faulty goods, including secondhand books) will be entitled to a full refund for up to 30 days after the purchase. Previously consumers were only entitled to refunds for a 'reasonable time'.

Buyers will also have longer refund rights under the Consumer Rights Act. As we know any book can easily be read within the 30 day limit and of course, a book may also be damaged during this period. When claims then are submitted, how will the trade deal with them. What about the insurance aspect?

There will also be new protection for people who buy digital content, such as e-books or online films and music.

Also read the full details on the UK Government's website. Citizen's Advice too has published details including some useful Q & A examples.

The Act now allows British courts to hear US-style class action lawsuits, where one or several people can sue on behalf of a much larger group.

 

[sr71plt]

As far as Amazon is concerned, it already gives full refunds on returned books, questions unasked.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

<sarcasm> And everyone knows it take a hell of a lot longer than 30 days to read an ebook. </sarcasm>

 

[R. Richard]

I see this, month by month in Amazon, where some fascist pig reads one of my books and then returns same for a net zero sale.

 

[oggbashan]

I see this, month by month in Amazon, where some fascist pig reads one of my books and then returns same for a net zero sale.

That is what is worrying secondhand bookdealers of printed books.

The UK professional bodies for secondhand bookdealers already require members to accept returns of faulty books, but there has to be a fault.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Returning USED books is ludicrous...it has a built in defect...it's been read once already, maybe more than once.

Then the question: Are a lot of people in UK really hurting bad enough that a couple of six pence will break them? I don't know about there, but used books here in the states aren't that expensive. Last ones I bought were $0.50 a piece. Four books $2.

 

[ishtat]

One of my daughters has a small business which experiences a similar problem to that related by R Richard above, except that average transactions are in excess of $US 200. However, she can monitor customer behavior and after a certain number of returns the customer gets a polite note advising that in view of their consistent disatisfaction it might be better for all concerned if their account was cancelled.

They tend to come back under a different name, but it does seem to break the pattern of behavior.

Where the item being sold is a material object rather than a service, it would be cheap to photograph it at the point of sale, and advise the purchaser. Little procedures like that are not 100% fool proof but if the customer is made aware they are carried out, it is surprising how customer behavior can be influenced favourably.

With regard to Og's comment about class actions, we have had them in OZ for about 20 years now without too many problems. One problem tho' is the combination of class actions with the concept of joint and several liability. In that case a wealthy entity is sued as part of the action despite having very minor or negligible liability. They can end up paying 90% of the judgement with responsibility for a very minor proportion of the liability.

I don't think there is much Joint and Several in the USA but am open to correction on that.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Sellers screw buyers when used books are rare, and the buyers return the books for a full refund, and used the book for free.

 

[Altissimus]

Then the question: Are a lot of people in UK really hurting bad enough that a couple of six pence will break them? I don't know about there, but used books here in the states aren't that expensive. Last ones I bought were $0.50 a piece. Four books $2.

Yes, Zeb, we're all so poor over here. It's nothing to do with the fact that jerks are jerks everywhere, and those are the people returning books to save pennies. Nope, it's only because, in the uk, everyone is poor - we're just not as lucky as you in the good old US of A.

Sorry, was that a gunshot I just heard?

 

[sr71plt]

Well, we've had Lit. authors from the good ole USA who have stated on this forum before that they'll only collect reads that are free--that's authors, mind you, the people who you would think favored the concept of being paid for what you write and publish.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yes, Zeb, we're all so poor over here. It's nothing to do with the fact that jerks are jerks everywhere, and those are the people returning books to save pennies. Nope, it's only because, in the uk, everyone is poor - we're just not as lucky as you in the good old US of A.

Sorry, was that a gunshot I just heard?

That's what I thought, thanks for confirming that for me.

 

[lovecraft68]

Well, we've had Lit. authors from the good ole USA who have stated on this forum before that they'll only collect reads that are free--that's authors, mind you, the people who you would think favored the concept of being paid for what you write and publish.

Good point. It seems some authors only think they're books are worth paying for.

I'm considering doing a How to on selling about how indy authors should stop going with "free" books.

The thought is they'll love my free book so much they will buy my others. That theory may have worked once upon a time-in many industries-but in this day and age of internet vultures its a joke.

They gobble up free books like pac-man and if they really like your free book? They will wait until you're dumb enough to give them another one.

People bitch they can't sell.....look at Smashwords homepage it brags they have close to 60k free books a person could upload a dozen books a day for years and never pay for a book...

why should they?

Its the classic milk for free deal. Which of course what lit is, but I never advertise lit on any paid platform.

I know authors here who tweet links to their free lit stories(oh, and look for contest votes from outside sources) and then talk about their paid stuff and expect people to buy it.

 

[lovecraft68]

Returning USED books is ludicrous...it has a built in defect...it's been read once already, maybe more than once.

Then the question: Are a lot of people in UK really hurting bad enough that a couple of six pence will break them? I don't know about there, but used books here in the states aren't that expensive. Last ones I bought were $0.50 a piece. Four books $2.

You think there's not people in the US who buy kindle books -and real books-by the dozen, read them and give them back because amazon's absurd policy allows it.

Cheap is not a UK thing, trust me.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

You think there's not people in the US who buy kindle books -and real books-by the dozen, read them and give them back because amazon's absurd policy allows it.

Cheap is not a UK thing, trust me.

No I know there are. I have had bastards do it to me. Purchase one day, get their nut off and return. Net sale zero. Thanks a lot assholes.