I'm using my own book as an example in this posting, but so you don't think it's merely for shameless self-promotion, I won't use the title. But, seeing copies of the book for sale online has me wondering how this online used bookselling game works.
My most recent book carries a cover price of $19.99 and that's what you'll pay at bricks and mortar shops. Some retailers sell it a little more inexpensively and online-only vendors go even lower. The latter is also true of bricks and mortar megastores like Costco.
I get all that. What I don't understand is the trade in used copies of the book. For example, from Amazon, you can buy the book new for $15.16. Amazon vendors sell new copies for $11.16.
The cheapest used copies from Amazon vendors sell for $12.86. Who wants to pay nearly $2 more for a used copy than a new one?
And even more baffling are the two vendors selling used copies for $30.77 and $31.41! Who in their right mind would pay $31.41 for a used copy of a book that retails new for – at most – $19.99?!
And on top of it all, you get the pleasure of paying about $4 in postage.
I see this all the time at online used booksellers. There will be multiple copies of a title available, ranging in price from under $1 to sometimes more than $100.
Considering no one is likely to buy these insanely overpriced copies of books, why do vendors even bother listing them? Can someone please explain this to me?
And if you want to buy my unnamed book, I recommend you go to Boswell Books on Downer Avenue and support local independent retailers.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
