> Would there be more money in it, or is the market already earning as much as it's going to earn, and the used books have no impact? This would have a pretty

> Would there be more money in it, or is the market already earning as much as it's going to earn, and the used books have no impact? This would have a pretty huge impact on the publishing industry. Traditional publishers make a ton of money on their backlist – perennial best-sellers like "Catcher in the Rye". These books are great for publishers because production costs are covered and the cost of sale is low (no marketing, book ends, book tours, etc..), and is part of the reason why legacy publishers like Penguin Random House are still such strong companies. Allowing publishers to completely control the market for these books (no competition from used book sellers) would be hugely beneficial for them; it would make their most lucrative titles even more so. I'm a little surprised they don't try to do this. They could set up their own used book operation so they can corner the market for their titles.