DOJ suing Apple over ebooks.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

The only solution is good, legal, modern business practices.

The past is done and gone; if they don't start looking *realistically* at the future, their finances are going to keep on suffering.

New thinkers needed. Old ones can not face risks or changes.

See old blackberry presidents as example. could not see a world different from one they used to rule.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by stonetools

FWIW, the talk on Mediagazer is that Apple will win against the DOJ.

Even if Apple wins against the DOJ, they still lose. Competing on prices is against their religion.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Competing on prices is against their religion.

long time ago that. not so much now.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

More important: B&N is *already* selling other types of products.
(Remember the B&N carpets?)
http://moneyland.time.com/2011/10/24...-selling-rugs/

It is hard to argue they can't do something they are already doing, no?

The one thing I hope the lawsuit achieves is to (finally!) get the BPHs and their apologists thinking about how *they* do business instead of how Amazon does business. There is no magic bullet, there is no savior. The only solution is good, legal, modern business practices.

The past is done and gone; if they don't start looking *realistically* at the future, their finances are going to keep on suffering.

Already the five are at risk for $100 million in refunds. Unspecified fines. And that is before the class actin suits. And the other 35 state AGs.

I believe that the three that settled agreed to pay $151 million in fines and the like. I am hoping that the consumer who has been paying the extra cost for those books sees some of that. It is not like the various companies do not have a complete record of what has been purchased and could not easily tally some type of compensation for customers based on what they have purchased.

Personally, I would prefer a check that I could deposit and use to buy an IPad. (Yes I am finally caving and getting an IPad). (winks)

I don't think that is going to happen but it would be nice.

[tubemonkey]

It wouldn't surprise me if compensation came in the form of an e-coupon. The number of coupons you receive would be based on how much you spent on agency books. The coupons would expire 90 days after receipt and would exclude sale/clearance items.

• $5 off a $25 purchase of ebooks -- or
• $10 off a $50 purchase of ebooks

...or maybe not

[Barcey]

In my view what would be justice is if the BPH had to provide a full refund for all ebooks sold in the last two years. That might actually make companies think before they do something like this in the future. As it is I'm not expecting much out of this. Even the settlement is limiting the free market.

The real loss to the publishers is the bad publicity that they're getting but I don't believe they care. They've never demonstrated any consideration for what is best for the consumer in any of their decisions related to ebooks. If they continue with their current leadship, that's why they'll end up going out of business, not "evil Amazon". Amazon looks after their own interests but they understand that their best interest is understanding and servicing the customer first.

[cjr72]

Originally Posted by stonetools

Depends on the DOJ. This is an activist DOJ. A Bush Administration type DOJ wouldn't care what Amazon did. Just injecting some real world politics into this happy vision that the DOJ would always come to save the day.

Really?

[sbroome]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Even if Apple wins against the DOJ, they still lose. Competing on prices is against their religion.

Their entire current model for iphone saturation is based on pricing and undercutting other smartphone makers whereever possible. No idea what you're talking about.

[Skydog]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Windowing is fair game.
Perfectly legal.
Totally stupid and self-defeating but legal.
Remember, they tried it and it didn't help their cause any; folks screamed and headed for the library. (Or the darknet.)

Of course - all the above is why I mentioned it. It still remains an unknown.

[kennyc]

Former FTC policy director says the DOJ's evidence against Apple and several book publishers is the kind that prosecutors "fantasize about."

http://www.informationweek.com/news/...held/232900242

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by sbroome

Their entire current model for iphone saturation is based on pricing and undercutting other smartphone makers whereever possible. No idea what you're talking about.

Uhhhh.....no.

[sbroome]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Uhhhh.....no.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/te...pagewanted=all

[Belfaborac]

Originally Posted by sbroome

Their entire current model for iphone saturation is based on pricing and undercutting other smartphone makers whereever possible. No idea what you're talking about.

OT, but I was slightly curious about this... Here in Norway the cheapest iPhone (iPhone 4, 8GB) is more expensive than the vast majority of smart phones. Its price is exceeded only by a very few top models from other manufacturers.

Is the opposite the case in the US?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by sbroome

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/te...pagewanted=all

Uhhhh....no.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Belfaborac

OT, but I was slightly curious about this... Here in Norway the cheapest iPhone (iPhone 4, 8GB) is more expensive than the vast majority of smart phones. Its price is exceeded only by a very few top models from other manufacturers.

Is the opposite the case in the US?

No it's exactly the same.