🚀 go-pugleaf

soh@newsserver.trl.oz.au (Soh Kam Hung) writes:
	and
>Alfredo Ortiz (ortiz@pogo.den.mmc.com) also wrote:
>> [ Anecdotes about buying a book cheaper overseas by mail. ]

There are at least two reasons why o/s books may cost less than similar
books published or sold in Oz (or Europe or the USA too, probably).

1.  They are *much* cheaper to produce in many cases.  And
2.  They may be deliberately subsidised for sale in third world countries.

Examples:

In India when I was there some years ago I bought several botanical texts
for around R30 per volume (about USD3.00 at the time).  The policy of the
publisher of these books was to sell for Rnn in India and USDnn to overseas
customers.  There is a certain logic in this as, at that time, R30 was
approximately equal to USD30 in terms of basic needs.  That is, so long
as you didn't want motor cars, TVs, computers, etc., you could buy as
much *in India* for R30 as you could for $30 in Oz or the USA.

As for the second situation, I've just received the latest PROSEA Newsletter
[Plant Resources of South-East Asia] and it contains a list of their
publications relating to plant resources (e.g. there are volumes on Timber,
Pulses, Fruit & Nuts, etc. etc.).  The hard cover editions available in
"developed countries" sell for anything up to USD260.00 (Timbers), but
special paperback editions are available very cheaply for "developing
countries" *only* (USD21.50 for that $260.00 Timbers vol. for example!).

Cheers,  Ian S.
-- 

Ian Staples                        E-mail : ianst@dpi.qld.gov.au
c/- P.O. Box 1054 MAREEBA          Phone  : +61 (0)70 921 555 Home 924 847
Queensland Australia 4880            Fax  : +61 (0)70 923 593   "   "   "