Amazon vs Hachette

[crossi]

If the services that Amazon offers them are so vital they should sign the bloody contract and stop whining. Why should Amazon be expected to offer them these valuable and probably expensive to Amazon services for less than they are worth? Amazon's warehouses, customer service staff and servers aren't free to Amazon after all. If Hachette thinks these are such a bad deal they can buy their own warehouses and hire their own customer service and shipping departments. And IT people to design and run their own websites. And STOP WHINING.

[rkomar]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

It can be done with temporary deals, coupons, contest/win a book. But agreed, they can't very well sell for 60 percent off every day and expect retailers to carry the book. Samhain often has discounts though, especially pre-order on the Markhat (Frank Tuttle) books. IT was cheaper by 50 cents? I don't remember. I pre-ordered it from them. I think Carina does some sales too, but I"ve only bought from there once and I don't remember if it was price-related.

I wonder if, while the publisher had their retail sale on, they also had a sale on the wholesale prices they charged the retailers? It would be up to each retailer whether they passed the savings on to their customers or not. At least the retailers wouldn't grumble about being undercut by their supplier.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by rkomar

I wonder if, while the publisher had their retail sale on, they also had a sale on the wholesale prices they charged the retailers? It would be up to each retailer whether they passed the savings on to their customers or not. At least the retailers wouldn't grumble about being undercut by their supplier.

Most retailers have a clause that has to be signed that says "I won't undercut you." I had to sign them to be carried on various sites. I'm sure the publisher and retailers have something similar and that is fine. But I'm also pretty sure that the lawyers could get various coupons or promo periods excluded. Or they could offer those same promos, especially on ebooks that the retailers could pass along. When it comes to ebooks these things are vastly easier than print--retailers don't have to have extra stock on hand for sales and they don't have to print fancy stickers, etc.

But so far I don't see a lot of creativity by the publishers. It doesn't appear they try very hard. They want to stand there with the book and leave the selling and marketing largely to someone else. Admittedly those are pretty difficult tasks in the overall list of tasks.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

So why in the world don't these publishers get off the can and create wonderful websites with great coupons (like kobo books does) and build a direct customer relationship? Sure, I get why they didn't in the old days, but old days are old for a reason (and old and gone in this case).

If by the old days you mean 2008, the emphasis (paper vs. eBook) is changed, but not the underlying issue. When the publishers undercut Amazon prices, it resulted in, uh, discussions with suppliers:

Amazon furious after publishers undercut its book prices online

Vigorous direct-to-consumer discounting, on major publisher web sites, would hurt independent bookstores more than Amazon, if only because books are an increasingly small part of Amazon revenue. This would further put advance-paying publishers in a hole where they are dependent on the single Amazon account. So the case for building that direct relationship with readers is arguably weaker than it was years ago.

It may be most posters here will not equate what The Times headline linked above calls fury, evidenced by pulled buy buttons, with whining. But why not?

Why isn't it whining when people here complain about eBooks with typos? Or eBook prices? Or DRM? Where would this place be without such whining?

I'm wondering if it possible to vigorously complain without being seen as whining by those who disagree with the complaint.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by crossi

If the services that Amazon offers them are so vital they should sign the bloody contract and stop whining. Why should Amazon be expected to offer them these valuable and probably expensive to Amazon services for less than they are worth? Amazon's warehouses, customer service staff and servers aren't free to Amazon after all. If Hachette thinks these are such a bad deal they can buy their own warehouses and hire their own customer service and shipping departments. And IT people to design and run their own websites. And STOP WHINING.

Sure, however, if at your next pay review your boss said they were going to cut your wage by 20% because you don't have anywhere else to work would you kick off about it or just accept it?

It's contract negotiations , last time the publishers tried to get into selling direct Amazon kicked off, this time Amazon are quietly squeezing the publisher and the publisher is kicking off.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

...

I'm wondering if it possible to vigorously complain without being seen as whining by those who disagree with the complaint.

Probably not. A lot of people seem to take the any stick to beat them with approach when it comes to these sort of issues or that the end justifies the means.

[DiapDealer]

Wow, have we reached the "poor me" stage of the thread already?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

Sure, however, if at your next pay review your boss said they were going to cut your wage by 20% because you don't have anywhere else to work would you kick off about it or just accept it?

It's contract negotiations , last time the publishers tried to get into selling direct Amazon kicked off, this time Amazon are quietly squeezing the publisher and the publisher is kicking off.

This happens every day, and yes...people either "just accept it" or try to change it. I know at least 4 people that this has happened to in the past year...2 of them just shrugged their shoulders and took the cut (they did complain, but did nothing to change it) Of the other two, one started his own side business nights and weekends, and the other moved to another location where there were more jobs. There are always other options. They may not be the options that you want, but they do exist.

Shari

[speakingtohe]

Happened where I worked once. Not to me, but probably would have. So I quit anyway. Actually I was just looking for justification as companies who do this are not always the best employers.

Pretty well everyone quit within a month and then the building burnt down 6 months later, go figure. True story.

Helen

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Wow, have we reached the "poor me" stage of the thread already?

[shalym]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Happened where I worked once. Not to me, but probably would have. So I quit anyway. Actually I was just looking for justification as companies who do this are not always the best employers.

Pretty well everyone quit within a month and then the building burnt down 6 months later, go figure. True story.

Helen

Did they steal Milton's stapler?

Shari

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by shalym

Did they steal Milton's stapler?

Shari

Had to look that one up
Helen

[SteveEisenberg]

One more question about whining. Does this count?

http://www.businessinsider.com/amazo...#ixzz34Z8FXSEd

Amazon Spokesperson Goes Ballistic After Author Of Book About Amazon Uses One Wrong Word

The even-handed Hachette book in question is essential reading for this thread, besides being the proverbial great read. And it's fine with me if you buy it from Amazon, where, to somebody's credit, the hardcover is available for immediate shipment at 44 percent off the cover price (and less from marketplace sellers):

http://www.amazon.com/The-Everything...erything+store

[shalym]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

Had to look that one up
Helen

Ah...I'm so envious! You get to watch the movie for the first time!! http://smile.amazon.com/Office-Space...s=office+space

Shari

[SteveEisenberg]

Here's my Amazon vs. Hachette story of the week.

Lately I am reading more mysteries.

So last evening I did a library search, using J. Howell's terrific (now that I'm used to it) Calibre plugin, looking for The Silkworm, a J. K. Rowling/Robert Galbraith eBook released yesterday and published by Hachette imprint Little, Brown. If someone is now on the waiting list at the New York Public Library, they have me to blame.

Earlier in the week I had gotten the idea of trying Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master award winner Ed McBain, searching for the first book in his 87th precinct series. No hits at any public library I have a card for. Now why do you think that is?

My answer: Amazon Publishing bought the rights to McBain's early 87th precinct titles, releasing them under its Thomas & Mercer imprint. Sometimes you can find their titles as library audiobooks, but not as eBooks.

Amazon may be pro-eBook-buyer, but it is sure isn't pro eBook-borrower.