The article’s author did a poor job of explaining the issue, and explaining the courts decision’s potential implications. She went for the sensationalist approach, I think.
Textbook publishers often have cheaper versions of their books for sale in developing countries that have identical contents, but sell for a fraction of what they do in the US. In this case, a Thai student bought and imported a large amount of these books from Thailand, then sold them via eBay, reportedly racking up $1.2 million (not clear whether that was gross sales or profit).
Even if the courts side with the publisher, the decision would have to do with circumventing regular distribution channels, and will have no effect whatsoever on any of us who occasionally buy or sell used stuff.