Someone is selling my book without my permission

[cranes*collections]

I'm a self-published author and my book is sold exclusively by me or on Amazon. However, I found a seller that is selling new copies of my book here on eBay for over twice the price that they are supposed to be sold for. I've tried to contact the seller but I just get a message stating that due to a high volume of messages, this seller cannot accept anymore messages at this time. I want to report the listing but I don't know what to report it as. I'd like to speak to someone from eBay directly about this situation but I can't find a way to do so. Any suggestions?

[richard1rst]

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@aeell_gxq7ndk wrote:

They are doing the same thing to me with 3 of my self publsihed books on Amazon and It is so wrong on every level. #1 I dont receive any of my royality rights, #2 I purposefully have my books prices very reasoable and I dont like seeing someone way over charge for something that I put my own blood sweat and tears into.

Something needs to be done. I quess the only way to find out if they are in violation is to order one of your books and see if you get it shipped to you directly from amazon, or the person. I am going to repor the sellers and you shoudl too.

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#1 - Unless he is stealing the books you are in fact getting royalties. If he buys them from Amazon (either a straight out buy or a drop ship) you get royalties when Amazon sells the book.

#2 ASKING a higher price does actually mean he is SELLING them for that price. And if he is selling them for the higher price then maybe you have your price set too low and might want to consider raising it.

[ustabee1]

You have a book written by Stephen King sold in your shop .... How is that not the same?

I'm impressed that you're a published author whose books are in demand ... What is the title / subject? (hoping it's a murder / mystery ... My favorite)

[tex-421]

Correct, its a matter of timing.  Listing a new item that you presently don't own, or have no future legal rights to, is a violation.  Buying something and and then flipping it on eBay doesn't violate a policy.

As frustrating as this is for the self publishing, hard working author, seems the remedy is not with eBay, but with who ever is providing the eBay seller with the books.

[bashort]

You could just list the book on ebay, that would likely end the so called problem. 

[bashort]

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@ustabee1 wrote:

You have a book written by Stephen King sold in your shop .... How is that not the same?

I'm impressed that you're a published author whose books are in demand ... What is the title / subject? (hoping it's a murder / mystery ... My favorite)

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That is a excellent question

[anasazirose]

If they're selling your book for twice the price, you could sell your own book on ebay for the inflated price, maybe even autograph it, OR you could sell it for the correct price (still autograph it if you like), and stop his sales that way. 

I do understand, though, that you don't appreciate the price gouging.

Not sure if you know of David Paulides, but he only sells his books on his site, canam missing project, or similar.  On Amazon, his books cost twice as much.  People buy from his site, and sell on Amazon.  It upsets him, according you his YT videos, but he won't sell on Amazon.

[anasazirose]

Don't you get the royalty payments when it's sold the 1st time? If they're selling your book for too much, you could sell your book on Amazon or ebay, maybe even autograph it.

Not sure if you know of David Paulides, but he only sells his books on his site, canammissingDOTcom.  On Amazon, his books cost twice as much.  People buy from his site, and sell on Amazon.  It upsets him, according you his YT videos, but he won't sell on Amazon.

[anasazirose]

OH MY GOODNESS!! I just realized!  I received an item I purchased, but on Amazon, from a seller on Amazon, it arrived with a 'someone sent you a gift' Amazon paper inside.  So, this makes me think an Amazon seller drop shipped me something FROM Amazon.  Oh sheesh!

[anasazirose]

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@goodbrakes wrote:

Nothing wrong with what they are doing if they purchased them first and resell them. You made your money when they purchased the book. Now your mad that they make money. If you're that greedy raise your prices and that will squeeze their profit margin and they may quit selling them.

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if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all

[anasazirose]

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@ustabee1 wrote:

You have a book written by Stephen King sold in your shop .... How is that not the same?

I

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It's not the same unless OP is selling the book for twice the new price. 

[membersinceaug2001]

This is very common on here when buying new items.  I have a hard time finding a "real seller" of new stuff, it's all Az drops.

[onefootflipper]

Chances are whoever it is "reselling" your book is doing the same with thousands and thousands of different titles through some sort of automated method and the overwhelming majority of them will never sell a single copy.

Right now a seller on here offers a book of mine that has never sold a single copy outside of the 6 I personally purchased from from my publisher (it was a super specialty thing really only for me and my friends that would be unlikely to ever interest anyone else, I just used my publisher to print them because I was already set up with them for the books I have that do sell).

I wouldn't worry about it, chances are higher than they will drive someone to search your title on Amazon than they are that they will ever sell one, which they would still have to buy from you anyway.

[tssullytacklebox]

As a self-published author if your books are print-on-demand from Lightning Source, anyone can sell your books and have individual copies printed and shipped directly from Lightning Source. They probably have extended handling times to match Lightning Source's lead time. 3P Amazon sellers do this all the time, they don't actually have 10,000 titles on a shelf in their living room.

[fashunu4eeuh]

By any chance is it an ebook being digitally sent by the eBay seller? If so, I believe he cannot legally do so without your permission. In addition, eBay has rules for digital items. See link below. 

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/prohibited-restricted-items/electronically-delivered-items-policy...

To report that kind of infraction, go to the Report Item link on the seller's listing. There are two avenues you could select for the report. The first would be to select Copyright and Trademark for Report Category. Then select for Reason for Report the "eBay item infringes on intellectual property". The final selection is for Detailed Reason and that would be "Contact eBay's Vero program".

The other choice is Listing Practices > Other Listing Practices > Digitally delivered goods.

Good luck and do come back to update us and answer questions.

[yuzuha]

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@anasazirose wrote:

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@goodbrakes wrote:

Nothing wrong with what they are doing if they purchased them first and resell them. You made your money when they purchased the book. Now your mad that they make money. If you're that greedy raise your prices and that will squeeze their profit margin and they may quit selling them.

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if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all

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How is that not nice? They're simply being factual. If the complaint is that someone else is selling the OP's books, there's nothing wrong with someone purchasing a copy and then selling it for more than they paid. First Sale Doctrine is a thing.

If the complaint is that the other person is selling the books for more than OP is charging and OP is mad that this other person is getting more for the books than they are, then OP can raise their own prices to match what this other person is selling the books for.