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Last Post Nov 9, 2009 7:33 PM by: sofaslug1976
Replies: 20
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blue*skies*ahead*
Posts: 24,022
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 5, 2009 3:56 AM
Half feels that BCEs are "materially different" from the trade editions (they often are) and since buyers do not always read the descriptions, they should not be sold under the trade edition ISBN.

This also applies to music clubs such as BMG.
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diskounters
Posts: 18,209
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 5, 2009 6:00 AM
One way to think about it...

HDC owns the platform.
HDC sets the policies


Some of us have made the suggestion to create a seperate category after "Acceptable" called "Book Club Editions"... but HDC has not responded to that suggestion.

Think of music club cd's....
back when the music clubs first started, the quality was substandard... and the artwork was lackluster. Some music club cd's only had picture art with a foldable "listing of tracks" on the back, while the retail CD had liner notes.

This would be a materially different issue.

Even when it comes to retail editions, HDC relies solely on the (unreliable) Muze database. When a new remastered music CD is released, that CD's UPC typically replaces the UPC of the previous version. So, on HDC and any other Muze-only media site, the older version is no longer in the database.

It's not the best way to run a media site, but it works when you don't have enough employees.
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binghamhill
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 5, 2009 9:09 AM
One way to think about it...

HDC owns the platform.
HDC sets the policies


Some of us have made the suggestion to create a seperate category after "Acceptable" called "Book Club Editions"... but HDC has not responded to that suggestion.


Thanks to both of you for your explanations. I like the idea of creating a separate catagory for book club editions, but if you sell on half.com, you accept their terms. It's disappointing that you feel that customers don't read the descriptions of your item--I work very hard to "sell" the item with a detailed description.
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diskounters
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 5, 2009 9:13 AM
I have made my suggestion for a seperate category for

Book Club Editions
Music Club CD's
etc...

but HDC is slow on responding to customer service issues.

Some collectors would want BOTH, the actual item, and the "club" items. In any case...
more items for sale = more profit for hdc when they sell
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nalasgma
Posts: 22,807
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 6, 2009 5:12 PM
There are certain categories of BCE's that can be sold on the site...

These are generally related to specific genre as in the Science Fiction Book Club...

This company often produces hardcover copies of books that were only previously produced as paperbacks...Or they combine, two or three paperbacks into one hardcover..

However, they generally have a separate specific ISBN

So, all BCE's are not banned from the site...

however, Book Club Editions of recently released fiction are NOT to be listed. Although they may show the same ISBN, the other details in the listings may not match. Including size, number of pages, etc. etc.

At first glance, any hardcover book without a price printed on the DJ for recent fiction, is more than likely a book club edition.
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blue*skies*ahead*
Posts: 24,022
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 6, 2009 9:43 PM
I have made my suggestion for a seperate category for

Book Club Editions
Music Club CD's
etc...

but HDC is slow on responding to customer service issues.

Some collectors would want BOTH, the actual item, and the "club" items. In any case...
more items for sale = more profit for hdc when they sell


Your *request* aside, I can't think of why any true "book collector" would want a BCE anywhere near their collection unless it was a placeholder for a 1st edition. I'm guessing the same for CDs, but what do I know?

While I think that BCEs have their place in the big scheme of things as far as reading copies go, I do understand why HDC would consider them no-nos.

And as far as making a "separate" category for BCEs or MCs..... doesn't HDC have bigger issues to worry about?

?
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diskounters
Posts: 18,209
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 6, 2009 9:54 PM
party pooper... :-p

I know some music collectors that collect every single thing an artist releases, from promos, to cut-outs, to different covers.

yes, there are bigger issues.... such as HDC closing down...
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thirdshf
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 7, 2009 10:25 AM
There are certain categories of BCE's that can be sold on the site...

These are generally related to specific genre as in the Science Fiction Book Club...

This company often produces hardcover copies of books that were only previously produced as paperbacks...Or they combine, two or three paperbacks into one hardcover..

However, they generally have a separate specific ISBN

So, all BCE's are not banned from the site...

however, Book Club Editions of recently released fiction are NOT to be listed. Although they may show the same ISBN, the other details in the listings may not match. Including size, number of pages, etc. etc.

At first glance, any hardcover book without a price printed on the DJ for recent fiction, is more than likely a book club edition.


To add to what gma said:

Book club editions of recent books can usually be identified in additional ways:

1. Recent book club editions usually have a 4 to 6 digit number separate from the ISBN and bar code in a small box on the back cover.

2. The cover boards and spine of hard cover book club editions are usually covered in paper instead of cloth. Take off the dust jacket and look... if the cover is paper instead of cloth the book is most likely a BCE.

3. Book club editions are often slightly smaller than the hard cover published for retail sale.

4. If you find a soft cover book in trade paperback size that has the same ISBN number as the hard cover edition, it is almost always a book that has been published for sale to members of Quality Paperback Book Club or one of the other book clubs that specialize in providing readers with cheaper soft cover copies to their members in advance of the paperback publishing.

5. Book club editions of books published before 1985 often have a debossed circle or square in the lower right corner of the back cover
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gardening*diy
Posts: 18
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 7, 2009 10:27 AM
Can't imagine anyone wanting to "collect" cheaply made book club editions. Most sellers don't mention that their book is a book club edition. They leave it up to the buyer to decide. Probably very few buyers on Half complain about receiving a bce instead of the retail edition because they don't know any better.

Same goes for international editions.
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diskounters
Posts: 18,209
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 7, 2009 10:44 AM
I remember a poster on the board SPECIFICALLY SAYING HE/SHE PREFERRED book club editions, because they were smaller (I guess) than the actual book, and he/she could store more of them on thier bookshelf.


but to each their own
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nalasgma
Posts: 22,807
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 7, 2009 11:38 AM
gardening...

Probably very few buyers on Half complain about receiving a bce instead of the retail edition because they don't know any better.

Same goes for international editions
.


Lots of students are unhappy with international editions...they are cheap versions of their textbooks.
Depending on the subject matter, the problems may be different, pics different etc. etc.

As far as BCE's...some people don't mind them, others do. When I come across a popular BC edition of a book...I just list it on ebay noting that it is a book club edition

In either case, a buyer filing a claim against a seller for shipping an IE or a BCE will win every time!!
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jagkids
Posts: 14
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 8, 2009 7:34 AM
thirdshf and gma,

Thanks to both of you for the great information on identifying Book Club Editions. Some of the info I knew but there was new information included in your notes that will go in a file for future reference. I'm sure there are buyers and sellers that don't really know that much about identifying a book club editions, thus it's most likely not brought to HDC's attention. I always figured that if it was in doubt, throw it out or do a lot more researching before listing it. But I still see Book Clubs listed and they don't seem to go away.
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sofaslug1976
Posts: 119
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 8, 2009 11:09 PM
As a side note to this topic, there are some book club editions that are actually pretty high quality. I have about a dozen BCEs in my inventory right now that are cloth-bound with cloth (instead of paper) over the boards.

Usually these are on older sci-fi BCEs but not usually ones produced by the science fiction book club.

Odd world, I know.

I've sold a few copies of the BCE of Stranger in a Strange Land for a decent chunk of change.

Really, if seems like Half programmers could have added a little clicky button to the listing page for book club editions like most of the other book selling venues have.

Oh, well. It's their pond. They can flounder in it until it dries up on them, I guess.
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diskounters
Posts: 18,209
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Re: Book Club Editions

Nov 9, 2009 4:09 AM
I wouldn't completely blame HDC...
I think eBay is draining HDC's pond here.

The "you can't do it here, but do it on eBay" policy is not really helpful to HDC & customer service. While HDC is owned by eBay, I have buyers that would prefer to buy on HDC... and if told to buy on eBay, they go to the river.
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