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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Children's Book Authors Feted at Shanghai Children's Book Fair

On the last day of the inaugural China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), held from November 7-9, the winners of the Golden Pinwheel Awards were announced. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing: More Than Bricks-and-Mortar

Daphne Durham, who is stepping into the role of publisher for Amazon’s adult trade and children’s imprints as Larry Kirshbaum departs, said the company is “delighted” with the sales performance of the unit’s titles to date. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-11-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Study: Booze Industry Breaks its Own Underage Ad Rules

The alcohol industry has violated its own rules aimed at keeping booze ads away from under-age viewers, government and university researchers allege in a new report.Beer and liquor marketers have since 2003 pledged to show ads only on TV programs, magazines and web sites where adult viewers... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2013-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon's Source program invites indie stores to sell Kindles

Amazon's new program invites indies to sell Kindles and receive a commission from ebooks bought by their customers (if the store is eligible). Many stores are unimpressed, with one bookstore worker likening the program to 'being complicit in your execution.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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C&R partners with ValoBox for ebook gifting

Constable & Robinson (C&R) and pay-as-you-go ebook service ValoBox have partnered to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon and Facebook: Family members speak out

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos's wife MacKenzie defends Bezos and Amazon, while Facebook CEO Mark Zuckberg's sister Randi expresses ambivalence about social media. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon US offers Kindle deal to indies

Amazon.com is offering independent booksellers the opportunity to sell Kindle e-readers. The... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon to Let Independent Bookstores Sell Kindles and Gives Them a Cut of E-Book Sales

Amazon, which has been blamed in part for the decline of independent bookstores, said it has a new program called Amazon Source to allow them and other retailers to resell Kindle devices and accessories, and also give them 10 percent on every ebook bought on them for two years. "With Amazon... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-11-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jeff Bezos's Wife Gave The Tell–All Amazon Book A One–Star Review

"I find way too many inaccuracies," MacKenzie Bezos writes in a critical Amazon.com review of a new book about the company her husband founded.The vast majority of the 45 Amazon.com customers who have reviewed Bloomberg Businessweek writer Brad Stone's new book, The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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98 British publishers folded last year due to ebooks, discounts

Closures were up 42% over the previous year, according to the Guardian. The companies that folded included the 26-year-old healthcare publisher Panos London and Evans Brothers.Ninety-eight British publishers closed their doors in the year ending August 2013. The cause? E-books and online discounts. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ether for Authors: Can Turning Publishing Into a Competition Pay?

Our weekly round-up of web buzz looks at Italy's RCS Libri / Rizzoli Lab effort in co-publishing; self-publishing in Germany; author contracts; and more. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon discounts select Kindles in celebration of recent FAA decision

You just know Amazon's been waiting forever for this cheeky product discount. But heck, if it means not having to buy a $20 Dan Brown book before rushing to catch a flight, we'll take it. In celebration of the FAA easing its personal electronic device restrictions (not to mention Delta and... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon intros Kindle First for those who can't wait a month for the new Gloria Gaynor book

Waiting another month for that new inspirational Gloria Gaynor book? You'll survive, most likely -- but just in case, Amazon's debuting a new program called Kindle First. Customers can get early access to new titles for $1.99 - or for free, if they're a member of the exclusive club that is... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2013-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The B-to-B Benefits of Pursuing Mobile Ad Sales

When the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released its “IAB Internet Advertising Report” in October 2013, one thing was clear: While digital remained strong, it was mobile that was quickly becoming a powerhouse. According to the report, in the first half of 2013, total mobile revenues surged... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Great Digital Content Pricing Experiment

By Ellen Harvey With the prevalence of free online content, many readers have become reluctant customers, leaving publishers puzzling over how to monetize their greatest asset. Yet the same technologies (the web,... Continue reading at Publishing Executive

[ Publishing Executive | 2013-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Why is the Ebook Business So Out of Sync with Consumers?

Confusing licensing rules, walled gardens, limited bundling, subscriptions, and library borrowing, buggy platforms. Why do we put up with this ebook nonsense? Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HarperCollins goes direct-to-consumer for global ebook sales

HarperCollins has begun selling ebooks direct to consumers through new brand-specific websites,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon MatchBook makes a big push for print book buyers to go digital

Amazon MatchBook, which lets customers who've previously bought the print edition of a book from Amazon score a digital copy on the cheap, is now open for business. Months in the making, the new service is a bold plan by Amazon to convert the world's stacks and stacks of books into digital... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2013-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon launches literary magazine

Amazon.com has launched two new initiatives for its US customers – a digital literary... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-10-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon releases MatchBook for Kindle

It has been nearly two months since online retail giant Amazon announced its MatchBook feature for Kindle, complimenting the previously unveiled Autorip service for music. Now, the company finally shows the feature the light of day, unveiling MatchBook availability effective today. If you aren't... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2013-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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