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Amazon controls a big chunk of the book distribution business but as this New York Times article indicates they are not a benevolent overlord--using a number of techniques to bully publishers for more favorable terms.
Over the years this has been a constant problem for small, specialty publishing houses (the source of many important books), but now it's also affecting the majors.
From the article:
The retailer appeared to be using three main tactics in its efforts against Hachette, which owns Grand Central Publishing, Orbit and Little, Brown as well as many other imprints.
One is simply warning that books will take a long time to show up. Amazon has been relentlessly expanding its delivery ambitions, and just this week announced Sunday deliveries in 15 more cities, including Austin, Tex., and New Orleans. Its two-day free shipping program has more than 20 million members.
But if a reader wants a Malcolm Gladwell book from Amazon, "Outliers," "The Tipping Point," "Blink" and "What the Dog Saw" were all listed as taking two to three weeks. A Spanish edition from another publisher was available immediately.
Then there is the question of price. "Outliers" was selling Friday for $15.29, a mere 10 percent discount. On Barnes & Noble, the book was $12.74.
With some Hachette authors, Amazon seemed to be discouraging buyers in other ways. On the top of the page for Jeffery Deaver's forthcoming novel "The Skin Collector," Amazon suggested that the prospective customer buy other novels entirely.
"Similar items at a lower price," it said, were novels by Lee Child and John Sandford.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 17 2014, @07:43PM
If that's true, then why? What would motivate an organisation to do that?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by turgid on Saturday May 17 2014, @07:53PM
If they can claim that they don't make a proft, and they have few assets, the pay very little tax.
If they can put the competition out of business, one day they will have a monopoly and can charge what they like.
Finally, what they are really about is extracting as much money from the customer as possible and getting as much of that money as possible, the maximum proportion possible, into the hands of the share holders.
Staff, logistics, buildings etc. are costs to be controlled. Providing goods and services to the customers is an inconvenience and they do it in the cheapest possible way to keep the customer satisfied enough to keep coming back.
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 2) by tathra on Saturday May 17 2014, @09:29PM
so what you're saying is they're exactly the same as every other company ever?