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Originally Posted by MacEachaidh
Sorry - don't know about what?
I told you how it is here, and I don't see anything in your post that actually has any bearing on what I said, other than to apparently be assuming that i was blaming geographical restrictions on Amazon. Prof, I recognise everything that you've said, but Amazon is responsible for the deal it negotiates for Australia with the publishers who own the distribution rights in this region. Those publishers have generally declined the terms of Amazon's deal, which is why many books that are available in the US (even Australian books) aren't available for purchase here.
And the "Girl with the Tattoo" books were written in Europe, and first published in English in Britain. Why do you think it's significant they were available there before they were available in the US?
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My point is that the Publishers choose release dates not the company. The Harry Potter books were released on the same day throughout Europe and the US. The Publishers were willing to coordinate their efforts. Seig Larson (sp I am sure) Publishers choose to release them at different times. I am sure there was a marketing decision that influenced the release dates but they were available months in advance in Europe. I know folks who bought the books from Amazon UK because they couldn't wait to read the last book. The release date had nothing to do with where the book was written but when the Publishers wanted to release the book.
From what I have been reading on the boards, Amazon is not the only one who has a limited number of e-books available for Australia. Which means that the problem is not with Amazon but with the Publishers. The number of folks who have said that before they bought e-readers they had to have books shipped by Amazon to them from the US because those books were not available in Australia, tells me that the problem with Australian Publishers has existed for a while and is not just an e-book thing.
If Amazon was the problem and Sony sold every book in its library to Australians, I am sure that more people in Australia would buy Sonys. Heck, international e-readers are probably hard to come by precisely because of the problems with e-book rights and distribution in many countries. Amazon's selection may be bad but it is better then Barnes and Nobles.
Amazon is a convienent target because it is the store front. The reality is that Amazon can only sell what it is allowed to sell by Australian Publishing Houses. If those Publishing Houses were not making books available in paper form and e-book form, why blame Amazon? Or Sony? Or any other e-book store that is accessible in Australia.
If you are having problems with geo restrictions, write the Publishers. They are the ones holding up books. I am sure that Amazon or Sony or Waterstones would love to sell books to who ever wants to give them money for those books. They can't sell what is not in their stores.