You tell the security guard:
"The authors all know me, and told me I could have copies free."
The security guard: "Oh. I'm JUST a security guard. I have no idea if you're telling the truth. Pass, friend."
RIDICULUOS?
This is what goes on at EBAY.
Some book thief in SRI LANKA uses a caveat in his ads — one used by a dozen other Sri Lanka book thieves — and EBAY doesn't challenge it. Then he rips off DOZENS of authors and pockets HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.
EASY MONEY.
Here's a typical auction, up RIGHT NOW:
Could anything be more ABSURD?
Some jerk in Sri Lanka, offering the ENTIRE output of HARLAN COBAN for less than the price of ONE PAPERBACK, and EBAY nods like a dumb cartoon dog. "Yup, yup, looks ok to US."
Some jerk in Sri Lanka somehow has "Full Resell Rights" from 25 best selling authors?
Some jerk in Sri Lanka covers himself by saying he is EITHER the "Authorized Re-seller" or "the copyright holder" for 100's of books by 25 different famous writers? THESE WRITERS...
Insanity Number ONE:
If this seller was offering used underwear, and wrote: "These will be cleaned before sending them," the auction would end. If this seller was offering opium, and wrote, "In my country it is legal, and I am authorized to export it to America," the auction would end.
Blatantly abuse copyright, and EBAY is like Sgt. Schultz in "Hogan's Heroes" and "knows nnnnnnuthing. NNNNNNNUTHING."
They conveniently point to the lax DMCA rules in America, which state that their website is "just a vehicle" and they have NO obligation to do anything about ads on their site unless they feel like it. OR, if a copyright owner sends in a takedown request.
Insanity Number TWO:
NONE of the authors or their publishers have sent in takedown requests! Just why that is, is a big mystery. Apathy? Incompetence?
Companies that specialize in takedowns, such as DIGIMARC and WEB SHERIFF charge for their services. They charge too much? In that case, why not have an intern check eBay, the most HIGH PROFILE sales site other than Amazon, and knock these sellers off?
Having some 20 years experience in eBay's VERO program, I know that it's very simple to send in a takedown. It takes only a few minutes. Sellers get suspended if they get more than a few takedowns.
There are only a few major publishers left. The seller with 25 items above would be GONE almost instantly if ONE publisher objected.
An RIAA-type takedown specialist representing ALL the major publishers could end this abuse, and keep it under control in less than an hour a week. Isn't it worth it?
And yet the publishers can't get it together. They resist having easy ways to contact them. Only a few have a website with a "report piracy" link, and it seems pretty obvious that if the major authors such as Stephen King and Harlan Coben and Diana Gabaldon and J.K. Rowling and pudgy E.L. James etc. are letting Sri Lanka book thieves amass hundreds of dollars in sales each week, SOMEBODY is being very lax. SOMEBODY is sending the message that book publishers are filthy rich, that Barnes & Noble and bookstores don't need protection, that Barnes & Noble's ePub sales and Amazon's Kindle sales don't need protection, and that the literary minds of the world have no clue about morality. Even if you ARE rich, you don't let somebody claim to OWN your copyright. You don't reward somebody who can barely speak English for copying a DICK of a CAVEAT and lying so obviously.
When the music world first noticed mp3 piracy, everyone shrugged. Now, there are only a few major labels, there's almost no "mid-list," and they rely on the huge sellers to carry them. Indie labels pay nothing and the artists can't make a living on music sales.
The publishing world, which should be a bit smarter, is waiting for MORE bookstores and libraries to close? Waiting for more people who buy cheap copies on EBAY to then "share" this stuff with their friends? Or with strangers on the Internet?
Savvy cheapskates know all about the hidden torrents, forums, and Google's infamous BLOGSPOT blogs, but the average person doesn't. The average person knows that EBAY is a good place to get a used book, a promo copy, and..."well, what's this...a seller offering ALL my author's books, and for less than the price of a paperback! The seller claims to be AUTHORIZED by the AUTHOR. Why, the seller might even BE the author. Why should I clutter my shelves when I can put these on my Kindle, Nook or laptop? What a deal!"
And yes, some of them even leave glowing positives for these sellers. And guess what, a few negatives don't bother the dealers OR eBay at all. For example, THIS seller:
