Would you purchase a book if you saw it on the shelf before the street date?

[Lester C.]

I don't think of myself as a criminal as I live a law abiding life but if I saw a book that a retailer had accidentally put on the shelf before the street date I'd purchase it without hesitation. What about you?

[RickThunderclees]

I don't think of myself as a criminal as I live a law abiding life but if I saw a book that a retailer had accidentally put on the shelf before the street date I'd purchase it without hesitation. What about you?

Agreed, I would too. I'd keep it on the DL though, that way the business that accidentally sold me the book wouldn't get in trouble. I worked for a book store that accidentally shelved Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix more than two weeks early!!! haha, I don't think we sold any though before our boss noticed.

[Lester C.]

Agreed, I would too. I'd keep it on the DL though, that way the business that accidentally sold me the book wouldn't get in trouble. I worked for a book store that accidentally shelved Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix more than two weeks early!!! haha, I don't think we sold any though before our boss noticed.

Wow. I couldn't even begin to imagine the crap storm that would have resulted from leaking one of the most anticipated books of all time before the release date. I hope no one lost their job over that one.

[Rampaging Rabbit]

I would, it's not criminal. It would be out of order to spill the contents though, so I'd keep it quiet.

[Expletive Deleted]

Sure.

I guess I'm not seeing how it's criminal, or even unethical, from a consumer's point of view. It's the retailer's problem. As long as people aren't jerks about it (scalping copies on eBay, spreading spoilers), I couldn't care less.

[Athena Bast]

If you buy it, you're not at fault, the retailer is last I looked.

Pay with cash if you're concerned though.

Some books have STRICT on sale dates, others can be more or less the week of..

[The Batman]

Yeah I probably would, I don't see anything particularly immoral about going against someone's marketing plan.

Why do you ask Lester, did you see a copy of Tempest for sale already?

[RickThunderclees]

Wow. I couldn't even begin to imagine the crap storm that would have resulted from leaking one of the most anticipated books of all time before the release date. I hope no one lost their job over that one.

Haha, it was a small business too! If the publisher would have sued they would have easily went under.


She wasn't reprimanded in any way, just asked to please place the books back into the box.

[saintsaucey]

hell yeah. i totally bought angel season four and buffy season six before they were supposed to be out. if the store screws up its totally not your fault

[Lester C.]

Yeah I probably would, I don't see anything particularly immoral about going against someone's marketing plan.

Why do you ask Lester, did you see a copy of Tempest for sale already?

I wish. I've really enjoying The Legacy Series. As far as I'm concerned Jacen Solo is bringing sexy back.

[Julusnc]

Most books have numerous proof copies floating around the industry many months and in some cases years before a real print run.....I am of the belief as long as I paid what was asked its all good.I am the customer that paid $25.00+ for a hardback and I keep them in business......

[Slam_Bradley]

Sure. There is nothing remotely criminal about it and I don't find it to be ethically questionable. No problem.

[Sabrina_Fried]

There used to be a bookstore (that shall remain anonymous to protect the guilty) not far from where I live now that used to routinely shelve books as soon as they arrived, even if it was before their official street date. It wasn't that the staff were bad at following instructions, quite the opposite, this store used to have some of the best booksellers I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. And it wasn't that they were worried about competition, because despite jumping the gun on so many books so often, there was relative harmony and equality in sales between them and the four other bookstores within a 10 minute walk. But the owner/manager of the store at the time had a philosophy: If the publishers were so afraid of bad reviews that they had to embargo their own books, then clearly it's not a book the store wants to be stocking in mass quantities. Therefore the more the publisher tried to prevent the store from selling their books, the fewer books the store ordered. In short order, the publishers and distributors learned to leave this store alone to do its thing, and even studied the results to project how the books would sell when the official on-sale date hit.

I used to buy ALL my Star Wars books from this bookstore, and I typically got them at least a week or two before the on-sale date. Which was kind of good if you write a column about Star Wars stuff and you want to see if there is anything in the books you might want to include in your next column.

Then this store got bought by the Huge Monopoly, the owner/manager was quitfired and replaced with a corporate drone. The store never, EVER jumps the gun on books anymore. Apparently the publishers are not happy because this means the Huge Monopoly ends up buying hundreds of copies of books that the store is never going to sell which they then remainder or return to the publisher because they just can't seem to accurately gauge the demand for a given book.

I buy my Star Wars books from Amazon now. Exclusively. I don't get them any sooner, but at least they are cheaper and I don't have to deal with the mall crowds.

Sabrina

[Agent Helix]

If I wanted to read it, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

Of course, I probably wouldn't know if it was before street date or not, since I tend not to keep up with book release dates.

[Superboy Prime]

Sure.

I guess I'm not seeing how it's criminal, or even unethical, from a consumer's point of view. It's the retailer's problem. As long as people aren't jerks about it (scalping copies on eBay, spreading spoilers), I couldn't care less.

Exactly.

I wouldnt have a problem purchasing a book before it's released date. It's happened once or twice before, and recently it's happened with a particular DVD (The Punisher: Extended Cut) that I ran up on at a local Sam Goody's a few weeks ago. So yeah. If it was a book I wanted to read, and it was there. Consider it sold. :)