[HansTWN]

This has been discussed at lengths in various threads. There are numerous reasons for why we have these restrictions, including tax laws and trade matters. But while I can understand such restrictions for customers from other countries where a distribution contract for an English version exists it makes no sense for such countries where they have no distribution at all or only foreign language versions.

Obviously printed books are different. When you buy a printed book in the US and have it sent overseas you will definitely pay a lot more than buying even a much more expensive version in your own country, since you have to shell out for shipping and, perhaps, taxes. So nobody cares if US sellers sell physical books to foreign customers.

Newcomers can search for old threads on this. Fortunately we can easily circumvent these restrictions, and I am glad to try to help anyone who contacts me by PM. Please do not discuss actual workarounds in the forums, we don't want the loopholes to be closed.

Regional restrictions exist for many things, not just books. Try buying electronics in the US. A lot of ereaders are US only, or much cheaper in the US. The US is a giant market and Americans tend to be extremely price sensitive. Higher prices can be set in other countries. And producers/publishers do not want to be totally at the mercy of US sellers. Online people would naturally go to those sites with the lowest prices. How could sellers in countries with taxes for online transactions compete? Who would promote the books locally?

I can easily imagine a scenario where brick and mortar bookstores in Australia, Canada, the UK and other countries would "punish" a publisher by not carrying their pbooks anymore because that publisher is giving US sellers worldwide ebook rights.