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@pwalker. On the contrary, Amazon quite obviously looks at the issues from multiple points of view, including the views of its customers. Amazon also now wears its own publishers hat, and, unlike Hachette, even looks at the issue from the point of view of authors. And even Hachette's authors. Yes, at the end of the day Amazon will act in its own self-interest. But Amazon determines what is in its best interests intelligently, which, in a successful business, must almost by definition take into account the interests of all the what are these days referred to as "stakeholders". I can discern little intellegence in Hachette's actions. It is acting, as usual, out of complete and utter self-interest. This would be arguably intelligent except that it has apparently determined what it thinks is in its self-interest with complete contempt for its authors and its customers. It is also arguably intelligent if they can get away with it. They might, but I hope not. It is one thing to exploit authors and treat customers with contempt when the oligopoly cartel is the only game in town, and their authors too fearful for their careers to speak out. It is quite another to continue these tactics in these times with the cartel so weakened and under pressure.
There may come a day when Amazon dominates the industry to the extent that the cartel has in the past. If this happens, we can only hope that Amazon by that stage has learnt the lessons which will hopefully be taught by the demise of these greedy oligopolists. If not, readers and authors will once again face an unfair market. But even in this worst case scenario I doubt such a market will be more unfair than under the BWM cartel.
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