# Amazon hatchets Hachette



## "Roger" (May 24, 2014)

This is just one of numerous articles on how Amazon is undercutting the sales of Hachette books in order to force Hachette to give Amazon a bigger share of its profits.  In short, Amazon has

Claimed that some Hachette books cannot be delivered for several weeks.
Posted messages on some book sites that readers might prefer to read some other book.
Refused to take preorders on Hachette books.  (This might not seem like a big deal, but since preorders are sent out on one day, it puts some books on the best seller list for the week spurring copious further orders.)
I am fairly sure that this will not hurt authors like JK Rowlings (whose forthcoming book mysteriously is not available for pre-order), but other writers like the one featured in the linked article are going to be hurt enormously.


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## MULTIZ321 (May 24, 2014)

As Roger said there's a plethora of articles discussing this issue.

Here's another one: Chasing Price Break, Amazon Makes Buying Books from Hachette Hard - by Casey Johnston/ Media Innovation/ ArsTechnica.com

Hachette finds itself at the hand of Amazon's wrath over contract negotiations.

As of this posting there are 201 Reader Comments.


Richard


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## VegasBella (May 24, 2014)

Eh, I can't sympathize too much with publishers. They are in a dying business, merely middlemen between authors and book sellers. They take far too big a cut for what they do. Most authors these days would do  better taking their content directly to Amazon and bypassing the traditional publishers entirely.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## wackymother (May 24, 2014)

From James Patterson: 



> Read four of the most important paragraphs I'll ever write.
> May 13, 2014
> 125
> 
> ...


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## MULTIZ321 (May 25, 2014)

As Publishers Fight Amazon, Books Vanish - by David Streitfeld and Melissa Eddy/ E-Commerce/ Bits/ The New York Times.com

"Amazon’s power over the publishing and bookselling industries is unrivaled in the modern era. Now it has started wielding its might in a more brazen way than ever before..."





Screenshot via Amazon
As of Friday morning, the paperback edition of Brad Stone’s “The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon” — a book Amazon disliked so much it denounced it — was listed as “unavailable.”


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (May 25, 2014)

Amazon's Tactics Confirm Its' Critics Suspicions - by Farhad Manjoo/ State of the Art/ Bits/ Blogs/ The New York Times.com

"Amazon is confirming its critics’ worst fears and it is an ugly spectacle to behold..."


Richard


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## laura1957 (May 27, 2014)

and on the other side...

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/dail...t-would-be-the-book-publishers-160922647.html


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## MULTIZ321 (May 31, 2014)

How the Amazon-Hachette Fight Could Shape the Future of Ideas - by Jeremy Greenfeld/ Business/ TheAtlantic.com

"While the bookseller and publisher are battling over mundane business specifics, the state of publishing hangs in the balance..."






Reuters


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (May 31, 2014)

How Book Publishers Can Beat Amazon - by Bob Kohn/ The Opinion Pages - Op-Ed Contributor/ The New York Times.com

"AMAZON has caused no small controversy of late by refusing to accept presale orders on books to be released by the publisher Hachette and by understocking Hachette’s titles. These punitive maneuvers, which follow a dispute between Amazon and Hachette about e-book contracts, have led to significant delays in shipments of Hachette’s books to Amazon’s customers.

If you are wondering why Amazon would subject its customers to this inconvenience and wish to understand what’s really happening between Amazon and Hachette — and, indeed, all the major book publishers — you need to know the meaning of the word monopsony...







Jennifer Heuer; Photograph by byllwill/Getty Images 



Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 7, 2014)

Amazon Appears to be Re-Stocking Formerly Blocked Hachette Titles - by Sarah Gray/ Salon.com

"Several books published by Hachette have been restored, despite the publishing group's feud with Amazon 

Amazon appears to be slackening its hold on the publishing group Hachette, according to The Huffington Post. Certain titles, which were originally listed as out of stock, or had prices raised have been restored..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 7, 2014)

'We are All Hachette Now' is More Complicated for Small Publishers - by Amy Weiss-Meyer/ Amazon/ TheNewRepublic.com

"Independent presses have a mixed relationship with Amazon.

A publisher at last week's Book Expo America joked that “we're all Hachette now.” With the publishing house locked in a very public battle with Amazon, there’s a notion that it represents all publishers who sell their books on the online marketplace. But “we’re all Hachette” is a bit more complicated for small presses..."


Richard


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## siesta (Jun 8, 2014)

I'm not sure if any of you watch The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, but he ripped Amazon a new one (He is an author with Hachette).  Classic stuff, he always cracks me up.

http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/ukf9gv/amazon-vs--hachette

(There is a 10 second ipad air advertisement before video loads)


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## "Roger" (Jun 12, 2014)

Amazon targets Warner Bros. NY Times

"The Everything Store is shrinking again. Amazon customers who want to order forthcoming Warner Home Video features, including “The Lego Movie,” “300: Rise of an Empire,” “Winter’s Tale” and “Transcendence,” are finding it impossible to do so."


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 20, 2014)

Latest Victim of Amazon-Hachette Fight:J.K. Rowling - by Brian Stelter/ Money/CNN.com

"Try pointing the Amazon Fire phone at J.K. Rowling's new novel "The Silkworm," and see what happens.

The phone's cameras recognize millions of products and allow people to place orders with the click of a button through Amazon's sprawling online store. But the promise of instant gratification is at odds with Amazon's battle with Hachette, publisher of "The Silkworm" and thousands of other books.

"The Silkworm," released Thursday, is expected to be one of the best-selling books of the year. Rowling, best known for the "Harry Potter" series, wrote it under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. The book is a sequel to "The Cuckoo's Calling," the No. 3 adult book on Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) last year.

But "The Silkworm" is being hindered by the online retailer. Instead of being available in one to two days, as most new books are, Amazon says the hardcover edition "usually ships within 1 to 2 months." The e-book edition is not available at all..."


Richard

P.S. Although now I see that the Associated Press is reporting "The Silkworm" is available on Amazon but haven't checked to see if that's true.


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## "Roger" (Jun 20, 2014)

MULTIZ321 said:


> [P.S. Although now I see that the Associated Press is reporting "The Silkworm" is available on Amazon but haven't checked to see if that's true.


Here is a nice article from across the pond which confirms that Amazon is relenting on this one title.

In summary, Amazon was facing too much consumer backlash with regard to the Rowling book and has relented. So, from Amazon's perspective, they are big enough (have enough of a strangle hold on the book market) to eventually force Hachette to capitulate, but Rowling is too big for them to tackle.

From what I understand, Hachette has been the target simply because they were the first publisher whose contract came up.  It could get very interesting if Hachette holds out long enough that other publishers' contracts start coming up. Then it will no longer be divide and conquer.

Finally, as an aside, I started _The Silkworm _and am enjoying it very much.  I would advise, however, that someone read the earlier _The Cuckoo's Calling_ first.  The interaction between Robin and Strike is what really makes this series sparkle (more than the actual mysteries), and, you need to have read the earlier book to fully appreciate Robin.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 20, 2014)

Booksellers Score Some Points in Amazon's Spat With Hachette - by James B. Stewart/ Business Day/ The New York Times.com


"Robert Sindelar, the bearded, redheaded managing partner at the Seattle independent bookseller Third Place Books — definitely a David to Amazon’s Goliath — got the idea to take on Amazon while attending BookExpo America in New York a few weeks ago.

“As you can imagine, all anyone was talking about was the standoff between Hachette and Amazon,” he told me this week, referring to the much-publicized impasse in contentious negotiations between the publisher and the giant Internet bookseller. “I wanted to do something positive that would take advantage of this.”..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 20, 2014)

"Roger" said:


> Here is a nice article from across the pond which confirms that Amazon is relenting on this one title.
> 
> In summary, Amazon was facing too much consumer backlash with regard to the Rowling book and has relented. So, from Amazon's perspective, they are big enough (have enough of a strangle hold on the book market) to eventually force Hachette to capitulate, but Rowling is too big for them to tackle.
> 
> ...



Roger,

Thanks for the Guardian link.  Also appreciate your mini reviews of "The Cuckoo's Calling" and Silkworm.  Based on your comments I looked up "The Cuckoos Calling" , which I previously was not interested in reading, and after reading some reviews, changed my mind and included it on my list of Book's to read.  Also plan to read it before "The Silkworm".

Thanks again.

Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 21, 2014)

How Amazon is Holding Hachette Hostage - by Cory Doctorow/ News/ Technology/ TheGuardian.com

"By allowing Amazon to put a lock on its products, Hachette has allowed Amazon to usurp its relationship with its customers..."





It is precisely because Hachette has been so successful in selling its ebooks through Amazon that it can't afford to walk away from the retailer. Photograph: Paul Sakuma/AP


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 4, 2014)

Authors Take Opposite Sides On Hachette, Amazon Spat - by Lynn Neary/ America/ The Two-Way/ NPR.ORG

"You might think that all writers would be of the same mind about the over the price of ebooks. Think again. This week two different sets of authors sent open letters to their "readers" urging them to take one side or the other in the ongoing controversy..."


Richard


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## DebBrown (Jul 4, 2014)

This may seem crazy but there are other options besides ordering from Amazon.  

Amazon is always my supplier of last resort.  Originally this was because they were not a portal for earning frequent flyer miles or rebates. Now, just because they are too big for their britches.

Deb


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## johnrsrq (Jul 4, 2014)

MULTIZ321 said:


> Authors Take Opposite Sides On Hachette, Amazon Spat - by Lynn Neary/ America/ The Two-Way/ NPR.ORG
> 
> "You might think that all writers would be of the same mind about the over the price of ebooks. Think again. This week two different sets of authors sent open letters to their "readers" urging them to take one side or the other in the ongoing controversy..."
> 
> ...



Thank you sharing this. I am certain there are other authors who would weigh in with their support for the support of Amazon yet are reserved for various factors. Relationships, contract responsibilities and disruptive notoriety might be amongst those factors. 

In the long run, I place my wager with amazon.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 5, 2014)

Amazon-Hachette Fight Deepens As Authors Take Sides - by Alison Flood/ Culture-Books-Self-Publishing/ The Guardian.com

"In one corner stands the old guard: established, prize-winning, bestselling writers such as Stephen King and Donna Tartt. On the other, the new: the hottest names in self-publishing, from Hugh Howey to Barry Eisler. As the battle between Amazon and Hachette widens, hundreds of authors are stepping into the ring, putting their names to rival petitions in support of the duelling combatants..."





Different readings … the London Book Fair 2014 at Earl's Court. Photograph: Sarah Lee


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 8, 2014)

*Amazon Angles to Attract Hachette's Authors*

Amazon Angles to Attract Hachette's Authors - by David Streitfeld/ Bits Blog/ The New York Times.com

"The confrontation between Amazon and Hachette is growing louder and meaner, as the combatants drop all pretense that this is a reasonable dispute among reasonable people..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 9, 2014)

Amazon Tells Hachette Authors it'll Give Them 100% of eBook Sales by Tom Cheredar/ Media/ VentureBeat.com

"Amazon is trying to make a lucrative deal with authors affected by the ongoing fight between the online retailer and major book publisher, Hachette.

How good of a deal? How about 100 percent of the revenue from all Hachette-published e- book sales — at least for the duration of the Amazon/Hachette fight. The news comes from a letter that Amazon exec David Naggar sent to a small group of writers recently, according to a New York Times report. The offer is similar to one the company initially made to Hachette after the book publisher complained that the Amazon fight was really hurting authors by preventing them from collecting larger royalty checks..."





Image Credit: alexanderpf/Flickr


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 10, 2014)

The French Do Buy Books. Real Books. - by Pamela Druckerman/ Contributing Op-Ed Writer/ The Opinion Pages/ The New York Times.com

"...In fact, the French have all kinds of worthwhile ideas on larger matters. This occurred to me recently when I was strolling through my museum-like neighborhood in central Paris, and realized there were — I kid you not — seven bookstores within a 10-minute walk of my apartment. Granted, I live in a bookish area. But still: Do the French know something about the book business that we Americans don’t?

I was in a bookstore-counting mood because of the news that Amazon has delayed or stopped delivering some books, over its dispute with the publisher Hachette. This has prompted soul-searching over Amazon’s 41 percent share of new book sales in America and its 65 percent share of new books sold online. For a few bucks off and the pleasure of shopping from bed, have we handed over a precious natural resource — our nation’s books — to an ambitious billionaire with an engineering degree?..."





Nishant Choksi 


Richard


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## billymach4 (Jul 10, 2014)

*Amazon is not a greedy company and it is ignoring Wall Street*

Amazon is in the Bottom 10 of the S&P 500 for 2014.

Investors have seemed to be a bit peevish at CEO Jeff Bezos' continual focus on building market share at the expense of significant and consistent profits.
The stock dropped 10% on April 25, when the Seattle-based company estimated it would show a second-quarter net loss ranging from $55 million to $455 million, as the company makes significant investments in its Fire TV service, new warehouses and other projects.
Amazon is looking to use yet another loss-leading product to make another industry transformation with its Fire phone introduced this month.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 13, 2014)

Amazon, a Friendly Giant as Long as It's Fed - by David Streitfeld/ Technology/ The New York Times.com

"Is resistance to Amazon futile in the book publishing world? Its battle with Hachette has many on edge..."





David Plunkert 


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 23, 2014)

Survey: Book Buyers Leaving Amazon because of Hachette Dispute:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeremygreenfield/2014/07/22/survey-book-buyers-leaving-amazon-because-of-hachette-dispute/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews by Jeremy Geenfield/ Forbes.com

Some book buyers may be leaving Amazon for Barnes & Noble, independent bookstores and the likes of Costco because the large e-tailer’s dispute with publisher Hachette, according to new survey data.

Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Jul 25, 2014)

Writers Unite in Campaign Against 'Thuggish' Amazon: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jul/25/writers-campaign-amazon-ebook-dispute-us-hachette from TheGuardian.com.

A full page Ad will appear in tomorrow's New York Times by a group of Authors, including many big name authors, listing their displeasure with Amazon.


Richard


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## bogey21 (Jul 26, 2014)

I refuse to do business with Amazon because of their heavy handed bullying tactics with suppliers.  I know I am very much a minority with this view but it is how I feel.

George


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## johnrsrq (Jul 26, 2014)

bogey21 said:


> I refuse to do business with Amazon because of their heavy handed bullying tactics with suppliers.  I know I am very much a minority with this view but it is how I feel.
> 
> George



in this debate, who's bullying whom? publishing companies or distribution?


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## VegasBella (Jul 26, 2014)

My family's primary income source comes from book royalties. We support Amazon in this battle as our experience with publishers is basically this: they take way more than they give. It's be one thing if publishers took all rights and authors profited more by working with publishers. But the reality is that publishers take the rights AND most of the profit. Amazon OTOH allows very profitable self-publishing.


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## "Roger" (Jul 26, 2014)

The publishers are not the only one that Amazon is putting the squeeze on ...

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/mar/28/amazon-fees-hike-third-party

I understand that they have to start making money, but their business model appears to be to take their profits out of any potential profits that their suppliers hoped to make.  Yes, it could be viewed as just the usual give and take in which a company tries to get the best price it can for the goods it sells, but Amazon's dominance of the market makes it scary.

They also seem to use their third party suppliers as test markets for what they sell themselves ...

_"Companies such as ours – we essentially make the market for them," said the trader. "They see products that are selling the best and then list against them. What used to be your bestselling item is suddenly not your bestselling item. And that's because Amazon sell it. We don't have a chance in hell to compete."_


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## Ken555 (Jul 30, 2014)

It seems many have been assuming the worst about Amazon.

http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hachette-ebook-pricing-2014-7



> Amazon finally revealed the exact cause behind its long battle with "Big Five" book publisher Hachette in a public post on its Kindle forum: It's fighting for lower e-book prices and a 30% cut of sales.
> For the last several months, Amazon and Hachette have been having a very public pricing disagreement that left affected authors enraged and sparked a debate in the literary world about whether or not Amazon has too much power. We knew the battle was over e-books, but rumor had it that Amazon wanted a 50% cut of every sale, instead of 30%.
> 
> In its post, Amazon makes a mathematical plea for why most e-books should be priced at $9.99, instead of $14.99 or $19.99, given that they don't require printing, storage, or transportation.
> ...


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## "Roger" (Aug 1, 2014)

I had wondered how Amazon was able to determine how any and all books would make the most profit offered at $9.99.  Not surprisingly, not as simple or straightforward as Amazon makes it out to be.  To come up with their data, they aggregated the sales of ebooks together. But is that the way to go?  Would Silkworm have made the highest profit if it started out priced at $9.99?  Or would Hachette be better off pricing it at $14.95 and lowering the price after the anxious buyers had been exhausted.  (That is what happens with hardbacks.)  Should Silkworm be priced the same as a self published book which has sold less than fifty copies?  Who should be deciding what to price a book in the first place?  The bottom line is if it was as straightforward as Amazon pretends in its published statement, why would Hachette be holding out for lower profits for itself (as well as Amazon)?

Here is an article along the lines of the above...


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 8, 2014)

Authors Take Amazon Dispute to Readers with NY Times Ad Signed by 900 - by Jing Cao/ News/ Bloomberg.com

"On Sunday, a letter signed by more than 900 authors will be published in the New York Times, urging readers to contact Jeff Bezos, the Web store’s chief executive officer, to tell him what they think of the disagreement over the price of digital books.

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN)’s dispute with Hachette Book Group is becoming more public by the week..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 9, 2014)

And in a related article in the NY Times:

Plot Thickens as 900 Writers Battle Amazon - by David Streitfeld/ Technology/ TheNewYorkTimes.com

ROUND POND, Me. —" Out here in the woods, at the end of not one but two dirt roads, in a shack equipped with a picture of the Dalai Lama, a high-speed data line and a copy of Thoreau’s “Civil Disobedience,” Amazon’s dream of dominating the publishing world has run into some trouble..."





 Douglas Preston, a best-selling author with Hachette Publishing, at his writing shack in Maine. Credit Craig Dilger for The New York Times 


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 9, 2014)

Dispute Between Amazon and Hachette Takes an Orwellian Turn - by David Streitfeld/ Bits/ The New York Times.com

"...The retailer argues that people against e-books are against the future, and talks about how the book industry hated cheap paperbacks when they were introduced in the 1930s, and said they would ruin the business when they really rejuvenated it. Unfortunately, to clinch its argument it cites the wrong authority:..."






George OrwellCredit Associated Press


Richard


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## VegasBella (Aug 9, 2014)

Ken555 said:


> It seems many have been assuming the worst about Amazon.
> 
> http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hachette-ebook-pricing-2014-7



This article is very revealing. Key pieces:

Amazon also believes that 35% of revenues should go to authors, 35% to publishers, and 30% to Amazon. While making its point, the company completely shreds Hachette.

"'Is 30% reasonable? Yes. In fact, the 30% share of total revenue is what Hachette forced us to take in 2010 when they illegally colluded with their competitors to raise e-book prices,' Amazon writes, referencing a recently settled anti-trust case against Apple for e-book price-fixing. 'We had no problem with the 30% — we did have a big problem with the price increases.'"

"Amazon also takes a jab at how much revenue Hachette actually gives its authors. Royalties for e-books are generally 25% at traditional publishing houses." [...]

"Is it Amazon's position that all e-books should be $9.99 or less? No, we accept that there will be legitimate reasons for a small number of specialized titles to be above $9.99."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-hachette-ebook-pricing-2014-7#ixzz39uR47Hqr

For people who self-publish and let Amazon sell their ebooks, the price can be set at any price. Amazon does not demand that you sell it at $9.99. They recommend it but do not demand it. They do, however, require an agreement that the book will not be sold anywhere else for less than it's for sale at Amazon.

My family happens to be in that "specialized titles" section, which is why I know all about this. And I agree that most books (fiction or mass-marketed nonfiction) should be sold at a standard low price whereas specialized books (industry manuals for example) that have a small audience can and should sell at a premium. The authors of both will profit more from Amazon's strategy than Hachette's. 

Remember, you can't even read a Hachette ebook on an iPhone. C'mon, Hachette! How can you claim you're doing the best for your authors when you exclude a HUGE market like that??? 
From Hachette's website: "CAN I READ MY EBOOK ON MY IPHONE? No, currently Adobe Digital Editions are not able to be read on the iPhone."
source: http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/shopping-faqs/

More...



> A Message from the Amazon Books Team
> 
> Dear Readers,
> 
> ...


source: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/201...te-ebook-battle-on-readersunited-com-website/

emphasis added


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 10, 2014)

What Amazon's e-Book Numbers Are and Aren't Telling You - by Carolyn Kellogg/ Jacket Copy: Books, Authors and All Things Bookish/ Los Angeles Times.com

"How much should an e-book cost? Publishers set the retail price for a current e-book, like James Patterson's "Invisible," at $14.99. That's a lot less than a hardcover copy of the book ($25.50), but it's still more than Amazon thinks a reader should be paying for an e-book; Amazon says the price tag should be $9.99.

"A key objective is lower e-book prices," Amazon wrote in a blog post last week. The company made its case for $9.99 e-books, explaining that "For every copy an e-book would sell at $14.99, it would sell 1.74 copies if priced at $9.99."

Certainly publishers would like to sell 1.74 times as many books as they do now. And Amazon provides an example that sounds very tempting: "if customers would buy 100,000 copies of a particular e-book at $14.99, then customers would buy 174,000 copies of that same e-book at $9.99. Total revenue at $14.99 would be $1,499,000. Total revenue at $9.99 is $1,738,000."

What author doesn't want to make $1.7 million? But before running to cash that hypothetical check, let's look at what Amazon, which declined to respond to our questions about the statement, is and isn't saying..."





The Amazon logo; Amazon says $9.99 e-books will sell more. Will they? (Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg)


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 10, 2014)

Amazon Launches Attack on Hachette Over e-Book Pricing - by Carolyn Kellogg/ Jacket Copy: Books, Authors and All Things Bookish/ Los Angeles Times.com


"Amazon launched a campaign Friday night to counter the 900-plus authors who have signed an open letter supporting publisher Hachette. In a dispute over terms about the wholesale and retail price of e-books, Amazon has blocked pre-orders of Hachette print books, imposed artificial delays and made it more difficult to find the publisher's books in its site's search.

More than 900 authors -- many of whom with other publishers -- signed an open letter to Amazon appealing for fair treatment of Hachette's books. The signatories are loosely affiliated as Authors United; the letter will appear as a print ad in Sunday's New York Times and is online at authorsunited.net.

Clearly taking its cue from that open letter, Amazon launched its own headlined "A Message From the Amazon Books Team" late Friday. In it, it reiterates its claim that "e-books can and should be less expensive." A company representative confirms that the website is an official Amazon statement.

The URL is notable, however: It's readersunited.com..."





Amazon has launched a public campaign against Hachette using the same tactics as authors trying to support the publisher. (Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images)


Richard


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## Ken555 (Aug 10, 2014)

There is something inherently wrong with paying more for an ebook than a paperback of the same title. We were all promised savings in relative purchase price of ebooks vs any printed alternative when the ebook industry began, and I don't see the publishers advocating this at all. The authors deserve their profit, but I simply don't buy the publishers argument here. Something doesn't ring true.


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## "Roger" (Aug 12, 2014)

*Amazon disses Disney*

Amazon has added upcoming Disney videos to its least favored retailers list. (One possible link) You cannot preorder what will be popular Disney videos (although you can preorder to watch them on Amazon instant video).  

According to the Wall Street Journal (a link will probably not work), one issue is connected to the fact that places like Walmart and Best Buy will use these videos as loss leaders to lure people into their stores with the hope that they will see and buy other things.  (Illegal in my state)  That does not work with online transactions.  So, Amazon wants Disney to sell the videos to them for less so that they do not lose money when they match the prices of Walmart, Best Buy, etc.

According to an article the I saw in The Guardian, Amazon has been pursuing a similar policy with many of the third party sellers in England, asking them to guarantee that they can match the price of any retailer that their third party sells to.  This has been a very hard pill for some of the small third party sellers to swallow.  With Disney, the fight could be interesting.


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## MULTIZ321 (Aug 16, 2014)

Amazon, Its Friends and Critics - by David Steitfield/ Bits/ The New York Times.com

"The exact nature of the conflict between Amazon and Hachette is somewhat veiled. The parties confirm that it is over e-book prices, and Amazon obviously wants more money from the sale of e-books than Hachette is willing to give. But Hachette has been circumspect, while Amazon has been forceful if not always accurate.

So here, in the interests of further enlightenment, here are a few commentators on the dispute who are worth reading. If they have one thing in common, it’s a feeling that neither side is their best friend or, for that matter, the reader’s friend..."





Amazon and Hachette, a major publisher, have been locked in a battle over the prices of e-books, which can be read on devices like Amazon’s Kindle tablets.Credit Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Sep 15, 2014)

In Latest Volley Against Amazon, Hachette's Writers Target Its Board- by David Streitfeld/ Technology/ The New York Times.com

"Amazon is at war with Hachette, and it sometimes seems as if it has always been that way.

As a negotiating tool in the battle, which is over the price of e-books, Amazon is discouraging its customers from buying the publisher’s printed books. After six months of being largely cut off from what is by far the largest bookstore in the country, many Hachette writers are fearful and angry. So this week, they are trying a new tactic to get their work unshackled.

Authors United, a group of Hachette writers and their allies, is appealing directly to Amazon’s board. It is warning the board that the reputation of the retailer, and of the directors themselves, is at risk.

“Efforts to impede or block the sale of books have a long and ugly history,” reads a letter being posted to the group’s website on Monday morning. “Do you, personally, want to be associated with this?” ..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Sep 21, 2014)

A Writerly Chill at Bezos' Fire - by David Streitfeld/ Technology/ TheNewYorkTimes.com

"When Jeff Bezos tells writers to keep quiet, they obey.

Every fall, Mr. Bezos, the founder of Amazon, hosts Campfire, a literary weekend in Santa Fe, N.M. Dozens of well-known novelists have attended, but they do not talk about the abundance of high-end clothing and other gifts, the lavish meals, the discussion under the desert stars by Neil Armstrong or the private planes that ferried some home.

Writers loved it. There was no hard sell of Amazon, or soft sell, either. The man who sells half the books in America seemed to want nothing more each year than for everyone to have a good time. All he asked in return was silence.

For four years, the bargain held. But the fifth Campfire, which writers say is taking place this weekend, is a little different. Amazon’s acrimonious battle with Hachette, the fourth-largest publisher, is fracturing the secrecy and sapping some of the good will. (Amazon will not confirm that the event is even happening.)..."





 Jeff Bezos of Amazon has rented Bishop’s Lodge Ranch Resort and Spa in Santa Fe for Campfire, a literary gathering, this year. Credit Rick Scibelli Jr. for The New York Times 


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Oct 10, 2014)

Amazon's Might Divides Opinion at World's Biggest Book Fair - by Benoit Toussaint/ Yahoo!News/ yahoo.com

Frankfurt (AFP) - "US online retail giant Amazon may be absent from the stands at the world's biggest book fair but it has still been at the heart of a heated debate.

Amazon threw a shadow over Germany's book industry on the inaugural day of the Frankfurt Book Fair Tuesday by announcing the launch of a monthly flat-rate offer for unlimited access to e-book titles.

"We fear unfair competition on prices as well as authors' fees through this service," Austrian author Gerhard Ruiss told a discussion by a panel of authors at the book fair this week.

"Amazon doesn't have the market it would like to have in Europe. That's the reason for this new step," he complained..."





Visitors to the book-fair in Frankfurt am Main, central Germany, make their way through the hall on October 9, 2014 (AFP Photo/Daniel Roland) 


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Oct 13, 2014)

Amazon and Its Missing Books - by David Streitfeld/ E-Commerce/ Bits/ The New York Times.com

"As its dispute with the publisher continues, Amazon wants to make it difficult to buy Hachette books, but it does not want to be accused of banning them..."





Ursula K. Le Guin is one of many authors who has challenged Amazon on its dealings with Hachette.Credit Laura Anglin/National Book Foundation


Richard


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## "Roger" (Oct 13, 2014)

There was another article in the Times about two weeks ago that mentioned (as does the article that Richard links to above) that Paul Ryan's book is currently being treated unlike other Hachette books - no waiting time for delivery.  Pretty clear that Amazon does not want a Congressional investigation into their practices.


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## MULTIZ321 (Oct 17, 2014)

Amazon's Elite Reviewing Club Sabotaged My Book-  by Margo Howard/ Books/  NewRepublic.com


"I’ll bet you don’t know what the Amazon “Vine Community” is. I didn’t. I was never even aware of it until my memoir was published earlier this year. Books offered on Amazon for pre-order have a notation: “This book is not eligible for review until publication date.” However, in the run-up to my release date there were already five reviews posted—and they all were rotten; I mean inaccurate, insulting, and demonstrably written by dim bulbs. I was absolutely stunned. Who were these people, and why were they allowed to comment on a book before actual purchasers, when there was a clear prohibition..."


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Nov 8, 2014)

*How Did Amazon End Up as Literary Enemy Number 1? : Vanity Fair*

The War of the Words - by Keith Gessen/ Business/ VanityFair.com

"Amazon’s war with publishing giant Hachette over e-book pricing has earned it a black eye in the media, with the likes of Philip Roth, James Patterson, and Stephen Colbert demanding that the online mega-store stand down. How did Amazon—which was once seen as the book industry’s savior—end up as Literary Enemy Number One? And how much of this fight is even about money? Keith Gessen reports..."





Photo Illustrations by Stephen Doyle

Well written article providing insights into the back-story of this dispute.

Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Nov 8, 2014)

The Book On Publishing - by Keith Gessen/ Culture/ VanityFair.com

"There was the author, Chad Harbach, who had spent a decade on a novel his friends thought he’d never finish. There was the agent, Chris Parris-Lamb, who recognized its power. There was the editor, Little, Brown’s Michael Pietsch, who won it in a high-stakes auction. With the story of one book, The Art of Fielding Keith Gessen examines the state of the troubled, confused, and ever unpredictable world of U.S. book publishing in the age of Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and e-readers..."

Richard


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## Ken555 (Nov 8, 2014)

MULTIZ321 said:


> The Book On Publishing - by Keith Gessen/ Culture/ VanityFair.com
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Good article. Thanks for posting it.


Sent from my iPad


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## MULTIZ321 (Nov 13, 2014)

Amazon and Hachette Call a Truce in Their e-Book Pricing War - by Chris Velazco/ Engadget.com

"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 e-books should cost (and how much revenue Amazon should get off of them). Now, just when it seemed like the war would stretch out even longer, both sides have announced that they've brokered a peace to end the Great Book War of 2014. The most frustrating part? Neither side seems willing to disclose the juiciest details of the deal. Still, the official PR blast mentions that Hachette got what it really wanted all along -- once the terms of the agreement take effect in early 2015, it "will have responsibility for setting consumer prices of its e-books, and will also benefit from better terms when it delivers lower prices for readers." ..."







Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Nov 13, 2014)

Amazon and Hachette Bury the Hatchet Over e-Book Dispute - by Mic Wright/ TheNextWeb.com

Another report of the same story - I couldn't resist posting in consideration of the title of this thread.

Richard


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## pgnewarkboy (Nov 14, 2014)

Although the details of the deal have not been released, Hatchette says it "won" the right to price their books the way they please.  That is pretty much a phony baloney statement because as various anti-trust suits involving book pricing have proven, the price of books cannot be controlled by one or a consortium of businesses.  In essence, Hatchette "won" nothing in that regard.  They claim also that there will be "incentives" to lower book prices. My guess is those incentives include Amazon selling their books again.  I expect to see lower prices from Hatchette and others shortly.


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## "Roger" (Nov 14, 2014)

Amazon brokered a deal with Simon and Schuster a few weeks ago.  (Announced on October 20.) That included Simon and Schuster being able to set their own ebook prices - something that Amazon wasn't giving Hatchette. (Quote from a news report on the Simon and Schuster deal ... "Reidy also said that with some exceptions, Simon & Schuster will have control over the pricing of its e-books -- a major point of contention in the industry")

My take is the Simon and Schuster deal came first since there was no well publicized, long running dispute between Amazon and that publisher as to who could set the price of the publisher's ebooks.  Thus, Amazon could concede on the pricing of ebooks without publicly appearing to have given in.  They could then turn around, make the major concession to Hatchette but clothe it in language saying that they were just copying an agreement with another publisher.  They could further save face by saying that the deal includes "incentives" for the publisher to offer lower prices.

Bottom line: Hatchette stood firm on the pricing issue to the relief of other publishers.  Consumers will win some with regard to the incentives (how much so not revealed).  Finally, both Amazon and Hatchette benefit by getting this stalemate behind them before the Christmas buying season.


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## MULTIZ321 (Nov 15, 2014)

Hachette Blew Its Chance to Make Amazon Truly Pay for Its Bad Practices - by Hillary Kelly/ Amazon/ NewRepublic.com

"Thursday morning, The New York Times announced that after a bitter, months-long, highly public dispute, Amazon and Hachette have reached an agreement over how they will set e-book pricing. The mega-seller and the publisher did not immediately disclose the terms of the deal, but did reveal that Hachette now has the ability to set e-book prices, the original point of contention between the two companies. Michael Pietsch, the CEO of Hachette, called it “great news for writers,” while Amazon executive David Naggar declared it “a great win for readers and authors alike.”

But that’s not to say the war between publishers and Amazon is over—or that the result of this particular battle is necessarily as positive for publishers (and readers) as Hachette is making it out to be..."


Richard


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