Victims of the Corporate Assassination Squad
[This is the story of what happens when a Monopoly feels threatened by a competitor. They resort to Lies and to what Umair Haque calls Artificial Competition. They send out their goons to assassinate your reputation.]
The Back Story
They think they look like this; (cc) Flickr user flexgraph
Yesterday we published our list of buyback Locations for this semester. Today, predictably as ever, we started getting dozens of hits from a certain part of the South. You see, we have this one competitor there (we’ll call them MegaTextbookCorp5000) who just HATES that we exist. They watch us like hawks. Before us, MegaTextbookCorp5000 had the textbook monopoly on hundreds of campuses.
Now, they will do anything to stay on top. They don’t care who they hurt.
In the early days of BookFool, one of their vice-presidents came to visit us and try to sell us their software for pricing books. We asked what happens if we want to expand into a town where MegaTextbookCorp5000 already sponsors the local bookstore. With a sly grin, vice-president said that we could expand wherever we want, just as long as we didn’t tell anyone that we were using MegaTextbookCorp5000′s software.
When really they're about as threatening as this! (cc) flickr user machoroboraza
They’re not even loyal to their own bookstores! They just want as many books as they can get. And yet they still ask their bookstores to do their dirty work.
Send in the Goons
This week MegaTextbookCorp5000 went looking for a hitman in each town where we’re holding a buyback. They sent their bookstores in those towns a list of lies about us and told them to visit each of our Locations with that list, trying to turn them against us.
Our locations were all told the same thing. That MegaTextbookCorp5000 would pay more rent, would keep the books locally, and more. But guess what? They saw right through it! Chiefly, our locations found it ironic that MegaTextbookCorp5000 suddenly cares a lot about their small business, whereas before BookFool came along, MegaTextbookCorp5000 didn’t even know they existed.
Lies, Lies, Lies
Here are some of the lies they spread, followed by the Foolish Truth:
Lie 1) We hurt the students.
Foolish Truth: If it’s hurting students to give them a second opinion on their used book values, then I guess we’re guilty.
BookFool will make it rain!
Lie 2) We hurt the local economy.
Foolish Truth: Again, if it hurts the local economy to inject thousands of dollars of cash into it every semester … guilty! We also hire workers locally, pay rent to your favorite local shop owners, and help drive more business to them.
Lie 3) MegaTextbookCorp5000 will pay you more in rent if you kick out BookFool.com.
Foolish Truth: Our shop owners told them, “Good luck with that! Will MegaTextbookCorp5000 also bring in hundreds of happy students every semester? Will you advertise my shop to thousands of students for me? And just how long will this relationship last? Until BookFool has moved to another location? No thanks! I’ve made my choice.”
MegaTextbookCorp5000 doesn’t want a relationship. They didn’t even care that our shops existed until we showed an interest in them.
Lie 4) The books they buy don’t even stay in this town.
Foolish Truth: Well, neither do yours! Did you know that 99% of “local” off-campus bookstores have partnered with a wholesaler who takes the books they buy back to their Headquarters (i.e. out of your town) to sell from there?
They act like textbooks are really hard to come by these days. Have they ever heard of the internet? Would you rather buy your book today and pay $120, or have it arrive in two days and spend only $72? I know which option MegaTextbookCorp5000 would prefer!
Lie 5) We’re a HUGE company with locations everywhere.
Foolish Truth: Actually, there are five of us. Well, nine if you count the babies. We are buying back at over 20 locations this semester, but we come by that growth honestly. By keeping our own costs low and selling back online, we’re able to pass those savings along to you in the form of more money for your used books.
Why so scared?
Why are they so scared of us? Don’t they know the sure-fire trick to beat us every time? It’s not silly shenanigans. It’s simple: GIVE BETTER PRICES!
It's a textbook revolution! (cc) flickr user seven_resist
MegaTextbookCorp5000 is scared because they know they can’t give better prices. They’ve built a giant network of wholesalers and middlemen who all get a cut of your money. They have to pay rent on all those stores. And they don’t understand the internet and how smart technology can lower prices for everybody!
They’re so scared, in fact, that their actions might just be illegal. Defamation. Anti-competitive behavior. It’s artificial competition, and it’s shameful. (Did I mention they once snuck into our warehouse to spy on us? We found them wandering the stacks, taking notes.)
Students Unite!
Students, it’s time to unite against Tyranny and drive out the liars! There’s only one way to overturn a monopoly: Options, choices, and the freedom to choose.
Help us continue to be your second opinion: Tell your friends there’s a new way to buy and sell your books at BookFool.com
