MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Amazon thumbs its nose at French ban on free shipping of books.

SteveEisenberg · 07-17-2014, 08:18 PM

Here's Amazon FAQ on the law:

https://www.amazon.fr/gp/help/custom...deId=201360370

Here's the law:

http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affich...XT000029210814

Here's what I believe happened:

A law went into effect commonly interpreted as giving businesses that ship books a choice between selling at a 5 percent discount, and offering free shipping. One, or the other -- not both. My high school French isn't good enough for me to offer my own interpretation of the legal text, but this is consistent with what I just wrote:

samhy, Post #35, this thread

and:

http://www.france24.com/en/20140109-...all-retailers/

For the first couple days after the legislation came into effect on 8 July, Amazon indeed both offered the 5 percent discount and shipped at the virtually free price of one Euro cent. The is the nose thumbing of our thread title.

However, several days later, Amazon backed down.

A continuing reminder of Amazon's days of rage last week is the one centime shipping fee. As far as I can see, it's unnecessary by any interpretation of the law, and puts Amazon's price for a shipped book one cent higher than the competition. If my understanding is correct, Amazon will, I predict, drop the one cent charge in coming days.

For years to come, Amazon's French government critics, who do in fact exist, will look back on those few days last week as proof of Amazon's arrogance. But unless I am missing something (and I may, since I'm not sure how Amazon promotions fit with the law ), the middle finger waving is over.

07-17-2014, 08:18 PM	#41
SteveEisenberg Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,435 Karma: 43514536 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: near Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)	Amazon Has Stopped Nose Thumbing Here's Amazon FAQ on the law: https://www.amazon.fr/gp/help/custom...deId=201360370 Here's the law: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affich...XT000029210814 Here's what I believe happened: A law went into effect commonly interpreted as giving businesses that ship books a choice between selling at a 5 percent discount, and offering free shipping. One, or the other -- not both. My high school French isn't good enough for me to offer my own interpretation of the legal text, but this is consistent with what I just wrote: samhy, Post #35, this thread and: http://www.france24.com/en/20140109-...all-retailers/ For the first couple days after the legislation came into effect on 8 July, Amazon indeed both offered the 5 percent discount and shipped at the virtually free price of one Euro cent. The is the nose thumbing of our thread title. However, several days later, Amazon backed down. A continuing reminder of Amazon's days of rage last week is the one centime shipping fee. As far as I can see, it's unnecessary by any interpretation of the law, and puts Amazon's price for a shipped book one cent higher than the competition. If my understanding is correct, Amazon will, I predict, drop the one cent charge in coming days. For years to come, Amazon's French government critics, who do in fact exist, will look back on those few days last week as proof of Amazon's arrogance. But unless I am missing something (and I may, since I'm not sure how Amazon promotions fit with the law ), the middle finger waving is over. Last edited by SteveEisenberg; 07-17-2014 at 08:24 PM.