Approval For 42-Year Old Book -vs- Seller Inconsistencies
I "was" trying to sell an old technical book from 1982 not needed anymore. Yes, I get blocked stating that Little, Brown requires approval. Pretty stupid for a 40 year old book, but OK.
Now here's my question: The same book is available from many sellers, such as "ThriftBooks", "Rags 2 Riches" etc. How in the world are they available to sell but I can't? Are you saying somehow, for a 42 year old book, they were able to obtain invoices from the publisher for at least 10 units within the 6 month period? No way.
How are these people getting around the system?
Approval For 42-Year Old Book -vs- Seller Inconsistencies
I "was" trying to sell an old technical book from 1982 not needed anymore. Yes, I get blocked stating that Little, Brown requires approval. Pretty stupid for a 40 year old book, but OK.
Now here's my question: The same book is available from many sellers, such as "ThriftBooks", "Rags 2 Riches" etc. How in the world are they available to sell but I can't? Are you saying somehow, for a 42 year old book, they were able to obtain invoices from the publisher for at least 10 units within the 6 month period? No way.
How are these people getting around the system?
48 replies
Seller_MyXY4Myx9zVcR
You must be new here.
Welcome!
The rules are different for mega-sellers.
Smaller sellers who are offering that book may just not have been swept up in the bot-dragnets yet.
If you have not found other venues on which to sell your books, I suggest you consider diversifying.
Seller_qTJiCxRI8PpIZ
Little, Brown is a major publisher. This is not surprising. It has been happening more and more to us used bookdealers. Amazon bots pick up on the publisher and force you to ask for approval now. This has been happening to us for nearly a year. I highly suggest listing these on another venue.
Seller_NDQApF6fwgF6l
I have found the longer I have been selling for, the more I get approved for or don't require approval at all. Plus I have high review ranking too. As for your case. It doesn't matter on the age or the title of the book, it matters who publishes it. You can have a brand new textbook in plastic wrapping or a 45 year old Acceptable rating copy of an out of date topic, if its published by the same company, its the same requirements to resell it on Amazon (which is kind of against the law, there is something called first right with Copyright material but that is another topic completely). They set their requirements for all their products, much like when selling most other items on Amazon you need approval. Try ABE Books, or sell it on Ebay for 1/16th of the price you would on Amazon.
Seller_HRcJa1gdGHeov
Items are gated at the brand level, not ASIN. You just need to buy any Little, Brown book (any current would) do and as long as you ordered 10 copies they would ungate you in ALL Little. Brown.
If you listed the book and got an inauthentic claim then you would need a specific invoice for that book dated within the last 180 days. You obviously would not have this (nor would anybody else). Absurd, but those are Amazon's rules; if we ask for a unicorn you better well give us a unicorn.
As other have stated, it is also possible the other sellers got ungated due to their performance. Amazon's rules are opaque at best and are applied about as consistently as the weather in Florida (let's just say weather in Florida changes often).
Seller_roNdLQpqbVoOH
You won't get an answer. Which tells us all we need to know.
I asked pretty much the same thing two weeks ago of @KJ_Amazon in the Selling Used Books Requires Publisher Invoice? thread. This was my post:
I have a question I would like to ask of these "appropriate teams," if you would, please.
When a particular used book listing of mine becomes deactivated, and I am told that I need "at least 1 purchase invoice for products from a manufacturer or distributor" showing the purchase of "at least 10 units," among other requirements, how is it that when this happens, the only sellers left on the page are so often mega-sellers...with USED copies.
If they had provided the mandatory paperwork (we'll just ignore for now the fact that they are not in the business of buying new books), they should have at least 10 NEW copies, right? So why are these sellers offering USED books, as opposed to NEW books? Where are their USED books coming from...and why are they allowed to sell them and I am not?
Would you please ask this of your "team/s" and report back their response? I'd appreciate it.
Crickets ... from @KJ_Amazon and everyone else.
Seller_EXuhrAKFLHPpw
I'm hardly a Mega-Seller (+/- 4000 books). I have several Little, Brown books listed, and I have sold over 20 of their tiles through the years, but I could get the 'Requires Approval' message the next time that I go to list something published by them.
There are so many inconsistencies on here. I have been denied permission to sell certain publishers when I already have some titles from that publisher as active listings. Luckily, I get instant approvals for the vast majority when the approval screen pops up. Maybe after 20 years of selling on here they trust me a little.
Seller_SJRMV3s4mNrFA
This is eventually going to end in a lawsuit against Amazon. If it were a WRITTEN policy that Used Books were not allowed to be sold, that is one thing. But what is apparently happening is Little Brown and others are threatening to ban the sale of their NEW books on Amazon if they don't prevent used books from being sold. Which is monopolistic and restraint of trade. The SCOTUS has clearly stated you do NOT need publisher approval to sell used books.
Seller_HRcJa1gdGHeov
This is your opinion and I will be honest with you not necessarily accurate. I think this is an Amazon thing and like most things Amazon does rather messed up. I think Amazon is trying to authenticate products sold on their website and for some reason they have decided that a wholesale invoice dated within the last 180 days is what you have to have. Does not matter that this would not exist for a 42 year old OOP book (and over 90% of the products they are currently selling); we are Amazon and you must give us what we want regardless of how stupid or nonsensical it is.
Seller_HRcJa1gdGHeov
There is the crux of the problem and why Amazon will never be held accountable. How many 3P sellers have millions of $ to battle the corporate behemoth that is Amazon. Not saying it is right but the law is unfortunately whatever you can afford to prove.
Dominic_Amazon
Hi @Seller_iTaV69jPz3RSU,
Dominic from Amazon here, understand where you are coming from here. I would always recommend against comparing what other sellers are doing or listing. It is impossible to know when a seller got approval or the relationships they have with other brands. It may be that those Sellers were able to meet the approval process.
Best,
Dominic
