G+_Rick D Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 A good argument for why Amazon is not a big old meaniepants. http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/05/30/in-the-fight-over-ebook-pricing-why-amazon-is-not-the-bully/ http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/05/30/in-the-fight-over-ebook-pricing-why-amazon-is-not-the-bully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Appears the article has been taken down Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Susan Dennis Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 looks like the story is gone but I do not believe that Amazon is in the wrong in this battle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jo Welde Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Yep. Weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jo Welde Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 Glad I saved it to my Kindle. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jo Welde Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I think this is the most important section of the piece: "I would argue that it's a mistake to assume there are good guys or bad guys here. I don't begrudge either side for fighting hard for their own interests. So let's just look at the impact on consumers if either side gets their way. Hachette might prevail because they have a 100% monopoly on all their titles, and are pushing Amazon very hard with the threat of not selling any of their books at lower wholesale prices. Essentially, Hachette's position for now appears to be: "our way or nothing -- if you want our books, here's the price, period." If Amazon backs down, they will have to maintain high retail prices to cover high wholesale prices. Keep in mind of course that the publishers set high wholesale prices for ebooks from day one and then illegally colluded with Apple and other publishers to keep ebook retail prices high in 2010. Lashinksy seem to ignore these facts in brandishing Amazon as the anti-consumer player in this dispute. Now if Amazon prevails – despite having the relatively weak bargaining position of controlling only 33% of total book sales – Hachette (and then presumably other publishers) will be forced to lower wholesale prices, which Amazon will likely pass along to consumers. Consumers would be the obvious beneficiaries here, as they are across every product category on amazon.com." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Susan Dennis Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 yup. It does kind of confuse me why Amazon's getting the black eye here. Plus, if Amazon's such a meaniepants, why not just show them with feet? As David Sedaris (who's books are published by a Hachette imprint), why not go to a book store. Buy your books someplace else. I, for one, appreciate Amazon's laser focus on my satisfaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Uncle Joe (Uncle Joe Hi Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 My understanding is that Amazon has the books. So they apparently agreed to something. They're holding them back for some reason too. Extortion? Collateral? Why take them at all? So given the fact that they have the books and won't sell them they are the bad guy here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Jo Welde Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 If the contract has expired, any inventory of Hachette books they have probably cost them a lot. I don't blame Amazon for making Hachette feel some of the pain. Anyone who wants to can buy their books through other outlets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Susan Dennis Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 -1 Let's say they do have the books, why should they be required to sell them? If you buy a TV are you required to watch it? You have the right to take it home and never even plug it in. Amazon has the right to buy the books and burn them, if they want. If you want to buy they books, then there are plenty of other non-Amazon options for doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Uncle Joe (Uncle Joe Hi Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 True. But they bill themselves as a reseller. No they don't have to sell anything but it's a breach of faith if they do. I doubt anyone's hands are completely clean but Amazon wields a lot of power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Randy Hudson Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Just because something is or merely appears to be in the best interest of the consumer doesn't make it right. Both of these companies actually exist for the sole purpose of enriching their shareholders. Servicing the consumer is merely a means to that end. Nothing more. Happy customers are in their best interest and that is the only reason why they should be concerned at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_John Clark Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Happy customers are not in their best interests. Having customers just content enough, or at least not too unhappy are in their best interest. There's a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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