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How To Purchase
More detailed information on how our sales work.
Purchasing
Purchasing Lyra’s Books Editions
Our books are produced in strictly limited editions, often in quantities of only a few hundred copies. Because demand can sometimes be considerably greater than the number of books available, we use a system designed to give everyone a fair opportunity to purchase our editions.
Rather than offering our books through live, first-come, first-served sales, we instead use two systems: Rights and Purchase Registration.
Rights are dealt with first. Existing Rights Holders are given the first opportunity to purchase their corresponding copy of a new edition. Any copies that remain after the Rights period are then offered through Purchase Registration.
If you have never encountered Rights before, don’t worry. The two systems are explained below as simply as possible.
Rights
What Are Rights?
Rights are attached to certain copies of our editions and give the owner priority when the next book in the same imprint is published.
Rights are completely free. You don't buy them and there is no additional charge for having them.
If you own a copy with Rights, you will be given the opportunity to purchase the corresponding copy of the next book before it is offered to the general public.
For example, if you own Numbered copy 42 with Rights, you will be offered Numbered copy 42 of the next book in the same imprint.
Lettered Rights work in the same way, allowing the owner to keep the same letter from one book to the next.
Not every Numbered copy has Rights. This allows us to keep some copies available for customers who are new to Lyra's Books.
Rights are specific to each imprint, so Rights to a Lyra's Classics book do not give you Rights to a Lyra's Press book, and vice versa.
Purchase Registration
What is Purchase Registration?
Purchase Registration is simply a way of telling us:
“I would like to buy this book.”
It is a registration made with a genuine intention to purchase. You don’t pay anything when you register, and you are not buying the book at this stage.
Once the Rights period for an edition has ended, any remaining copies are offered through Purchase Registration. If there are more registrations than copies available, registrants are selected at random.
When registration opens, you will be able to submit your name and email address through a form on the book’s page. The registration period will usually be open for 48 hours.
If your registration is selected, we will contact you by email and let you know whether you have been offered a Rights or Non-Rights copy. You can then decide whether you would like to proceed with your purchase.
Purchase Registration was formerly known as a “Lottery”. We changed the name because we felt that “Lottery” suggested that people were winning or losing something. Purchase Registration is simply a fair way of allocating a limited number of books when demand is greater than supply.
You are not obligated to purchase a copy if your registration is selected, but we kindly ask that you only register if you genuinely intend and are able to purchase the book. This helps us get copies to people who really want them and avoids unnecessary work for everyone involved.
How does it all work?
It's quite simple
1. A New Edition Is Announced
When a new book is announced, we first contact the existing Rights Holders for that particular imprint and edition.
2. Rights Holders Are Offered Their Corresponding Copy
If you are a Rights Holder, you will be given the first opportunity to purchase the corresponding number or letter in the new edition.
You can choose whether or not to take up the offer.
3. Rights That Are Not Used Become Available
If a Rights Holder chooses not to purchase their copy, that copy becomes available to other customers through Purchase Registration.
If you do not take up your Rights, you lose them and the corresponding number or letter can be allocated to another customer.
4. Purchase Registration Opens
Once the Rights period has ended, all remaining copies are offered through Purchase Registration.
There is one registration per household for each edition.
5. Registrants Are Selected
If there are more registrations than copies available, registrants are selected at random.
If there are enough copies for everyone who registers, everyone will be offered a copy.
6. Selected Registrants Are Contacted
If your registration is selected, we will email you, usually within 48 hours of the registration closing.
The email will tell you whether you have been offered a Rights or Non-Rights copy and ask whether you would like to proceed with your purchase.
You will have 48 hours to respond. If we do not hear from you within that time, your copy will be offered to another customer.
7. Any Remaining Copies Are Offered For Direct Purchase
If copies remain after the Purchase Registration process has been completed, we may make them available to purchase directly through the website.