Quote:
Originally Posted by DiapDealer
Could even be a bit of a "last hurrah" powerplay between Adobe and the Big 5 against Amazon. If they get ePub ebooks/devices/vendors/libraries all locked down with "Hardened DRM," how much leverage would the publishers then have to force Amazon's hand (by withholding titles) concerning their own (now clearly insufficient) proprietary DRM?
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Amazon would love to see them try it.
2014 is not 2010 and Amazon has spent the past four years preparing for such an attempt.
First of all, the BPHs can't do it individually, because individually they make up maybe 4-5% of Amazon's book sales (except the Randy Penguin) and all five make up maybe a third. Of course, if the five gang up to do *anything* against Amazon... Well, all it takes is one press conference to denounce a second conspiracy.
Second, while all of Amazon's BPH book sales make up maybe 5% of their total business, Amazon constitutes anywhere from 30-50% of the BPHs' business. And since Amazon doesn't do returns, they may easily make 60% of the BPHs' net.
So, no.
Amazon would feel a boycott by the Randy Penguin, though not much, and would shrug off a boycott by the other four. Thanks to ebooks and indies, Amazon can easily weather a BPH boycott, just as B&N weathered their war with S&S.