Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg
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/
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You're right. In France a price book is set by the publisher and the seller has the possibility to offer a 5% discount. No more (that's the
Lang law).
When some sellers, including but not limited to Amazon, started free shipping in addition to the 5% discount it has been seen as a bigger discount and one that can't be matched by brick and mortar shops if they don't ship books.
So in the end, this is a way to preserve the independent bookstores.
Those are only facts, not my personal views