Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!amdahl!johnm From: johnm@uts.amdahl.com (John Murray) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Textbook prices revisited (International editions) Message-ID: Date: 18 Jan 89 23:07:21 GMT References: <14.UUL1.3#913@acw.UUCP> Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA Lines: 39 Some time ago on this newsgroup, the (high) price of textbooks was the subject of considerable discussion. Reference was made to the difference in price between US editions and the corresponding versions which are on sale elsewhere on the planet. I recently had an opportunity to check this. Here are typical price comparisons, made at the current (low) US dollar exchange rates. The foreign prices were obtained in college bookstores in Europe, where sales tax is already included in the price (or else there is no sales tax on books). Thus, the foreign prices are net. The US prices were obtained at Stanford University bookstore, and sales tax still has to be added where needed. The exchange rates and sales tax variations only serve to make the actual price differences even greater. Author(s) Title Prices: US Foreign --------- ----- ---------------------- Ano, Sethi & Ullman Compilers $46.00+tax $28.50net Charniak & McDermott Intro. to AI $41.00+tax $27.00net Sanders & McCormick Human Factors in Eng $50.00+tax $25.00net The "International" editions are identical to the US editions and are usually published by the same company (McGraw-Hill, Addison Wesley, etc.). They are frequently printed somewhere in the Far East, and are often softcover, even though the US version may be hardback and printed on heavier paper. Typically they carry some small print warning about not re-exporting them from the country of original consignment. Perhaps someone on this newsgroup who has published a text book might be able to explain the differential, or at least ask their publisher about it. All the talk about bookstore margins and mailing costs doesn't count, as far as I can see. I don't know what the situation is with regard to royalties on foreign sales; the countries where international editions are printed and sold certainly are signatories to copyright treaties. It seems to me that US text book publishers run an import cartel, whereby no book can be imported unless they've already decided not to publish a US edition. So much for free trade, fair competition, and freedom of information!! - John Murray (My own opinions, not necessarily endorsed by my employer).