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

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Amazon ebook pricing battle intensifies after 'Authors United' ad'

Authors Pen Open Letter to Amazon About Hachette Dispute

Two weeks ago bestselling author Douglas Preston began quietly circulating a letter to other writers that encourages readers to write to Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-07-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Amazon slugs it out with the big publishers, authors are left cowering | Adam Fletcher & Paul Hawkins

And whoever comes out on top, you can bet the poor old writer won't be any better offA few weeks ago, we published a book called Denglisch for Better Knowers, a (hopefully) humorous book about how the English language could be improved by taking new words and concepts from German. Like "ear... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pinterest, a proven traffic driver, is now a customizable ad unit

Publishers looking beyond Facebook and Twitter for social media traffic growth are increasingly finding a compelling alternative in Pinterest. The post Pinterest, a proven traffic driver, is now a customizable ad unit appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon vs. Hachette: The Battle for the Future of Publishing

The outcome of the current Amazon/Hachette pricing war has implications for the entire publishing industry, Wharton experts and others say. Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton

[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2014-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple settles ebooks price-fixing class action lawsuit

The settlement brings an end to one of the biggest and longest-lasting legal cases of the ebook era. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple settles ebook price-fix case

The tech giant has agreed to settle a US legal action in which it was being sued over conspiring with publishers to fix ebook prices. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2014-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Settlement reached with states in Apple ebook price-fixing case

Apple has settled a portion of its ebook price-fixing case involving several state governments which were seeking up to $840 million on behalf of consumers. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2014-06-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Responsible for Huge Share of Hachette Ebook Sales

Amazon is responsible for 78% for Hachette ebook sales in the UK, and 60% in the United States — which makes the company especially vulnerable. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-06-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette lays off 3% of staff amid book prices row with Amazon

US publisher will cut staff as 'cost-saving initiative' while row with Amazon continues to hamper ability to sell booksHachette, the multinational book publisher embroiled in a public spat with Amazon, announced that it will be laying off about 3% of its staff on Thursday."Today, we had to make... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Indie booksellers join Hachette's battle with Amazon

Shops launch 'I didn't buy it on Amazon' sticker campaign, rallying customers and authors including JK RowlingIndependent booksellers in America are weighing into the dispute between Amazon and Hachette with a series of banners telling potential customers "Thanks, Amazon, the indies will take it... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hachette US: Amazon actions 'affect authors' lives'

Hachette Book Group in the US has continued the public discussion of its terms battle with Amazon... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon halts sales of some Hachette books as publishing battle escalates

Hachette author Jeffery Deaver among those speaking out against Amazon's decision to stop selling certain Hachette titlesStray punches in a corporate slugfest knocked spectacles from authors noses and left readers with black eyes this week, after Amazon, the online retailer, stopped selling... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's customers get credits from ebook antitrust settlement

Customers of Amazon.com Inc. found credits in their inboxes Tuesday from the settlement of an antitrust lawsuit over ebook prices. Amazon, in a Customer FAQ posting on its website, said the credits are partial refunds and will be applied automatically to the accounts of those eligible: people... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-03-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon paying ebook settlement cash back to Kindle users

Remember that antitrust suit concerning publishers, ebooks and price rigging? The good news, at least if you bought one of the affected titles between April 2010 and May 2012, is that Amazon is sending some money your way. If the book you purchased... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Prices: Have Authors Lowballed Themselves?

This week Porter Anderson sets up an #EtherIssue discussion on the market implications of bargain-basement book prices and looks at Kobo's fight for Agency. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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More authors added to YALC lineup

Sally Green and Charlie Higson have joined the line-up for the UK's first YA literature... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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“Self-Published Authors = 50% of the EBook Market by 2020″

Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords, has made the prediction that self-published books will account for 50% of ebook sales by 2020. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Prime price jumps to $99 per year

Amazon is tacking $20 onto the price of its Amazon Prime service, bringing the yearly cost to $99.This is the first price hike for Amazon Prime since it was introduced nine years ago. The service originally included just free two-day shipping on most orders, but has since expanded to offer Prime... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2014-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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