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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

spy-cboy
Explorer

I have some books I'm trying to determine the "condition" of, but Ebay's definitions don't adequately let me judge it. I would consider them "brand new" but with the exception of having a small tear in the dust-jacket. I imagine this lowers the condition, but there isn't good guidance on what it becomes.

 

> "Brand New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages."

 

The book itself is in this category, but not the dust cover.

 

> "Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May have very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections."

 

This description includes "dust-jacket" but only requires it to "be included" and has no distinction of its condition. Otherwise, my books have not been read and exceed the rest of this description.

 

> "Very Good: A book that does not look new and has been read but is in excellent condition. No obvious damage to the cover, with the dust jacket (if applicable) included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May have very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections."

 

Likewise, this description offers no distinction with the dust-jacket.

 

> "Good: A book that has been read but is in good condition. Very minimal damage to the cover including scuff marks, but no holes or tears. The dust jacket for hard covers may not be included. Binding has minimal wear. The majority of pages are undamaged with minimal creasing or tearing, minimal pencil underlining of text, no highlighting of text, no writing in margins. No missing pages. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections."

 

Now we're simply talking about the dust-jacket being missing entirely and I would consider my books to well exceed this condition.

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

If it helps, "Brand New" is obvious.  It's just bought from the book store, never touched, never read, no damage.  You could put it back on the shelf as-is and the book store wouldn't know the difference.

 

"Like New" is obviously read/used but no damage.  Very minor wear, but no creases or damage or anything of the like.  The small tear in the dust jacket eliminates this as a condition because it counts as a "crease or tear".  It's obvious damage to the book.

 

"Very Good" is obvious wear, but the book is still in one piece without damage.

 

"Good" is a damaged book in some way.  This is what the tear in the slip cover is.  This is what the book is you describe to a tee by their specs.

 

"Acceptable" is basically baseline which is in readable shape.  As long as it's not falling apart and unsaleable, this is what any book will be.

 

So basically if I were to list a book that looked pristine with the torn slip cover it would probably be Good or maybe Very Good if it's just a *very* minor tear in the dust jacket.  It's damage to the book so it won't be "Brand New" or "Like New".

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

I cannot give you any specifics but I would HIGHLY recommend you 'downplay' the condition of your books.

 

For instance, if one appears to be 'like new' I would instead list it as 'very good'.

 

If you have something that you think is 'brand new' ut has one tiny flaw, whatever you do DO NOT list it as brand new. I cannot tell you how aggravating it is as a buyer to buy something listed as brand new and receive something that is clearly used. As it says "PERFECT" condition. So I'd be VERY VERY selective about using that descriptor.

 

As far as any flaws, small folds, bends, creases - whatever they may be - make sure you outline them very specifically! If there are several pages with small creases or whatever then included that: "5-10 pages or so in the box have small creases", and show example pictures as well.

 

I cannot stress enough how critical it is to disclose AS MUCH as you can without being too wordy. There is sort of an art to it but it is absolutely a requirement if you want happy customers and to cut down the returns by far.

 

Also be sure you use all 12 pictures from different angles, sides, corners, etc. And please take the pictures in good lighting too!

 

Best of luck to you, hope some of this advice helps a bit.

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

Oh and regarding dust jackets ...

 

If that is an important part of the book itself and adds any significant value to the book then you must disclose any flaws with it and describe it accordingly as well, and of course price it appropriately also then.

 

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

The grading system for books which eBay has designed is somewhat different from the grading system actually used by antiquarian booksellers.  Under the eBay grading system, there is very little wiggle room between "Brand New," "Like New" and "Very Good," since eBay has decided that  ANY flaw (no matter how minor) drops the grade down to only "Good," which is drastically different from the grading system actually used by professional booksellers.  (I've been ragging about this for over 10 years now; but eBay has yet to grow a pair of ears!)

 

Unfortunately, eBay's system is the only one available on eBay -- so tread VERY carefully!  Grade your books VERY conservatively -- unless your books are SPOTLESS and PERFECT, they may not pass the eBay test.  And there are plenty of eBay buyers out there just champing at the bit, waiting to pounce on new, inexperienced eBay sellers who try to wiggle around eBay's grading system.

 

When in doubt, grade low.

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

Brand New to me is the same as "giftable" - New, like just out of the case, new.

Like New to me - it might have a little handling to it, but essentially "new" - still giftable, etc  (this could be a copy you yourself have read once and now wish to sell, but I usually list those as VG) - this is essentially unused, with a minor issue, like perhaps a price sticker or something, etc.  If it is a remainder book with a marking on the top or bottom it is not New or Like New.  

 

Very good with notation on the small tear on the dust cover and a pix of the tear is the "best" I would list it for.  As others stated, under-promise, over-describe, etc.  Depends too on the size of the tear (what is small to you, might not be small to someone else)  Always wonderful to receive an item that exceeds your expectations vs does not.

 

Just describe if there is writing anywhere, a line drawn thru the UPC, a remainder mark, small crease or bend on a page/pages, etc.  If you think it would be something you would want to know if you are buying a book, then chances are your prospective buyers want to know as well.  

 

We use a small easel and take a picture of the front and the back and the edition page.  

 

Good luck.  We do not sell as many books as we used to, but we still buy a lot of books on here for ourselves.  Great place to buy books!

 


....... "The Ranger isn't gonna like it Yogi"......... Boo-Boo knew what he was talking about!


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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

This is not my bookselling account, but:

 

https://www.ioba.org/pages/resources/condition-definitions/ 

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

You're trying to read too much into it. The book has a tear so it is no longer brand new.

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Book Condition definitions, need clarification

According to eBay's BIZARRE grading guide, ANY tears on the dust jacket (no matter how small) lower the eBay grade to only ACCEPTABLE -- and that's the lowest eBay book grade.

 

As I've mentioned before, eBay's grading guide is NOT the grading guide used by most antiquarian booksellers, who might grade a book with a tear nearly ANYWHERE on the "real world" scale of book grades, depending on more realistic data such as the edition of the book; the book title; the age of the book; the author of the book; and so on:  Obviously, a torn cover on a first Boni & Liveright edition of IN OUR TIME by Ernest Hemingway would not be graded as only ACCEPTABLE by a real antiquarian bookseller -- but that's the grade that eBay would assign to it!

 

If an edition of a book had originally been published with a dust jacket, but the dust jacket is now missing, this lowers the value of the book DRASTICALLY.

 

 And a book without a dust jacket needs to be graded under very strict criteria:  wear & chipping to edges & corners; creases; scratches; folds; indentations; tears; rub-wear; page discoloration; soiling; any writing; condition of spine edges; condition of corners; remainder markings; spine angles; spine drops; edition; book club; and so on.  All of these effect the grade of a book, and the conditions of the book's value.

 

Unfortunately (or perhaps "fortunately") most contemporary books are just not worth all that consideration.  Sell 'em cheap, and move on to something else.

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