Can a one-size-fits-all, low-price, consumer-dominated sales model support a diverse, innovative, challenging literary output?It is either an existential threat to intellectual freedom or a rustbelt media industry meeting its comeuppance at the hands of disruptive technology. The battle between the multibillion-dollar publisher Hachette (and now the Scandinavian publisher Bonnier) and the even more multibillion-dollar Amazon is usually discussed in high-minded tones, particularly by publishers and their authors. But at heart, it is merely another collision between producers and consumers that has a particular significance only if you ascribe a value to books as cultural artefacts. It is perfectly possible, instead of Hachette and Amazon, and the 900 writers who took out a two-page ad in the New York Times to protest, to substitute supermarkets, dairy farmers and the price of milk.Although books account for only 7% of the sales of the Everything store, Amazon sells a lot of them. In particular it has 60% of the ebook market. It believes a flat-rate sales price for new books and bestsellers delivers higher sales and bigger profits. Hachette disagrees. Amazon is forcing the issue by disadvantaging Hachette books (no buy button, no discounts and so on). Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2014-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#two-page ad
#ebook market
#buy button
Some 'old guard' authors are joining forces in a letter criticizing Amazon, even as a cluster of self-published authors is rallying around Amazon, charging that traditional publishers like Hachette mistreat authors and readers. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#self-published authors
#joining forces
#traditional publishers
One one side are established authors including Stephen King, John Grisham and James Patterson. On the other side are self-published authors. They're taking sides in the weeks-old dispute between Amazon.com Inc. and Hachette Book Group. King, Grisham and Patterson have signed their names to a... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#amazon-hachette dispute
#john grisham
#james patterson
#self-published authors
#taking sides
Amazon senior vice president of Kindle content Russ Grandinetti told The Wall Street Journal that Amazon is acting 'in the long term interest of our customers.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-07-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#amazon speaks
#publisher hachette
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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hachette dispute
#encourages readers
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 ]
More news stories like this |
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 ]
More news stories like this |
Amazon has a 78% market share of Hachette Livre ebook titles in the UK and a 60% share in the US... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2014-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#book publisher
#changing marketplace
#future growth
The Amazon-Hachette dispute has dominated conversation in both the industry and the wider culture for the past month. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-06-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#amazon-hachette dispute
#wider culture
#past month
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 ]
More news stories like this |
Amazon.com's negotiations with publisher Hachette Books Group have sparked a wave of anger toward the e-commerce giant from authors and readers alike. Several authors and analysts have spoken out, saying Amazon is a threat to traditional publishers. Perhaps. But whatever is going on in the... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2014-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hate amazon
#traditional publishers
#e-commerce giant
Amazon said of its delays on and lack of availability of Hachette titles, 'Unfortunately, despite much work from both sides, we have been unable to reach mutually-acceptable agreement on terms.... we are not optimistic that this will be resolved soon.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hachette dispute
#hachette titles
Amazon and Hachette are reportedly at odds over terms for ebook prices, at a time when Amazon is in a position of strength and vulnerability. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#hachette dispute
#ebook prices
Amazon.com Inc. said it is "not optimistic" that a dispute with publisher Hachette Book Group will be resolved soon and added that it is acting "on behalf of customers." The comments, which Amazon... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York
[ Crains New York | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Show-goers have been impressed with BookExpo America 2014 so far, saying it's one of the most exciting and energetic in recent years. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
While the bookseller and publisher are battling over mundane business specifics, the state of publishing hangs in the balance. Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2014-05-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Row between world's largest distributor of books and publisher over ebook royalties shows no sign of being resolvedAmazon has advised readers to buy from other retailers after breaking its silence over a high-profile dispute with the publisher Hachette, which has drawn in the British authors Ian... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#publisher hachette
#largest distributor
#jk rowling
#third-party sellers
Dispute has also dragged in authors including JK Rowling and James PattersonIt is another mystery for inspector Rebus to solve. Why is Amazon UK selling Saints of the Shadow Bible, the latest instalment of Ian Rankin's best-selling series about the Edinburgh sleuth, for half the price being... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ian rankin
#cover price
#latest instalment
Amazon.com said it is "not optimistic" that a dispute with publisher Hachette Book Group will be resolved soon and added that it is acting "on behalf of customers."The comments, which Amazon made yesterday in an online post, are the first extensive remarks by the world's largest online retailer... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2014-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#past week
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 ]
More news stories like this |