Hardcovers on eBay (1 Viewer)

[mjp]

I haven't looked at Bukowski stuff on eBay in several months. Maybe longer. So maybe someone who is on there all the time can answer a question for me...

Have people lost their god damned minds?​

These are BSP hardcovers, but not first editions, not signed...just common, later printing hardcovers. The prices are ridiculous. Don't tell me people are paying these kinds of prices for the later hardcovers. They can't be.

$489 The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills - 12th printing
$479 The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over the Hills - 26th printing
$385 Ham On Rye - 15th printing
$289 Post Office - 16th printing
$190 Post Office - 5th printing ex-library, completely trashed!
$180 Pulp - unknown printing, could be a first, but still...
$120 Hollywood - 14th printing

 

[jordan]

i don't think anyone is paying those prices. i stopped reselling trade hardcovers on eBay when people stopped paying $60 - $90 a pop for them. i bet if you put any of those books (except maybe post office) in a $1 no reserve auction, they would sell for $30 -$40. my theory is that the booksellers are researching those books on abe and not finding any listings, so they assume that what they have is very rare. then, because a couple other people have listed books on ebay at high prices, they go ahead and follow suit.

 

[mjp]

i bet if you put any of those books (except maybe post office) in a $1 no reserve auction, they would sell for $30 -$40.

That's what I would have thought. But even Post Office -- you should be able to buy five (or six or seven) 16th printings for $289. And get some change back.

 

[Rekrab]

Maybe they are confusing these later unsigned hardcovers with signed firsts with paintings, and thinking they have a gold mine.

 

[Bukfan]

Maybe they're fishing for fools.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

The problem with this sort of crap is related to abe and those certain sellers who list $400 books for $750. We all know who they are. About a year ago, I bought a signed copy of War All the Time on ebay for somewhere around $300. It turned out to have significant foxing, and I complained to the seller, who proceeded to cite abe asking prices from some of these through the roof sellers as proof that I got a great deal.

It really comes down to ignorance and greed. The more ignorant you are, the greedier you get. One wonders how these people manage to buy their alpo mix for dinner without getting beheaded by a streetcar.