Fraudulent Trading in Personal Subscriptions
In recent years the practice of ordering personal subscriptions on behalf of individuals and then reselling them to libraries has become a significant issue for publishers, agents and librarians alike. It is likely this practice goes on in all markets, in all parts of the worls, to a greater or lesser degree. The practice does not just harm the publishers, who clearly lose considerable sums as a result, it also seriously damages reputable subscription agents' business since legitimate businesses cannot hope to compete with others who buy at personal rates and sell at institutional rates, given the price difference between the two.
Sarah Durrant, Secretary General of the ASA stated "This fraudulent practice has a major impact on the whole scholarly and professional information supply chain which is why we ensure all ASA Members sign up to the ASA Guidelines which specifically prohibit this practice. We would like to make publishers and libraries aware of our guidelines and the fact that only ASA members guarantee good practice in this area, with the full backing of their trade association."