[pulisse]

> A lot of books, even small scale ones, are also fake and very low quality.

My sister works in manga and anime publishing and this is an existential threat to her company. Some of the issues they're grappling with:

1. For some of their titles, the genuine item doesn't even appear among search results on Amazon—only the counterfeits do.

2. The quality issues with the counterfeits can result in losing all future business from a customer. For example, download codes will be missing or non-functional. Irrational as it is, customers blame the publisher when this happens and stop buying further titles from them.

3. Amazon seems to be using some slapdash ML to determine how many of each title to order. They'll purchase 10k of vols. 5 and 7 of a series and only 1k of vol. 6. Guess how many of that 10k of vol. 7 end up selling when that happens?

Amazon is, needless to say, non-responsive to their concerns.

[hinkley]

My local library had books 1-3 and 5-6 of a series I was reading by an author who I own all of her later books. I even tried to find a copy at the local used shop, thinking I would read it and then donate it, but due to her rising star they had printed new editions in a completely different style, and size. I ended up pirating a copy of that book instead. Then bought the audio book for a book I already owned as penance.

I suspect when there are gaps that either the counterfeiters win or nobody wins.

[gs17]

> They'll purchase 10k of vols. 5 and 7 of a series and only 1k of vol. 6. Guess how many of that 10k of vol. 7 end up selling when that happens?

I've noticed that too in manga. It's amazing they screw it up so bad, given their origin as a book seller.

[mcv]

What I'd like to know is: has anyone ever sued Amazon for this? There seems to be plenty of evidence for a massive class action suit. They are knowingly and intentionally screwing sellers and customers alike.