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 bundles print and ebooks

Amazon is to offer US shoppers the ability to obtain digital copies of previously purchased printed books for free or at a discount. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2013-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon unveils MatchBook; service isn't money saver for ebook buyers

Now when you buy a print book from Amazon, you might be able to get a cheap ebook version of the same title.     Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-09-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches Kindle Matchbook: discounted ebooks for those who own the hard copy

When Amazon launched AutoRip, we looked at our bookshelves and wished that us readers would get something similar. Fortunately, the company had the same idea, and is now announcing Kindle Matchbook. In short, if you've bought one of 10,000 selected titles from Amazon, you'll be entitled to snag... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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New Doctor Who ebook author revealed

Comedian and writer Charlie Higson is confirmed as the latest name to pen a short story celebrating the BBC sci-fi series. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Kindle MatchBook turns past print purchases into low-cost ebooks

It's yet another step in Amazon's merging of the physical and digital worlds—and another ploy for platform lock-in. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to drop Marketplace price parity

Amazon is to drop a clause banning third party Marketplace traders across the EU from offering... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Overstock.com says it will match Amazon's book prices – from now on

Following a promotion in which the site sold books at 10 percent off Amazon's prices, Overstock.com says it will now match Amazon prices for books. And it's not a temporary measure. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon imprint holds author conference

Amazon imprint Thomas & Mercer is flying authors out to a party and conference in Seattle... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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DOJ defends Apple ebook price fixing injunction, says publishers had it easy

The US Department of Justice isn't buying publishers' arguments that proposed injunctions against Apple for alleged ebook price fixing are excessive and contradictory. DOJ attorney Lawrence Buterman claims in a response letter that the penalties against Apple are necessarily harsher, since it... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-08-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Busy Negotiating First Russian Ebook Contracts

Amazon has contracted Rosman to supply its first ebook titles for sale in Russia. For now, the retailer is concentrating on digital in lieu of establishing a Russian print supply chain. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Are Overstock.com and Amazon in a price war?

Overstock.com is offering 'tens of thousands' of books at '10 percent off Amazon's book prices.' Now Amazon has reduced the prices of many of its bestsellers by as much as 50 to 65 percent. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judge finds Apple went against anti-trust laws in ebook price-fixing case

US District Judge Denise Cote found that Apple was part of a conspiracy to increase ebook retail prices. An Apple spokesperson maintained that 'we've done nothing wrong.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple guilty of ebooks price fixing

Apple conspired with publishers to fix the price of electronic books, a US judge rules, but the company says it will appeal against the decision. Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple led conspiracy to raise prices of ebooks, federal judge rules

NEW YORK -- Apple Inc. conspired to raise the prices of ebooks, a judge ruled Wednesday morning, after a trial in which the Department of Justice accused the technology giant of aggressively pressuring publishers to raise prices and weaken Amazon.com.     Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple conspired to set ebook prices, judge finds

A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Apple conspired with publishers to set the prices of ebooks and "played a central role in facilitating and executing that conspiracy."A federal judge ruled Wednesday that Apple conspired with publishers to set the prices of ebooks. Apple, the judge found,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Judge rules Apple did fix ebook prices

A federal judge in America has ruled that Apple conspired to raise the retail prices of ebooks,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple violated antitrust law in ebook pricing

Apple Inc., the world's biggest technology company, violated antitrust law by engaging in a scheme to fix the prices of electronic books, a federal judge ruled in a suit brought by the U.S. government.U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, who tried the case without a jury, ruled against Apple in a... Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2013-07-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Latest Humble ebook Bundle lets you pick your own price for unicorns, Wheaton

For the next two weeks, you can snag four ebooks for whatever price you want with the second Humble ebook Bundle. As always, each contribution benefits whoever you prefer, be it the authors, charity, Humble itself or a combination of the three. If you want access to all six books, as per the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple e-mails are at the center of the DOJ ebook price-fixing trial

The Justice Department’s ebook price fixing trial – alleging that Apple conspired to raise ebook prices – is scheduled to end this week. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-06-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Anger over authors’ website links to Amazon

Several publishers and authors have told The Bookseller that they are in the process of changing... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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