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It will be very interesting to watch -- and to see how this "agency model" gets past the "price fixing" laws. I seriously doubt the agency rules will prevent "customer loyalty" programs like micro pay. If anything, more sites will be resorting to such schemes as a way to lower price without "lowering the price".
I was in sympathy with the publishers over Amazon's "sell every NYT Bestseller for a loss" policy. It's one thing for a Wal-Mart or a Costco to buy a million Harry Potter books and sell them as a loss leader. It's another thing to have Amazon set the "value" of all books to $9.99.
I'm glad that Amazon caved because had they not, then ebooks would not be released until later -- like paperbacks. I like reading ebooks over hardbacks and like to have the OPTION to "buy now and pay more" or "wait and pay less".
But I'm not so sure how "every book seller is now an agent" thing is going to go over.
Lee
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