Selling your ARCs at the used bookstore. Acceptable practice or big no-no?
I say no. I was at the used bookstore the other day and I found several ARC copies of recently published books hiding on the shelves. These were all published books, so it's not as if they were leaked ahead of the release date, but still... it says right on the cover: NOT FOR SALE. As far as I'm concerned, selling these books is a betrayal of the trust of the person who sent them to you.
What do you think? Is this an OK thing to do?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
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16 comments:
As an author, it's my understanding that selling ARCs is a big no-no and technically illegal. Stores are not supposed to accept those books, either. But many still do it...
Readers need to know that ARCs are unproofed review copies (which means not the final version and often containing mistakes) and that authors receive zero compensation for these books.
Thanks for saying no!
I also say no. Something just seems wrong about selling something that was given to you. It costs somewhere around 20 dollars for a publisher to create ARCs, right? I've seen a few on Ebay, and it seems a bit unethical...
I would never sell my ARCS! If I really wanted to give them away, I'd just host contests for them... but you're right, it specifically says on every copy, NOT FOR SALE.
So no, it's not okay to do this! Stores shouldn't do this either :/
I would never sell my ARCs. I prefer instead to give them away on my blog or donate them to a friend or the library. I have seen ARCs for sale at library book sales, but to me, that is different because the library sells all donated books, the person who left the ARC doesn't profit, but the library does, and who knows perhaps the library will put some of that money towards a finished copy!
I wouldn't. I think you're right about betraying the author's trust. I don't know why you would sell them, especially when it's illegal and you can easily organize trades with other bloggers.
I agree with April. I've only won one ARC, but it was TERRIBLE, so I donated it to the library. I would never sell it myself.
I agree that this is a big fat NO.
I feel that there is nothing wrong with giving away review copies on your blog so that others can read and review it for the author, too, though.
Wow, I didn't think anybody would have the guts to actually sell ARC! I agree with you because a publishing company sent them to you for review purposes only. Selling them is just not right. As for the bookstore who bought them-they could get into serious trouble!
I agree selling an ARC is a huge no-no. I will offer my arcs when I do the blogger meet ups or send them to some one if they ask other wise I keep them.
I know the second hand bookstore I go to won't accept ARCs because of the No Sale sticker or wording on it.
I do know that at another second hand bookstore that I occassionally go to does sell them as i have seen them on the shelves and they aren't new ones but older ones.
Sometimes ARCs get mixed in with my books when I bring them to the second hand store and mine won't take them anyway, so that works out well!
I give mine away but would never sell one. It's just sooo wrong.
I actually saw one recently at a library used book sale. I was like, of all people, shouldn't you know better?
Who is selling them who doesn't have a blog to give them away? Are they librarians? Booksellers? Critics?
Um, yeah it's illegal. I can vouch that librarians (in general) are aware of this and do not sell them. They are also not supposed to add them to their collection, so that might be why they end up in library sales. Probably they shouldn't be there though. Usually librarians pass them on to patrons who might be interested, but not if the book is already published...
I agree. Selling ARCs is definitely a no-no. I think it's the one who sold the book (a reviewer?) and the owner of the used bookstore are both at fault.
I saw a ARC on Ebay and sent an email to the author about it. She did nothing about it and it sold for quite a bit of money. It kind of a made me not to bother with telling an author since this one did nothing. I would not buy one but if I received one, I would donate it probably to a library. I am just a reader but I and my mom own a children's production company which uses the copyright music that my late uncle wrote, so I can understand why authors would be upset about this since they lose their income.
I've seen this phenomenon as well and think its a big no-no as well. It clearly says on the ARCs that they are NOT FOR SALE!
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