They're not being open because they want their customers to be part of the process, they're being open so they can say "look, this evil publisher is trying to make you pay more for your books!" in order to get Macmillan to back down.
This is definately a big part of it. I find it intersting that it failed so badly (as John Scali lays out very well in his post that I mention above). It's also intersting that Amazon's stock fell 7% today - how much this is due to the the iPad, how much is due to caving in the end to Macmillan, and how much is due to them screwing up so publically is an open question.
But it's also the last straw in a series of issues that I have with Amazon.
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Amazon Accepts Macmillan’s Demand for Higher E-Book Prices
01/02/2010 04:21:35 PM
- 1422 Views
Amazon lost me as a customer over all this *NM*
01/02/2010 05:52:53 PM
- 447 Views
Why's that?
01/02/2010 06:55:35 PM
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I sum it up here
01/02/2010 08:42:02 PM
- 1334 Views
That's an interesting point. And I have an opposite reaction.
01/02/2010 08:56:16 PM
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I like that they are public - I dislike that they affect the public so directly
01/02/2010 08:59:41 PM
- 1070 Views
To each his own. I come away with the opposite reaction and like Amazon even more.
01/02/2010 09:35:10 PM
- 791 Views
I think his complaint is that he feels Amazon is using public opinion to pressure suppliers.
01/02/2010 09:04:16 PM
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thats a big part of it
01/02/2010 09:09:15 PM
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It's a good tactic. I would have done the same thing. *NM*
01/02/2010 09:36:31 PM
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Is it though - Amazon's stock is way down today. Seems the tactic failed *NM*
01/02/2010 09:53:06 PM
- 418 Views
Apple stocks have gone down on days after major announcements too.
01/02/2010 10:04:04 PM
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agreed - short term doesn't mean much *NM*
01/02/2010 10:08:01 PM
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Macmillan will lose out when people like myself choose to find the book elsewhere.
01/02/2010 06:46:10 PM
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How easy is it to find books now?
01/02/2010 06:53:43 PM
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Pretty easily, actually.
01/02/2010 07:07:11 PM
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That's excellent.
01/02/2010 08:19:55 PM
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Screens are good.
01/02/2010 08:50:08 PM
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Two words: Leather cover.
01/02/2010 08:54:37 PM
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True, I do remember liking the cover. It's much nicer than what comes with the Sony.
01/02/2010 09:02:56 PM
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This is what I have. It sounds like what you have for your Sony.
01/02/2010 09:39:02 PM
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Unless you like a lot of old books, or have fairly eclectic tastes, you should be all set.
01/02/2010 07:11:30 PM
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$12.99 to $14.99 for a fiction ebook is ridiculous. *NM*
01/02/2010 07:44:20 PM
- 464 Views
Then again, it's half the price of a print version, for essentially the same product / experience.
01/02/2010 07:50:29 PM
- 759 Views
Not really. I buy new hardcover releases at Borders for around 18 to 20.
02/02/2010 12:34:08 AM
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I don't know about that.
01/02/2010 08:21:05 PM
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People pay that sort of money for DVd and more for Blue Ray
01/02/2010 08:00:47 PM
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Physical copy is rather important in that case, you know... at least to me.
01/02/2010 08:54:05 PM
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Good for MacMillan. I'll cheer on anyone who takes a stab against e-books.
02/02/2010 04:00:05 AM
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Whaaa?
02/02/2010 04:08:50 AM
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Yes, of course.
02/02/2010 04:33:13 AM
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In ten years you'll have an ebook reader.
02/02/2010 05:34:57 AM
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I know. That's the problem. *NM*
02/02/2010 12:56:32 PM
- 403 Views
Oh, hush. Go sit in the corner and listen to your 8-track while the rest of us enjoy The Future.
*NM*
02/02/2010 02:37:33 PM
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The lower prices, the increased profit, or the ecological benefit? *NM*
02/02/2010 05:17:13 PM
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The gradual loss of physical books. *NM*
02/02/2010 05:32:39 PM
- 352 Views
Mmm. I detect an illogical argument.
02/02/2010 05:35:14 PM
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It will increase the number of books available
02/02/2010 01:55:05 PM
- 1820 Views
One apt analogy is the widespread use of recording tools like Pro Tools.
02/02/2010 08:07:22 PM
- 917 Views
Uh, so what you want to dictate is the medium by which people read? You have no right.
02/02/2010 08:01:09 PM
- 872 Views