If a physical book has been added with a verified ISBN/barcode, users should not be able to change the book’s format, cover image, or other edition-specific details in a way that turns it into a different edition, such as changing a physical book to an ebook.

Once it has been confirmed that the ISBN and barcode correspond to the actual physical edition listed, those details should be locked or protected from being overwritten. This is important for those of us using the app to track the books we actually own, not just the general book title.

There is also an issue when trying to add a physical copy that is genuinely a different edition. For example, two copies of the same book may have different ISBNs, covers, publishers, page counts, or publication details. If one ISBN has already been incorrectly linked to another edition, it can prevent users from adding their actual copy because Hardcover treats the ISBN as belonging to the existing edition (not as that editions ISBN, but under the external mapping linked to an edition. There is no way to remove it from that edition it is attached to so that you can actually add the correct edition and cover, etc with the correct isbn.)

Ideally, each unique ISBN/barcode should represent the specific edition it belongs to, with its own cover, publisher, page count, format, publication date, etc. Users should then be able to add their actual physical copy even when another edition of the same book already exists. Of course in most cases you can, but as I’m trying to continue to scan my books in (I have over 400 so unfortunately this is a very slow process on this app) I am finding more and more that I get stuck on because of this.

This would make the collection feature much more accurate and far less frustrating for people who are trying to track the physical books they actually own.