If you've been reading my Twitter feed, you know I've been collecting thoughts on ARCs on eBay. You see, I had to write an article in my media writing class using other people's opinions, and not my own. (I did my best to keep my opinion out of it.)
And here it is. It's something I threw together at last minute - definitley not the best example of my writing - but as so many people contributed, I figured I should share it. It's under the cut.
What are YOUR thoughts on ARCs on eBay?
They're there.
And they're waiting for you.
And if you're an eBay user and a book lover, you've probably seen them.
Yes. I'm talking about the ARCs - advanced reading copies - of various books that have been appearing on eBay as of late, including Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel and Ally Condie's Matched. Advanced reading copies are just that - advance copies of books created at much expense to the publishers and given for free to various book bloggers, book reviewers, and other miscellaneous people. Many of the copies that are appearing on eBay are copies given out at BookExpo America within the past month.
Many people are unhappy that they're up on eBay. And the phrase 'unhappy' is used lightly.
"It's wrong." Both Laina and Harmony, both book, agreed that the two words summarized their thoughts.
Katie, another book blogger, managed to summarize it in one word - ridiculous. "ARC receivers should NOT be gaining money from other people's hard work. It's not fair at all."
Melina calls it "a slap-in-the-face to the author because it shows they don't value the author's work" while Kelly simply states "ARCs are free for a reason. You should not be making a profit off of someone else's work."
Mariah Lions was a little less unhappy and a little more pissed off. "I think selling ARCs is immoral. I don't really care where they got them but it clearly says they are not for sale! Also there are people who are dying to read those books and actually review them while those people are selling them."
This was the general conclusion among all asked - that the selling of the ARCs on eBay was not only wrong, but immoral and should be stopped immediately. Bri, from Bri Meets Books, was not only annoyed, but worried about the toll it may take on the publishing industry. "It's immoral, rude, illegal, and shouldn't be done. It takes advantage of an already fragile industry."
The publishing industry already has a lot to contend to - e-books are making it easier than ever for people to download things illegally, and there are plenty of websites that offer scanned books or typed up material. (Author Julie Kagawa recently had an issue with somebody posting her entire novel, The Iron King, on one of these websites.)
Though it is a little known issue to those who don't pay close attention to the certain books - "ARCs on eBay?! Did that happen?! That has to be totally illegal." said Kelsey Dickinson - the situation is undoubtedly frustrating for everybody involved. Book bloggers seem to be especially pissed off, as it takes a decent amount of hard work on their part to earn an ARC, and these people are tossing them aside to earn a profit as if they're nothing.
"While I'm not a fan of the practice, I think we should learn from the music industry and NOT prosecute our customers," proclaimed Shaun Hutchinson, author of The Deathday Letter, when asked about ARCs on eBay. And that's just one of several opinions. Josie thinks that "ARCs on eBay are fine, if the actual book is out already" while Julie thinks a more dramatic punishment is in order. "It's wrong and disgusting and illegal and people should be fined for it and the books taken away."
Though not much can be done at the moment, Sharon at Sharon Loves Books And Cats has come up with a great way to help remove the ARCs from eBay. Reporting an item will get it noticed by the eBay community - especially if a good amount of people report it. She is hosting a feature on her blog called EBayers Gone Wrong. Links to ARCs on eBay are posted and those who read her blog can report them. With the number of people who read her blog, it may make a difference.
If you're interested in reading more about ARCs on eBay, check out various blogs online. Don't forget to visit Sharon's blog and check out her EBayers Gone Wrong feature.