Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the latest blog post from the Amazon Books Team is raising eyebrows within the publishing industry due to its use of a partial quote from George Orwell in support of its cause.We have made Amazon many millions of dollars and over the years have contributed so much, free of charge, to the company by way of cooperation, joint promotions, reviews and blogs.This is no way to treat a business partner. Nor is it the right way to treat your friends. Without taking sides on the contractual dispute between Hachette and Amazon, we encourage Amazon in the strongest possible terms to stop harming the livelihood of the authors on whom it has built its business.With it being so inexpensive and with so many more people able to afford to buy and read books, you would think the literary establishment of the day would have celebrated the invention of the paperback, yes? Nope. Instead, they dug in and circled the wagons.They believed low cost paperbacks would destroy literary culture and harm the industry (not to mention their own bank accounts). Many bookstores refused to stock them, and the early paperback publishers had to use unconventional methods of distribution places like newsstands and... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #status quo #penguin books #market share #big businesses #reading public

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Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad

Compares Hachette dispute to past paperback fears, but partially quoting George Orwell is a risky moveAmazon has hit back following an open letter from more than 900 authors criticising its licensing dispute with publisher Hachette, which was published as an ad in the New York Times.However, the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #status quo #penguin books #market share #big businesses #reading public


Amazon Returns Fire: The Battle With Hachette and Authors United Continues

Amazon has responded to an open letter by Authors United, signed by 900-plus authors in support of Hachette, with their own open letter, Readers United. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #authors united #open letter


Amazon wins EU ebook pricing battle with Apple and major book publishers

The European Union has accepted an offer from Apple and four major publishers to reduce pricing restrictions on content offered at Amazon and other book-sellers. After being caught out by the EU, we heard that the offer was likely to be adopted last month, and the commission has now confirmed... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon-Dissenting Authors Form 'Authors United'

As HBG's dispute with the e-tailer continues, authors are starting to prepare for the long haul by forming their own organization. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In London and New York, Authors’ Trade Groups Hail Amazon’s Change on Self-Service Ebook Returns

Amazon's change reportedly will prevent a self-service return of a Kindle ebook for a full refund if a consumer has read more than 10 percent of the text. The post In London and New York, Authors’ Trade Groups Hail Amazon’s Change on Self-Service Ebook Returns appeared first on Publishing... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-09-22 19:04:47 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing launches first UK ad campaign for celeb author

Amazon Publishing is launching its first ever ad campaign for a celebrity in the UK, rolling out digital signage across 100 London bus stops for essay collection Nothing Like I Imagined by US actress Mindy Kaling. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-13 00:14:33 UTC ]
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Amazon to cut price of its ebooks to reflect removal of VAT

Chancellor drops 20% levy on online news subscriptions and books as industry strugglesAmazon has confirmed it will cut the price of its Kindle ebooks from Friday, after the government announced it would bring forward plans to stop charging VAT on online publications because of the pandemic.The... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-04-30 18:11:42 UTC ]
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Amazon's Naggar tells publishers to slash ebook prices

Amazon’s publishing chief David Naggar has said publishers should slash their ebook prices to 99p to sell more books. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2017-09-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How to get your Amazon credit from Apple's ebook price-fixing settlement

You might have a few extra dollars to spend on Amazon this week, all courtesy of Apple. On Tuesday, Amazon started issuing refunds as part of Apple’s price-fixing settlement. If you purchased a qualifying ebook from Amazon, you will be automatically receiving credits in your account. All you... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2016-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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At Authors United Event, a Call to Bust Amazon 'Monopoly'

If Amazon’s business practices continue unchecked the result could be a “nuclear winter” for book publishing, said Smashwords founder Mark Coker during a Jan. 27 event called Amazon’s Book Monopoly—A Threat to Freedom of Expression? Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Winter Institute 11: Authors United Still Wants DoJ Probe of Amazon

“The central problem is still with us,” Authors United founder Douglas Preston said, referring to Amazon, at a Winter Institute session called Authors, Agents, and Booksellers--United for a Fair Marketplace. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United to Host Amazon Discussion

The author advocacy group critical of Amazon known as Authors United has joined with the Authors Guild to host a discussion about the retailer’s power and influence in the book trade. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United event to discuss Amazon's 'misuse of power'

Campaign group Authors United is set to hold an event to discuss Amazon’s “enormous market power” and the "misuse" of that power, in Washington DC next week. The event, to be held on Wednesday 27th January at the New American Foundation, is entitled Amazon's Book Monopoly: A Threat to Freedom... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United asks DOJ for Amazon probe

Campaign group Authors United has written to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to ask it to investigate Amazon, which it says has “gained unprecedented power over America’s market for books”. The letter, signed by 575 authors including Scott Turow, Nelson DeMille and Nora Roberts and submitted... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #investigate amazon #nelson demille #nora roberts


Amazon hints at ebook price hike on Jan 1st

Amazon has warned that ebook prices will rise come January following a change in VAT law in an email to self-published authors. On 1st January Amazon will “make a one-time adjustment to convert VAT-exclusive list prices provided to us to VAT-inclusive list prices” resulting in a rise in the list... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-12-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ebook prices #self-published authors #list price


Douglas Preston on Amazon, Authors United, and What’s Next

Throughout the months-long dispute between Amazon and Hachette over ebook sales terms, Douglas Preston was one of the most outspoken authors on the matter. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon and Hachette call a truce in their ebook pricing war

Well, that was anticlimactic. Online retail titan Amazon and the publisher Hachette have been sniping at each other for months because they couldn't see eye to eye on how much ebooks should cost (and how much revenue Amazon should get off of them).... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon agrees ebook pricing deal

Online retailer Amazon reaches a deal with publisher Simon & Schuster over the pricing of ebooks. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors United Preparing New Amazon Initiative

The group of more than 900 authors will launch a new initiative, possibly next week. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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German-language Authors Join in Battle Against Amazon

Austrian, Swiss and German authors have sent an open letter of protest to Amazon, protesting the use of 'authors and their books as a bargaining chip to exact deeper discounts.' Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german authors #open letter