MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - How are geographic restrictions affecting you?

HansTWN · 08-09-2010, 11:22 PM

As frustrating as those geo restrictions are for us who are affected, we are a rather small group and the matter is much more complicated than it seems. Let us say a European "officially" buys at Amazon US. Amazon US would have to set up a VAT collection system just for that. And Australian and New Zealand distributors would all be gone within weeks since their net probably is higher than selling prices in the US. Everybody would naturally drift towards the big sellers. Nobody would promote books in other countries. Would you invest to distribute books in Australia if you knew everybody could just download them from the US at cheaper prices?

It makes no sense to compare physical books to ebooks. Sure you can buy a physical book in the US if it is more expensive in Australia. But you would pay more for postage than the price difference is and pay import tax, if applicable. So small shipments of physical books are no threat to smaller distributors' higher prices and distribution rights.

So, be glad that there are workarounds and don't count on this nuisance disappearing soon. The only times they could easily lift those restrictions is for residents of countries where those books are not being distributed in English.

08-09-2010, 11:22 PM	#113
HansTWN Wizard Posts: 4,538 Karma: 264065402 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Taiwan Device: HP Touchpad, Sony Duo 13, Lumia 920, Kobo Aura HD	As frustrating as those geo restrictions are for us who are affected, we are a rather small group and the matter is much more complicated than it seems. Let us say a European "officially" buys at Amazon US. Amazon US would have to set up a VAT collection system just for that. And Australian and New Zealand distributors would all be gone within weeks since their net probably is higher than selling prices in the US. Everybody would naturally drift towards the big sellers. Nobody would promote books in other countries. Would you invest to distribute books in Australia if you knew everybody could just download them from the US at cheaper prices? It makes no sense to compare physical books to ebooks. Sure you can buy a physical book in the US if it is more expensive in Australia. But you would pay more for postage than the price difference is and pay import tax, if applicable. So small shipments of physical books are no threat to smaller distributors' higher prices and distribution rights. So, be glad that there are workarounds and don't count on this nuisance disappearing soon. The only times they could easily lift those restrictions is for residents of countries where those books are not being distributed in English. Last edited by HansTWN; 08-10-2010 at 01:29 AM.