I seem to remember reading that it was not ok to trade for books to sell.  Do I recall correctly?  In other words, if I sent someone a book and later found it posted for sale on Amazon is that legit?  Makes me mad either way. 

Thanks,

Mike

My understanding is that when you trade books, they are the recipients to do with as they please.  I don't see any problem with selling them if they want- they probably won't make much on them anyway, and their "money" would go much farther here at PBS, so it's their loss.

Here's what it says in the rules:

Can members resell books received from PBS?

• PBS may not be used to obtain books for the purpose of resale.  Commercial use of the site is prohibited.

• When you receive a book you requested, it does belong to you, and you can do whatever you would like with it after you have read it.   An occasional resale of an item obtained here for personal use is OK.
  • Of course we would like to see you repost your books on this site when you are finished with them, because it makes more books available for our many members to choose from.
  • Again, the occasional PBS book that is obtained for personal use, and then ends up being sold elsewhere, is perfectly okay. However, any systematic attempt to obtain books for resale (instead of personal use) will jeopardize your membership, and may lead to criminal prosecution.
  • That means: if you obtain books to read, and sell an occasional one, that is fine. If you request a book not to read, but in order to re-sell it, that is NOT fine.
• We do have some booksellers who belong to the club.
  • They contribute a lot of books here, and booksellers are usually avid readers too!
  • Booksellers per se are not prohibited from membership.
  • But if there is a pattern to a bookseller's (or any member's account) of systematically obtaining books for resale, or if it becomes clear that a bookseller is attempting to use PBS to stock his or her (online or brick-and-mortar) bookstore, we will close his or her membership permanently, and legal prosecution may ensue. Again, commercial activity is prohibited at PBS.

This is from the Help Center:

• PBS may not be used to obtain books for the purpose of resale.  Commercial use of the site is prohibited.

• When you receive a book you requested, it does belong to you, and you can do whatever you would like with it after you have read it.   An occasional resale of an item obtained here for personal use is OK.
  • Of course we would like to see you repost your books on this site when you are finished with them, because it makes more books available for our many members to choose from.
  • Again, the occasional PBS book that is obtained for personal use, and then ends up being sold elsewhere, is perfectly okay. However, any systematic attempt to obtain books for resale (instead of personal use) will jeopardize your membership, and may lead to criminal prosecution.
  • That means: if you obtain books to read, and sell an occasional one, that is fine. If you request a book not to read, but in order to re-sell it, that is NOT fine.
• We do have some booksellers who belong to the club.
  • They contribute a lot of books here, and booksellers are usually avid readers too!
  • Booksellers per se are not prohibited from membership.
  • But if there is a pattern to a bookseller's (or any member's account) of systematically obtaining books for resale, or if it becomes clear that a bookseller is attempting to use PBS to stock his or her (online or brick-and-mortar) bookstore, we will close his or her membership permanently, and legal prosecution may ensue. Again, commercial activity is prohibited at PBS.

Hey Sandy, you and I posted the same time. June

I thought I had read it somewhere but I couldn't find it.  So here's the story and tell me what you think.  I sent a book to someone about 2 months ago, today I found another copy laying around and for some reason I checked the used prices for it at Amazon.  There were several copies posted there starting at around $30.  One of the books listed caught my eye because the description stated that there was an inscription on the cover page and I knew there was an inscription on the copy I had sent out.  So I checked and the person I sent it to lives in the same state and has the same first name as the person listing on Amazon.  Pretty sure it's the same person.  She currently has over 2000 books listed for sale on Amazon.  So what do you think?

Well, it could have been two things I suppose.

1) She read it and decided to sell it because she was finished with it.

2)She just decided to sell it to make money off of it.

Did she specifically request if from you or did you just order it for her as a gift?  My main concern if I were you is that I wouldn't want to be taken advantage of as a friend.  But if you gave it to her to read and she was done with it, and you didn't expect it back, then really there's no reason why she can't sell it.  The main thing PBS doesn't want is people snatching up all the bestsellers and new releases to sell and turn a profit on.  Not only is it unfair and an abuse of the system, but it takes the books out of the system and goes against the spirit of the site.  A person occasionally selling a book they have obtained from here is okay though.

Mike,  Did she have the book wishlisted before you sent it to her?     It's probably nothing.  She read the book and then found out that it was worth a lot on Amazon and sold it there.   As PBS says, that's OK as long as it's not a pattern.

Personally, I would look at this person's wishlist.  If it's loaded with books that that sell for $ on Amazon/E-Bay, I might be suspicious.   

I would probably report it to R&R.   Let them figure out whether it is anything to worry about.

I see....I misunderstood....I thought you meant you sent someone a book as in you ordered it for them.  This is why I should stay off the forums late at night!  How long has it been listed for sale at Amazon?  If you are able to tell, and if it looks like it was listed at approx. the same time it was recieved, then you may want to contact R&R to have them look into it.  Also, does her WL consist of mainly new and/or bestsellers?  That could also be an indication that she is re-selling.

I don't know why everyone thinks bestsellers are good for selling.  Unless it's just published (such as Harry Potter), bestsellers don't sell.  There are too many copies around!

I'm starting to post my HBs as I decided that it would be too much effort to attempt to resale them online or take them to the UBS for minimal cost.   I'll get more out of my "credit" here than I would attempting to undercut sellers.

I am hoping that the people who receive the HBs I send out will "keep them in the PBS flow".  There's quite a few HBs with lengthy slow moving queues.

The books that I have noticed sell for a lot of money on Amazon or EBay are those that are out of print.    Those books can sell for absurd prices - and people will pay those prices because they can't get the book anywhere else.

I post all my hardcover books on PBS. I prefer them since they're easier to read and also easier to keep in good condition.  When you read a MMP, even once, it looks worn out.  I would never think of selling them on Amazon or a UBS.....I rather have someone here enjoy them.

Cough

Mike I definitely think this situation deserves more research. It does look suspicious.

There is one book I was looking for (2nd in a series) that is apparently out of print.  It is amazing the prices I saw on ebay and half.com etc for a paper back (some were close to $100).  I lucked out and found it at a used book store and can only hope that once I circulate it here that it doesn't end up at amazon.  that would be sad since there is a WL for it

That would be sad Leslie.  Don't ever tell anyone the title of it!

I'm not!  will only hope that whoever gets it relists it since it is a hard to find book.  I got lucky and found it at half priced books.

I don't understand what all the fuss is about whether or not a member sells a book they got using their own credit.  The book then belongs to them to do with as they wish, give away, donate, relist here, sell or (gasp) throw away.  They had to list & send a book in order to get the credit in the first place , or maybe buy one, in either case nobody here loses out.  Everyone has the option to sell a book if it is worth it, no?  And it's not like we're ever going to run out of books here! 

This topic comes up again & again; it looks like members who happen to be book dealers are being singled out, when they probably contribute huge amounts to the listings simply because they have the resources. Sounds like a case of sour grapes to me.

Cheers Margaret

The fuss is because if a member does this habitually, they are in violation of the club rules and can be prosecuted by PBS.

From the help center:

Can members resell books received from PBS?

• PBS may not be used to obtain books for the purpose of resale.  Commercial use of the site is prohibited.

• When you receive a book you requested, it does belong to you, and you can do whatever you would like with it after you have read it.   An occasional resale of an item obtained here for personal use is OK.
  • Of course we would like to see you repost your books on this site when you are finished with them, because it makes more books available for our many members to choose from.
  • Again, the occasional PBS book that is obtained for personal use, and then ends up being sold elsewhere, is perfectly okay. However, any systematic attempt to obtain books for resale (instead of personal use) will jeopardize your membership, and may lead to criminal prosecution.
  • That means: if you obtain books to read, and sell an occasional one, that is fine. If you request a book not to read, but in order to re-sell it, that is NOT fine.
• We do have some booksellers who belong to the club.
  • They contribute a lot of books here, and booksellers are usually avid readers too!
  • Booksellers per se are not prohibited from membership.
  • But if there is a pattern to a bookseller's (or any member's account) of systematically obtaining books for resale, or if it becomes clear that a bookseller is attempting to use PBS to stock his or her (online or brick-and-mortar) bookstore, we will close his or her membership permanently, and legal prosecution may ensue. Again, commercial activity is prohibited at PBS.

Yes, I know the rules, they are usually quoted in these threads, but my point is that this always comes up related to one incidence where one person is annoyed when they see a book listed for sale or when someones' conditions are being discussed and they are suspected of being a seller.  Again I say, the book belongs to the requestor:

 When you receive a book you requested, it does belong to you, and you can do whatever you would like with it after you have read it.   An occasional resale of an item obtained here for personal use is OK.

ooops - hit a wrong button and posted before I was ready!  The last para is from the club regs. :)

Cheers, Margaret

I would probably send R & R the user name and the amazon name with the link to the book. Explain the situation and let them do some research.  If they find she is reselling most of her books then they will take action. If it was incidental, they will just leave it be.

Mike, definitely report it to R&R so they can watch the person.  If s/he has over 200 books listed there, chances are s/he's skimming from here.

If anyone wants to sell a book they requested from me, go ahead. If someone out there is trying to sell a book I have on my wish list... cut it out and get it posted!

An occasional sale wouldn't bother me... someone repeatedly buying $3 credits to request books they sell for 4+ times that, treating "our" catalog of books like a book supply company-- that would.