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Originally Posted by Purple Lady
Why aren't I entitled to a discount that a retailer offers? It is an option and if they choose to offer it to me I should be allowed to use it.
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What if the discount isn't offered to you?
Part of the problem is that many folks have become accustomed to discounts as "normal", and there's a hue and cry if the discount goes away. It may go away because the retailer decides it doesn't need to offer it. It may go away because the producer of the products the retailer sells institutes changes that prevent its being applied. Either way, it's no longer there.
As a general rule, taking away something people are accustomed to having produces strong reactions, and this is an example.
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The publishers are not allowing the discount according to the retailers - just like the retailer is not allowed to set their own price because the publisher forbids it.
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<shrug>
The discount went away. The question is what you do about it.
You can choose to not buy books that don't get the discount you expect, and pass on books you might otherwise like to read, or you can grit your teeth and pay a higher price for a title you really want.
I'm philosophical about it. In part, it's because I'm not affected: I don't buy ebooks from Amazon, so price raises or declines make no difference. (I don't buy from them because I don't like vendor lock-in and don't feel like going through the bother of stripping DRM, and because I have more ebooks from other sources than I have time to read now.)
In part, it's because I recognize the motives of the publishers for going to the Agency Model. This isn't about greed, it's about survival. The intent was to protect the hardcover best seller, which is a critical part of the industry's revenue.
But fundamentally, I don't feel I'm being gouged. Prices go up. It happens for any product or service. Producers charge what they think they can get. The producer's ultimate goal is to
stay in business. They want to be able to open their doors tomorrow to do more business with me and other customers. I expect them to do what they feel is in the best interests of their organization to insure their continued existence. That does
not include giving me lowball prices.
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Dennis