An example:
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/...i%3D90%26x%3D0

Compared to the price at amazon.com (US $16.35) this is 6.5 × as much as
new. Compared to the list price it is still almost 4.5 × as much as new.
PvR

----- Original Message -----
From: "P van Rijckevorsel"
Newsgroups: sci.bio.botany
Sent: Sunday, February 19, 2006 9:55 PM
Subject: Lead for Website


***
On the other hand they also carry books that are still in print,
charging up to five times what they cost new.

"Malcolm" schreef
I've never seen that disparity, can you give an example?

***
I have seen it, although it does not happen all that often.
* * *

And when you say "they", you are actually referring to 13,500 different
booksellers across the world offering their books in a single
marketplace. Prices are bound to vary depending which country the book
was published in and which country the bookseller is in. At the end of
the day, it is always the buyer that chooses what to spend.

***
Sure, it is a big market place. Certainly it offers opportunities that
would not otherwise be there. Still: buyer, beware!
PvR

In article , "P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:
An example:
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/...archurl=y%3D0%
26kn%3Durban%2Btimber%26bsi%3D90%26x%3D0

Compared to the price at amazon.com (US $16.35) this is 6.5 × as much as
new. Compared to the list price it is still almost 4.5 × as much as new.
PvR

FWIW, that page defines the condition as "New". Not that that
detracts from your argument -- the price still seems to be outrageous
(always assuming there's not a typo somewhere there).

Cheers, Phred.

--
LID

"Phred" schreef
Compared to the price at amazon.com (US $16.35) this is 6.5 × as much as
new. Compared to the list price it is still almost 4.5 × as much as new.
PvR

FWIW, that page defines the condition as "New". Not that that
detracts from your argument -- the price still seems to be outrageous
(always assuming there's not a typo somewhere there).

Cheers, Phred.

***
Well, that is a fine distinction. There is plenty of opportunity to split
hairs here.

1) Strictly speaking there are books "in print", coming from the publisher
to the bookshops through the approved channels.
2) Sometimes the publisher despairs of selling the book at the regular
prices. He will drop the book "out of print" and sell the remaining stocks
for anything the market will bear to either the regular bookshops or to
specialised bookstores, as "remaindered": these books (new!) are offered at
a discount.
3) Then there are bookstores that will have stocks themselves, and will
continue to sell books at the regular (set) price even after the publisher
ran out, so even after the book is actually "out of print".
4) Then there are second hand bookstores, that will sell untouched books as
being "mint" or "as new".

One can have a fine time arguing which of these book are actually "new"!

Anyway in this case this bookseller is not an exception, if you run a search
for this same book you will other sellers with prices that are not that much
less. This sort of thing does not happen all that often, but it is not all
that rare either. A fine case is where a previous edition of a book (say
with B&W pictures) is offered at twice the price of the succeeding edition
(in full color).
PvR

Phred wrote:
In article , "P van Rijckevorsel" wrote:

An example:
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/...archurl=y%3D0%
26kn%3Durban%2Btimber%26bsi%3D90%26x%3D0

Compared to the price at amazon.com (US $16.35) this is 6.5 × as much as
new. Compared to the list price it is still almost 4.5 × as much as new.
PvR


FWIW, that page defines the condition as "New". Not that that
detracts from your argument -- the price still seems to be outrageous
(always assuming there's not a typo somewhere there).

Cheers, Phred.


The so-called bargain sellers usually make their money in shipping. IOW,
they sell you a product for pennies, and then charge large amounts for
shipping. Then they ship for pennies, and that is their profit and your
loss.

Then there are companies like "Buy-dot-com" who will ship for free if
you surpass a limit (like $20 or so), but they tend to split the orders,
so you may end up getting packages all week. This is because they front
for many companies.

That's ok if you're not working on a vital project, I suppose, but
personally, I can't take time off to remain at a single location to
receive packages, so it is still a loss to me. Plus, if I need a part, I
need it now, and I really don't want to hear the stupid advertisment.

Use FedEx if possible. It's worth the extra $7.00 or so that 2-day
shipping will cost you, rather than having to track and wait and wonder.

Michael

--
When I win the lottery, I'm going to spend half on land,
And the other half planting about a quadrillion trees...