(Re-post) It turns out that my first book, Top Ten Lists to Live By is a pretty popular little item on the Internet these days. On the advice of one of my book marketing gurus, I decided to run a little search on Amazon.com to see if my book is being re-sold anywhere on the web.
Check this out:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ - a re-seller has this book posted for 17.68 in British pounds.
http://www.amazon.ca/ - a re-seller has Top Ten Lists posted for $35.33!
http://www.amazon.com/ - you can buy a pre-owned copy from anywhere between $18 and $20 plus shipping and handling.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ - a re-seller has this book posted for 17.68 in British pounds.
http://www.amazon.ca/ - a re-seller has Top Ten Lists posted for $35.33!
http://www.amazon.com/ - you can buy a pre-owned copy from anywhere between $18 and $20 plus shipping and handling.
Now I have to ask you, why would you want to purchase a book that is STILL in print for more than its listed retail price? And, I have to ask, how do these folks get away with it? Perhaps it is because no-one has set the record straight about what they're doing... So here I go.
There are three reasons I can think of that one might search for a book on Amazon and pay more than the suggested retail price: the book is incredibly special (e.g. the author is very famous, dead, or is no longer writing), is out of print, or is a rare item on the book market. So let's clarify:
Top Ten Lists to Live By was the first book I ever published. I suppose that makes it special, but only to me and perhaps to my mother (God rest her soul). I can't imagine that anyone else is so excited about obtaining the first published work of Julie Christiansen that they should pay more than it is actually worth (in terms of retail price). I am definitely not dead yet, and as you can see by this blog, I am still writing.
Top Ten Lists to Live By is not out of print. It is still in print and is available for purchase - autographed - directly from me, or not autographed from the publisher, who will ship it direct to the purchasor. The listed retail price of Top Ten Lists is only $14.99 CN or $9.99 USD. Anyone who has paid more for this book through Amazon should be asking for the difference in a refund.
Top Ten Lists is not a rare book. It has been a poorly marketed one. That's not the same thing. If you would like to get a copy of the book, I would encourage you to contact me directly via my website: http://www.juliechristiansen.com/ or purchase directly from my publisher's online bookstore, http://www.buybooksontheweb.com/. Search by title or author (Julie A. Christiansen), and the title will come up right away for you. The publisher, Infinity Publishing, will process your purchase and ship your book to you within a couple of days, and you will get a brand spanking new, unspoiled copy of your very own. I don't think Amazon can beat that!
Listen - don't trust these charlattans who think they can fool you into purchasing a "rare" copy of my (or any other author's) book on Amazon. Before you buy, go to the source and see what the writer is selling them for.
Originally Posted by Julie Christiansen at www.juliechristiansen.com/blog 4/13/2009 7:24 PM
