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I sum it up here kcf Send a noteboard - 01/02/2010 08:42:02 PM
The link below sums it up, but the supporting links in the article tell the real story. The three links in the best of section are links that I recommend everyone reads. And if you want a better handle on some of the pricing aspects I strongly recommend the Tobias Buckell link.


It sounds to me like just a typical business fight. Amazon wants to make money by selling ebooks for cheap, so that it can popularize ebooks, sell its reader hardware, etc. Macmillan wants to profit by keeping ebooks expensive, in a "status quo" type move.

Neither company seems to be doing anything particularly underhanded or slimy, as far as I can tell. If anything, Macmillan seems to be the one in the wrong. Amazon already pays them wholesale prices per-copy, so why shouldn't Amazon be able to set their own prices and lose money if they want?


I think that your thoughts on the pricing issue is a bit too simplistic - it's rather complicated. I don't think that Macmillan is clean on the issue, but I like their thinking on pricing much more that Amazon's.

But my main beef is in the way Amazon handled it - they went public - this affected authors and customers when the negotiations should have been kept behind closed doors. As a customer it makes me feel like Amazon cares much more about retaining power in the industry rather than actually serving their customers. Plus it was the last straw in a series of issues I have with Amazon.
Need a good book to read? Visit Neth Space - a SFF review and discussion blog.

http://nethspace.blogspot.com/
Goodbye Amazon
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Amazon Accepts Macmillan’s Demand for Higher E-Book Prices mapthis - 01/02/2010 04:21:35 PM 1567 Views
Amazon lost me as a customer over all this *NM* kcf - 01/02/2010 05:52:53 PM 501 Views
Why's that? Aemon - 01/02/2010 06:55:35 PM 1142 Views
I sum it up here kcf - 01/02/2010 08:42:02 PM 1463 Views
That's an interesting point. And I have an opposite reaction. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 08:56:16 PM 963 Views
I like that they are public - I dislike that they affect the public so directly kcf - 01/02/2010 08:59:41 PM 1183 Views
To each his own. I come away with the opposite reaction and like Amazon even more. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 09:35:10 PM 910 Views
I agree with you. I like what Amazon did. everynametaken - 02/02/2010 12:45:10 AM 1035 Views
I think his complaint is that he feels Amazon is using public opinion to pressure suppliers. Aemon - 01/02/2010 09:04:16 PM 892 Views
thats a big part of it kcf - 01/02/2010 09:09:15 PM 1289 Views
It's a good tactic. I would have done the same thing. *NM* The Shrike - 01/02/2010 09:36:31 PM 467 Views
Is it though - Amazon's stock is way down today. Seems the tactic failed *NM* kcf - 01/02/2010 09:53:06 PM 472 Views
Apple stocks have gone down on days after major announcements too. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 10:04:04 PM 870 Views
agreed - short term doesn't mean much *NM* kcf - 01/02/2010 10:08:01 PM 467 Views
Still, your overall point stands. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 11:10:25 PM 888 Views
yep - apparently they read the move as a sign of weakness *NM* kcf - 01/02/2010 11:20:04 PM 519 Views
Macmillan will lose out when people like myself choose to find the book elsewhere. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 06:46:10 PM 880 Views
How easy is it to find books now? Rebekah - 01/02/2010 06:53:43 PM 824 Views
Pretty easily, actually. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 07:07:11 PM 1295 Views
That's excellent. Rebekah - 01/02/2010 08:19:55 PM 1078 Views
Screens are good. Aemon - 01/02/2010 08:50:08 PM 1095 Views
Two words: Leather cover. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 08:54:37 PM 956 Views
True, I do remember liking the cover. It's much nicer than what comes with the Sony. Aemon - 01/02/2010 09:02:56 PM 1117 Views
This is what I have. It sounds like what you have for your Sony. The Shrike - 01/02/2010 09:39:02 PM 1160 Views
Unless you like a lot of old books, or have fairly eclectic tastes, you should be all set. Aemon - 01/02/2010 07:11:30 PM 1284 Views
If you do like a lot of old books ranagrande - 01/02/2010 07:16:20 PM 955 Views
Yep, definitely true. I wasn't thinking quite that old, though. Aemon - 01/02/2010 07:24:49 PM 1040 Views
$12.99 to $14.99 for a fiction ebook is ridiculous. *NM* everynametaken - 01/02/2010 07:44:20 PM 516 Views
Agreed. *NM* Legolas - 01/02/2010 07:46:33 PM 441 Views
Then again, it's half the price of a print version, for essentially the same product / experience. Aemon - 01/02/2010 07:50:29 PM 868 Views
That's the thing, it's not. Legolas - 01/02/2010 08:24:08 PM 898 Views
Re: That's the thing, it's not. Aemon - 01/02/2010 08:55:35 PM 1096 Views
Because, as Aemon says, that's how price discrimination works. Ghavrel - 01/02/2010 11:31:14 PM 855 Views
Not really. I buy new hardcover releases at Borders for around 18 to 20. everynametaken - 02/02/2010 12:34:08 AM 1056 Views
I don't know about that. Rebekah - 01/02/2010 08:21:05 PM 969 Views
not really, i buy brand new paperbacks for 6.99 *NM* Apsalar Shadowdancer - 02/02/2010 12:21:16 AM 409 Views
Mass markets, yeah. nossy - 02/02/2010 12:19:25 PM 884 Views
That is bananas. Elaine - 01/02/2010 07:46:28 PM 889 Views
"Most newly released..." Aemon - 01/02/2010 07:55:19 PM 1129 Views
People pay that sort of money for DVd and more for Blue Ray random thoughts - 01/02/2010 08:00:47 PM 943 Views
Physical copy is rather important in that case, you know... at least to me. jh - 01/02/2010 08:54:05 PM 1055 Views
I was with you till that last sentence. Aemon - 01/02/2010 08:58:58 PM 1109 Views
I really don't think it is that different random thoughts - 01/02/2010 10:01:20 PM 911 Views
If you have issues with eBook pricing, read this link kcf - 01/02/2010 08:46:47 PM 1272 Views
He makes good points... Ghavrel - 01/02/2010 11:37:22 PM 917 Views
I am unimpressed by his arguments. everynametaken - 02/02/2010 01:06:03 AM 935 Views
Good for MacMillan. I'll cheer on anyone who takes a stab against e-books. lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 04:00:05 AM 980 Views
Whaaa? Ghavrel - 02/02/2010 04:08:50 AM 945 Views
Yes, of course. lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 04:33:13 AM 1026 Views
In ten years you'll have an ebook reader. Ghavrel - 02/02/2010 05:34:57 AM 1032 Views
I know. That's the problem. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 12:56:32 PM 453 Views
Oh, hush. Go sit in the corner and listen to your 8-track while the rest of us enjoy The Future. *NM* Aemon - 02/02/2010 02:37:33 PM 543 Views
The lower prices, the increased profit, or the ecological benefit? *NM* Ghavrel - 02/02/2010 05:17:13 PM 394 Views
The gradual loss of physical books. *NM* lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 05:32:39 PM 409 Views
Mmm. I detect an illogical argument. Ghavrel - 02/02/2010 05:35:14 PM 856 Views
Obviously they won't disappear completely, or even that fast. lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 11:04:47 PM 885 Views
Why not? It'll spur the growth of used book stores. *NM* Ghavrel - 03/02/2010 01:29:56 AM 389 Views
It will increase the number of books available random thoughts - 02/02/2010 01:55:05 PM 3988 Views
One apt analogy is the widespread use of recording tools like Pro Tools. everynametaken - 02/02/2010 08:07:22 PM 1027 Views
There are already comapnies offering editng services random thoughts - 02/02/2010 10:30:28 PM 889 Views
Uh, so what you want to dictate is the medium by which people read? You have no right. everynametaken - 02/02/2010 08:01:09 PM 983 Views
And again let me add that it's not necessarily one or the other. Ghavrel - 02/02/2010 10:09:20 PM 833 Views
That would be awesome. lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 11:02:42 PM 827 Views
Obviously I'm not dictating anything. I'm stating my view. lord-of-shadow - 02/02/2010 11:01:41 PM 1102 Views
Good Lord! *NM* everynametaken - 02/02/2010 07:58:03 PM 394 Views
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