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Book Deals Warning - Bookjacker will SCAM YOU on Abebooks Lewiston NY
Bookjackers are everywhere on Abebooks, and it's a crime that Amazon has chosen to let it proliferate. A bookjacker is a "company" that doesn't maintain any inventory of books. None. Zero. Zip. They have an algorithm that finds tens (sometimes hundreds) of thousands of other books that are sold, then lists those books as their own, and sells for a little (sometimes a lot) more than they could buy it for.
A popular example: A single signed book is available on Biblio for $30. It's not being sold on Amazon Marketplace or Abebooks. The bookjacker will list that book on the other two sites for $60, or $100, or whatever they want. If someone buys it, they buy the the book and have it shipped to you.
The big problem starts when you decide to return the book. Book Deals CANCELLED MY RETURN REQUEST when I requested a refund. Abebooks lets this happen. There is nothing I can do -- I'm stuck with the book because I made the mistake of buying from a bookjacker.
You might look at their site and say, they have five starts--can they be that bad? Here's the other part of the scam: Abebooks ratings aren't customer-based, like they are on Amazon. Rather, the rating system on Abebooks is based on the number of returns you get. So no returns, you're a five-star seller. The system literally encourages sellers to cancel return requests so you can a) screw over the customer, b) keep their money, and c) maintain a five-star rating.
Great scam, right? It is when Amazon/Abebooks lets them get away with it.
Beware, there are a ton of bookjackers on Abebooks. There are lists available online, so if you're buying a book on Abebooks, I'd recommend a quick Google search to make sure that you're not buying from one of these scumbag sellers.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Simon
Colorado Springs,Colorado,
United States
Agreed. #Bookjackers now monopolize the Abebooks site
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, January 01, 2021
I agree with this filing. Since Amazon took over Abebboks has allowed book-jackers to monopolize the site, with the net result of inflating prices for customers. A cursory search for any book will return a plethora of results for companies who don't physically own or hold the title, but who act as 'middle-men' who force the smaller seller offline in order to sell through them. The net result - a book that would've sold for $5 before Amazon now costs $10, with the deal-jacker pocketing the difference.
How do you tell if you're being scammed? If the item's description is generic, the lister probably doesn't own the item. If there are mutliple listings for exactly the same description/price, check the internal reference # for the item (last part of the listing). If the # is long, and especially if it appears against another listing, it's a dealer scam and you'll never know who really owns the book or it's true condition til it arrives at your door. Suggestion, when you see those multi-listings, keep on scrolling til you find one that isn't.
Call it arbitage-ing; call it Walmart-ing; call it Amazon-ing; call it Soprano-ing - but whatever you call it, it's not in the public's interest and only serves to jack prices up and fill Amazon's pockets.
And remember, Amazon/Abebooks knows full well this is happening and quietly but fully endorse it. They get paid by the listing, and are laughing all the way to the bank.
Buyer beware...
Patrick
Phoenix,Arizona,
United States
Spoken like a true bookjacker
#4Author of original report
Sun, December 20, 2020
I never said it was a crime. I said it was sleazy. And it's not when things go well that's the problem. I'm crystal clear on the concept of supply and demand. It's when people want to return an item. They don't want to deal with it because they don't stock books. And since the customer can't return the book, it doesn't impact your rating. You're clearly another bookjacker. Irish Booksellers? Glass Frog? You gave me a good idea. Here's a current (and by no means exclusive) list of bookjackers on Abebooks who should be avoided at all costs (if I didn't get you, feel free to add your store to the list):
Great Book Prices
Discover Books
Free Shipping Books
Hippo Books
AA7Days
academic_book_guy
ADONAI BOOKS
amazon college books
Amctj
anstinbooks
Any Book
betterbooks2009
Best-Book-Depot
BookGroveMedia
-Book Bargains-
Book Deals
Book Garden
Book Smart
Book Surplus
Booked Again
Books_Care
BooksRunner
BookSleuth
breakprice
BRILANTI BOOKS
Brooke Books
Castle Rock
Cloud 9 Books
Cold Books
Colibris
CONTINENTAL MEDIA & BEYOND
Crashing Rocks
DailyDeal USA
Diafan Media
East West Academic Books
Elitedigital
ExtremelyReliable
ergodebooks
fast-track-books
FishandSave
forest_of_wisdom
Funny Precious
GlassFrogBooks
Gray Fox USA
International Books
Irish Booksellers
jason_kurt
joypros
kefalonitis
katesutter
kime_enterprises
KingsRidgeMedia
lana's Shop
lance books
Land of Magazines
Lost Books
LowKeyBooks
Lucky's Fulfillment
melisasandy
metropole_press
Migna Book Store
Murray Media
MyGrandmasGoodies
myrockland
_nearfine_
nearfine-us
NOHINSA BOOKS
nuggetbooks33
OTTAPLACKAL BOOKS
Park Place Products
planet_books
Pop's Shop Online
price break
profnath
Quality7
relationship
sbd
s****.>
soundtrack
southlandplace
Strait City Trading
Summit Read
SunnyDeer Sales
Sunshine & Firefly Canada
Successful New
the_book_community
thebookgrove
TOTAL BOOKS
Tradingcenter
TSCBOOKS
Twin City Rarities
Vault Media
UCAEDU70
US_Bookseller
Vault Media
Woody's Books
worldreaders
Wisepenny Books
coast
United StatesWhat You Have Described Is Neither a Crime nor a Scam
#4Consumer Comment
Sun, December 20, 2020
Posted on the website address you provided:
AbeBooks' uniqueness is our network of independent booksellers who work with us to provide the most diverse selection of rare, used and out-of-print books on the Internet.
They clearly state that they are working with other sellers and do not claim to have all books in stock.
It isn't a crime to buy low and sell high. It is not unlawful to sell merchandise at a profit. It's called capitalism. It is not a crime to advertise a product that is not in stock.