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Unfortunately piracy is rampant mow especially on online platforms. As the industry prepares its own response to this large scale organized crime, as a consumer on the caveat emptor principle, you should be aware of this and try to safeguard yourself.
Anti-piracy alerts: All genuine Hachette reprints carry a four level hologram (with Hachette logo and a unique serial number) on the back cover, as an identifier of authenticity. Buy only from genuine resellers.
SAY NO TO PIRACY
In line with global Hachette policy, Hachette India only uses responsibly sourced and sustainable paper, as is confirmed on every printed book. Please be sure that you get a genuine product. Say No to piracy.
Unfortunately a lot of counterfeit books are pirated and sold both online (by unscrupulous pirates masquerading as market place vendors) as well as on the street. These sales –often at suspiciously low prices— have a number of problems.
- First and foremost they are illegal. These copies are intellectual property theft (no different from stealing a bag or car o any other object)
- They deprive the author of their rightful livelihood and earnings,
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They hit the publisher’s revenues impacting their ability to be able to invest in more authors and books that are vitally needed to further any knowledge economy
- Counterfeiters pay no taxes or duties and thereby impact the economy
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They do not comply with basic manufacturing standards for the health and safety of workers or product quality and performance
- “piracy is not a victimless crime” : Revenues from piracy have been found to go to fund organized crime and even terrorism.
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This page is about physical books but digital piracy (electronic books or illegal pdfs being circulated) is also a crime the same way
HOW TO IDENTIFY A PIRATED PRODUCT- GENERAL POINTERS
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Pirated/counterfeit products are generally made with no attention to quality, so most of them are identifiable as fake from the quality of paper and printing
- Often the price is suspiciously low
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There may be typos (errors of spelling and grammar) in the cover or blurb
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The pages may be badly mis-cut or smudgy or with sections missing
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Even where the printing is seemingly better, there is a second step to identify pirated books—the hologram on the back cover.
HACHETTE INDIA ANTI-PIRACY MARKER: THE MULTI-LEVEL HOLOGRAM
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All our reprinted books (especially bestsellers) have a multi-level hologram that cannot be counterfeited
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The hologram will not be a shiny flat sticker (which is what it will look at of someone attempts to put a fake metallic sticker) but will have holographic properties and depth where multiple elements will be visible:
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Like an embossed and kinetic effect,
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The Hachette India logo will be evident as a full visible element
- There will be a Guilloche pattern (a type of decorative engraving similar to those done on a watch dial or a case/caseback)
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There will be Microtext where you will be able to read multiple elements like Hachette original or genuine
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There will be unique serial numbers
There are at least 6-7 other elements (which will be visible to a trained eye or scanner only), but the above will serve for a quick spot check.
DEALING WITH PIRACY. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU”VE GOT A PIRATED COPY
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Ideally check your package when you get it and don’t accept it. But if you have and are sure its pirated, return it immediately to the platform reporting the seller.
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In your complaint to the platform, report the seller attaching the invoice as proof of purchase and ask for legal action against the seller
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If it’s a Hachette book, please copy us in also (cc feedback@hachetteindia.com and that will enable us to build our case in conversations with platforms)
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Also use the simple principle – if an offer price sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Unless there is a seasonal sale or promotion being run by the platform itself, unusually low prices are the first red flag.
- Buy only from reputed resellers on online platforms. Some of them where we’ve verified stock are Cocoblu Retail, BOOKNETZ, Browsers' Lounge, GOODREAD BOOKSTORE, uRead-Store, A MINDS BOOKSTORE, Repro Books-On-Demand, Bargain Books, Crossword Bookstores Private Limited, Gangarams, S R Store, R Sons, SRBOOKWORLD, Nishu Books, BSC Publishers & Distributors, Book Selection Centre, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, All India Book House, Peacock books, Eureka Books!, A P Store, Rsons Book Dist, Amazingbuy, Classic Book Store, Monobo books, Amaze Books, Sunrise Books, SSN, Storydea Publishing LLP, Mittal Books , Mi Books, Mittal books india, The Bookhive, Trans Infopreneur Inc, The Land of Stories, Read.Books
Get your money’s worth. Support writers. Buy original and genuine books only.
