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What's with Book Fair prices?



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 14th 04, 07:44 AM
Kelley Roberts
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Default What's with Book Fair prices?

Just left St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair and didn't buy a single
book....What's with prices from these dealers? Most of the books were
outrageously priced! Ichecked the internet and found many of these books at
much lower prices. Don't these dealers know that we can find cheaper copies
online? What happened to reasonable prices? I found maybe 4 or 5 booths
where the books were reasonably priced, the rest were just plain silly. Is
it me or were these dealers desperate for that one BIG sale?
Bill


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  #2  
Old March 14th 04, 02:31 PM
Art Layton
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"Kelley Roberts" wrote in message .com...
Just left St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair and didn't buy a single
book....What's with prices from these dealers? Most of the books were
outrageously priced! Ichecked the internet and found many of these books at
much lower prices. Don't these dealers know that we can find cheaper copies
online? What happened to reasonable prices? I found maybe 4 or 5 booths
where the books were reasonably priced, the rest were just plain silly. Is
it me or were these dealers desperate for that one BIG sale?
Bill


Selling books (or anything) at a retail venue relies partly on the
"spur-of-the-moment" purchase. Buyers have no frame of reference for
comparison. Someone sees a book they would like to own (or a pair of
running shoes) and they buy it. Same for catalog sales. I see books in
catalogs offered for sale on ABE at a fraction of the catalog price.

You did the right thing at the book fair - you didn't buy anything
because you felt the prices were too high.

Art Layton
Stamford CT
  #3  
Old March 14th 04, 05:34 PM
Jerry Morris
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Default

Bill,

I'm going to the St. Pete Book fair this afternoon. I never go until
the last day of the book fair. In the last hours, many booksellers
reduce their prices, making them almost competitive with books sold
online.

In many cases, one can still find a cheaper copy on the web, but one
misses the thrill of chase so to speak.....the feel of the books ...many
books ......combing the bookshelves...inspecting the books........

......off to the book fair!

Jerry Morris





(Kelley=A0Roberts) Bill wrote:
Just left St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair and didn't buy a single
book....What's with prices from these dealers? Most of the books were
outrageously priced! Ichecked the internet and found many of these books
at much lower prices. Don't these dealers know that we can find cheaper
copies online? What happened to reasonable prices? I found maybe 4 or 5
booths where the books were reasonably priced, the rest were just plain
silly. Is it me or were these dealers desperate for that one BIG sale?
Bill


Welcome to Moi's Books About Books:
http://www.tinyurl.com/hib7
My Sentimental Library http://www.picturetrail.com/mylibrary and
moislibrary.com http://www.tinyurl.com/hisn






  #4  
Old March 15th 04, 08:33 AM
William M. Klimon
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Kelley Roberts" wrote in message
. com...

Just left St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair and didn't buy a single
book....What's with prices from these dealers? Most of the books were
outrageously priced! Ichecked the internet and found many of these books

at
much lower prices. Don't these dealers know that we can find cheaper

copies
online? What happened to reasonable prices? I found maybe 4 or 5 booths
where the books were reasonably priced, the rest were just plain silly.

Is
it me or were these dealers desperate for that one BIG sale?




I went to the Washington Antiquarian Book Fair a week ago and found a mix of
prices--as befitted a mix of material. I didn't really find anything in my
areas of interest, but one dealer (Isaiah Thomas) had a number of
bibliographic works of interest and I ended up buying a copy of Faxon's bib
of *Literary Annuals and Gift Books, 1823-1903*, which I had actually been
looking for. Turns out that IT was the dealer who sold me the only book I
bought at WABF 2 years ago: a presentation copy of a book by Jacques
Maritain.



William M. Klimon
http://www.catholicbookcollector.com


  #5  
Old March 15th 04, 05:52 PM
Doug McClure
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Default

Please remember that the cost of selling at most book fairs is pretty
damn high. The biggest expenses are the booth rental, truck rental,
and hotel stay, though obviously the last two don't apply to everyone.

For example, at the most recent book fair that I participated in, I
sold only $1600 worth of books, but paid $850 for the booth. And in
this case, I didn't need a hotel and I borrowed a friend's van.

DKM


On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 06:44:35 GMT, "Kelley Roberts"
wrote:

Just left St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair and didn't buy a single
book....What's with prices from these dealers? Most of the books were
outrageously priced! Ichecked the internet and found many of these books at
much lower prices. Don't these dealers know that we can find cheaper copies
online? What happened to reasonable prices? I found maybe 4 or 5 booths
where the books were reasonably priced, the rest were just plain silly. Is
it me or were these dealers desperate for that one BIG sale?
Bill



To contact me directly, send EMAIL to (single letters all)
DEE_KAY_EMM AT EarthLink.net. [For example .]
 




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