I went into a bookshop and asked if they had any 1st edition Harry Potter books. the owner boasted that she has 300 copies of the 6th book, 70 of the 5th 30 of the 4th and 3 rd books. but they are NOT for sale. she is keeping them for her retirement!! This is unfair as in many shops they only allow customers to by 1 copy when they 1st come out so why is it fair that the shops themselves can buy them at low prices and keep them all? bloomsury sold them to her to sell on. NOT to keep!!
2006-11-01 01:05:16 · 9 answers · asked by ? 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
It is her own small shop. not a chain. I just don't think it's fair thats all!! Some people que for hours and book shops open from midnight for these books and it's usually 1 per customer so that their is enough to meet demand so why is it fair they can just choose to keep 300? I'm in the wrong business lol!!
2006-11-01 02:36:57 · update #1
It is pointless to get upset about this particular book, because the "First Editions" of Harry Potter will not provide a fortune for this bookseller's retirement, they will be worth NOTHING.
The only "Harry Potter" book really worth any money is the first volume, because it was limited to 2000 copies, thus rare.
By the time of the 3rd volume, "Potter" was so successful that First Printings were over a million, and thus plentiful.
Of course a shop can do anything it likes as far as keeping copies for themselves, as long as they pay for them. This particular bookseller sounds ill-informed and somewhat naive, and definitely tactless to gloat about her hoard to you.
2006-11-01 06:05:12 · answer #1 · answered by simon2blues 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would not worry too much !!!!
Yes she can keep books back if she wants to, however, I do not think it will do her too much good.
The first two Harry Potter books had small 1st print runs, however as things got popular and new books were released, the first edition print run increased.
Basically there are THOUSANDS of latter Harry Potter books 1st editions floating round - she can keep as many as she likes, but when she starts to sell them, she will be in for a shock as they will not be worth too much !!!!!
Think about it - she's a small book shop & she's got 300 copies?! just think the quantities other larger shops would have (assuming she's telling the truth)
(great seeing greedy people come unstuck !!!!)
Even book 5 with the printing errors is not worth a great deal now.
The only way they would be worth a fortune if they were autographed by J K Rowling herself - UNLIKELY.
Have a look on e-bay, you should be able to pick them up there.
2006-11-01 05:00:36 · answer #2 · answered by David 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a business owner if I buy stock of anything, then I can choose who to sell it too or to keep it, I find it strange that she would have 300 copies of the 6th book, and am inclined to be this is an exageration, the 1st editions of 1,2 & 3 are probably more valuable, as everyone has now jumped on the band waggon!
check out chariety book shops one of ours had a harry potter 1st edition on sale for £90.00! I'd be taking the money now if I could get £27,000 for 300 books!
2006-11-01 03:47:45 · answer #3 · answered by Breeze 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't illegal because I have done it myself. But it's kind of frowned upon. As long as you aren't doing it all day every day, then it should be okay. If they do have a cafe or something you can always get a cup of coffee and read a book there. There are people who do that. And you can purchase something and support the business without actually purchasing the book. If you do want to read an entire book without buying it though, I do suggest seeing if the library has it. You can check it out for free and not have to worry about the book store.
2016-05-23 01:52:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Booksellers buy the books from the publisher and if they choose not to sell them, that's their right. There are a hundred places to buy first editions. like ABE Books, Alibris, Powells. Abe has thousands of books in varying conditions at different prices. Try on line.
2006-11-01 02:47:35 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they own them so if they wanted to burn them rip them apart there is nothing you can do about it. they are most likely waiting for the copies in circulation to become damaged and therefore the copies that they have will become more valuable. there is no difference in doing that vs. collecting any other commodity.
2006-11-01 01:15:10 · answer #6 · answered by tjhand5094 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if its privately owned they are allowed to do whatever they want (seeing as how u probably talked to boss/owner...u cant go higher on the totum pole than that) if its a chain try going above her head to her boss or headquarters and see what they have to say
2006-11-01 01:07:21 · answer #7 · answered by jenivive 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think she may be lying!! i work in a book shop and it is very unlikely if not impossible for her to have these. i personally would go back into the shop and call her an old sodding liar!!
2006-11-01 01:47:15 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sure why not?!
2006-11-01 01:12:58 · answer #9 · answered by str1der 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋