Routine warning about buying books on eBay

Napoleon Plural

I've been caught like this. If you buy books off, well certainly World of Books or I Want This Book, you may not get one with the cover that is shown, which can be very annoying if that's the main reason you're buying that particular edition.

I got a copy of Les Mis from World of Books, they're regularly advertising it, with the version showing a frenzied crowd on a historical painting. When it arrives, it's a picture of a miserable looking bloke in a hat nursing his drink. Scroll down to the foot of the order, and okay, it says quite clearly: 'The cover shown is for illustrative purposes only' or words to that effect. Of course, you're never gonna read that unless you scroll all the down, past all the blurb and small print about World of Books. And I think it's the same for a lot of these eBay purchases through book dealers rather than individuals.

While the individual often has to tell when it's a 'stock photo' there's absolutely nothing to enforce a seller to make it clear from the start that the picture they have has NOTHING to do with the book they are actually selling you! X-(

Mr Beech

These have frenzied crowd paintings:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734?ean=9780140444308&format=paperback
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734?ean=9781416500261&format=paperback


Or is it different?

Thanks for the warning, by the way. Sorry you got caught by the fine print.

Lexi

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I've been caught like this. If you buy books off, well certainly World of Books or I Want This Book, you may not get one with the cover that is shown, which can be very annoying if that's the main reason you're buying that particular edition.

I got a copy of Les Mis from World of Books, they're regularly advertising it, with the version showing a frenzied crowd on a historical painting. When it arrives, it's a picture of a miserable looking bloke in a hat nursing his drink. Scroll down to the foot of the order, and okay, it says quite clearly: 'The cover shown is for illustrative purposes only' or words to that effect. Of course, you're never gonna read that unless you scroll all the down, past all the blurb and small print about World of Books. And I think it's the same for a lot of these eBay purchases through book dealers rather than individuals.

While the individual often has to tell when it's a 'stock photo' there's absolutely nothing to enforce a seller to make it clear from the start that the picture they have has NOTHING to do with the book they are actually selling you! X-(

Yeh you have to be careful. Sometimes it's only the BOX they are selling... and people don't realise... and like for an i-phone box someone paid £80 thinking they were getting the phone too... so you do have to read carefully... and all the way to the end! )

Napoleon Plural

Mr Beech wrote:

These have frenzied crowd paintings:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734?ean=9780140444308&format=paperback
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/les-miserables-victor-hugo/1004116734?ean=9781416500261&format=paperback

Yeah, those were the ones. Penguin with Norman Denny translation. Well, I got the book, but not with that attractive cover. Anyone enthused, look over to eBay and you'll see plenty of 'em for sale, mostly from World of Books with its 'hidden' disclaimer at the foot of the page. X-(

One time I turned up that Moonraker paperback rarity, with Bond and Gala steathily walking around a stationarly V2, the MR itself. It was on amazon, but when I emailed to check it was with the same cover, it mysteriously disappeared! Maybe the seller got wise to its value.

The Domino Effect

Those 'stock photos' are very annoying and deceiving. On some website, the seller doesn't put that image up...it is posted automatically by the website. If there's a particular edition/cover that I am seeking, I send the seller an email beforehand asking if the cover looks like this.... Several times I have not bid/purchased becaue it wasn't the book I was seeking, but so far - knock on wood - not once have I been duped and received anything other than the actual volume I was looking for.

SilentSpy

It pays to read everything and ask questions on eBay. There are a lot of shady people selling there these days.

Napoleon Plural

I found the version I'm after in Waterstone's last night, however it had a crease in it. It goes for around a tenner. That said, the miserable cover is growing on me. World of Books gave me a refund through Paypal so fair play (this is after I opened a case with eBay). However, I didn't care about the measly three quid, but rather the policy of leaving the disclaimer in the small print. Why on earth do eBay allow it? It messes things up for them.

Mr Beech

Napoleon Plural wrote:

I found the version I'm after in Waterstone's last night, however it had a crease in it. It goes for around a tenner. That said, the miserable cover is growing on me. World of Books gave me a refund through Paypal so fair play (this is after I opened a case with eBay). However, I didn't care about the measly three quid, but rather the policy of leaving the disclaimer in the small print. Why on earth do eBay allow it? It messes things up for them.

They probably should require it to be mentioned in the basic official info box where it lists condition, publisher, size, etc. Should be a box saying Item as Pictured or Item may differ from Picture

Napoleon Plural

Well here's the link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Les-Miserables-Classics-Victor-Hugo-/170785212904?pt=Fiction&hash=item27c39789e8

You have to scroll down.

That said, having found that book and tried reading it boy it's hard work. That's one of the harder classics to wade thru, and it's got more length than Dirk Diggler once the fluffer's been at him.

Another one translated by Rosie someone looks easier to get through.