Sony is discounting my books - What will Amazon do?

wannabee · 10-19-2011, 10:23 PM

I just noticed that the Sony Reader Store is discounting our books by 20%. I'm afraid of what will happen when Amazon's robot compares pricing? The price of the books will get dragged down.

I'm sure I'm not the first to talk about this. Can someone shed some light on the best way to handle this?

michaelryannh · 10-19-2011, 10:25 PM

I thought the authors set their own price with this?

wannabee · 10-19-2011, 10:43 PM

I did. $9.95 but when I go to the store its now $9.95 $7.95

Have a look

SeaKing · 10-20-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

I did. $9.95 but when I go to the store its now $9.95 $7.95

Have a look

Is your profit a percentage of the selling price, or a fixed sum?

Kemp · 10-20-2011, 01:23 AM

If it's something you don't want done, you probably can send an email to their support asking them to revert the change. I can't say it'll work for sure, but if not then maybe consider pulling your title from there.

I *believe* most of the other places which allow independent authors to distribute have said they won't alter pricing anymore. Too much mess with webcrawlers finding them cheaper, too many angry authors complaining via support.

wannabee · 10-20-2011, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaKing

Is your profit a percentage of the selling price, or a fixed sum?

Amazon gives you a percentage of your nominated selling price even if they give them away free. I'm going to have to reread Sony's contact to see what I've signed up to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kemp

If it's something you don't want done, you probably can send an email to their support asking them to revert the change. I can't say it'll work for sure, but if not then maybe consider pulling your title from there.

Yeah, I guess so. But 13 titles and they've only been up for just over a month and you wont believe the rigmarole it is to get them into the reader store.

Quote:

I *believe* most of the other places which allow independent authors to distribute have said they won't alter pricing anymore. Too much mess with webcrawlers finding them cheaper, too many angry authors complaining via support.

Just wondering if anyone reading the thread has actually been through this? With Sony or anyone else?

Keryl Raist · 10-20-2011, 08:10 AM

Did you go through smashwords or put them up yourself?

If you did Smashwords, I'd recommend talking to them. If memory serves, the different services aren't supposed to discount Smashwords titles.

If you went on your own, I'd suggest reading through your contract. My guess is there's a line in there that says they can discount your price when and how they like. If not, then get customer support on the phone and begin complaining.

John Carroll · 10-20-2011, 10:29 AM

I go through Smashwords too. They protect the author from discounted books.

The other option is not to tell Amazon and hope they're too busy opening up stores in new countries to notice.

SeaKing · 10-20-2011, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Amazon gives you a percentage of your nominated selling price even if they give them away free. I'm going to have to reread Sony's contact to see what I've signed up to.
---

O.K. Please realize I am a newbie at this stuff, but if you get the same money from Amazon then what is the downside of them reducing the price?

Is it that the books appear devalued to others? Does that affect you immediately or in the long run?

ScalyFreak · 10-20-2011, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaKing

Is it that the books appear devalued to others? Does that affect you immediately or in the long run?

Speaking purely from a reader's standpoint, lower price means I'm more likely to buy the book. So if it's not reducing the actual amount the author makes on each sale, then I'd say reduced price is good, no?

mr ploppy · 10-20-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Amazon gives you a percentage of your nominated selling price even if they give them away free.

Is that just in America? I don't get anything for UK "sales" of something that is free. If they pay for free stuff in America that would explain why they didn't make it free there.

John Carroll · 10-20-2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Amazon gives you a percentage of your nominated selling price even if they give them away free. I'm going to have to reread Sony's contact to see what I've signed up to.

I believe they did this at first, but stopped the practice earlier in 2011. I don't get any royalty at all for the books I have for free there and haven't since the first ones went free in May.

wannabee · 10-20-2011, 05:36 PM

I didn't go through smashwords, I used Sony's facilitator Amnet. I think they're in India.

Quote:

Is that just in America? I don't get anything for UK "sales" of something that is free. If they pay for free stuff in America that would explain why they didn't make it free there.

Quote:

O.K. Please realize I am a newbie at this stuff, but if you get the same money from Amazon then what is the downside of them reducing the price?

Is it that the books appear devalued to others? Does that affect you immediately or in the long run?

No, Maybe I didn't make myself clear. If I nominate a book to sell in Amazon for $9.95 (not free)then my cut is about $6.95 or so. If Amazon decide to discount or give it away free I still get my $6.95. (I've only read about it. It hasn't happened to me)

Quote:

I believe they did this at first, but stopped the practice earlier in 2011. I don't get any royalty at all for the books I have for free there and haven't since the first ones went free in May.

Did you assign it a price of $0 or did Amazon? If you did, then there's no reason for Amazon to pay a percentage.

Now getting back to the original problem. The agreement with Amazon is that I not sell a print or electronic version through any other sales outlet cheaper than Amazon. If Amazon finds out there is a cheaper one out there they will drop their price to match and subsequently my portion is reduced.
Meanwhile if Sony discount the books without my consent and Amazon follows suit, the whole box and dice can go spiraling down.

Thanks for your feedback. Looks like it's time reread that contract.

If anyone else had actually gone through this scenario I'd certainly like to hear from you.

ScalyFreak · 10-20-2011, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wannabee

Now getting back to the original problem. The agreement with Amazon is that I not sell a print or electronic version through any other sales outlet cheaper than Amazon. If Amazon finds out there is a cheaper one out there they will drop their price to match and subsequently my portion is reduced. Meanwhile if Sony discount the books without my consent and Amazon follows suit, the whole box and dice can go spiraling down.

Oh, okay. I can see how that would be a bad thing.

Time to contact Sony maybe? Or the publisher, if you think Sony is more likely to listen to them?

Good luck!

SeaKing · 10-20-2011, 07:22 PM

This seems overly complicated.
I hate contracts, but I guess they are a part of the cost of doing business.

10-19-2011, 10:23 PM	#1
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,381 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	Sony is discounting my books - What will Amazon do? I just noticed that the Sony Reader Store is discounting our books by 20%. I'm afraid of what will happen when Amazon's robot compares pricing? The price of the books will get dragged down. I'm sure I'm not the first to talk about this. Can someone shed some light on the best way to handle this?

10-19-2011, 10:43 PM	#3
wannabee Media Bloke Posts: 2,381 Karma: 113956855 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: NSW - Australia Device: iOS	I did. $9.95 but when I go to the store its now $9.95 $7.95 Have a look Last edited by wannabee; 10-19-2011 at 10:46 PM.

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10-19-2011, 10:25 PM	#2
michaelryannh Connoisseur Posts: 57 Karma: 11966 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G + Wifi	I thought the authors set their own price with this?

10-20-2011, 01:23 AM	#5
Kemp Zealot Posts: 106 Karma: 271834 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Minnesota Device: none	If it's something you don't want done, you probably can send an email to their support asking them to revert the change. I can't say it'll work for sure, but if not then maybe consider pulling your title from there. I believe most of the other places which allow independent authors to distribute have said they won't alter pricing anymore. Too much mess with webcrawlers finding them cheaper, too many angry authors complaining via support.

10-20-2011, 08:10 AM	#7
Keryl Raist Zealot Posts: 140 Karma: 379182 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Device: Kindle for PC	Did you go through smashwords or put them up yourself? If you did Smashwords, I'd recommend talking to them. If memory serves, the different services aren't supposed to discount Smashwords titles. If you went on your own, I'd suggest reading through your contract. My guess is there's a line in there that says they can discount your price when and how they like. If not, then get customer support on the phone and begin complaining.

10-20-2011, 10:29 AM	#8
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	I go through Smashwords too. They protect the author from discounted books. The other option is not to tell Amazon and hope they're too busy opening up stores in new countries to notice.

10-20-2011, 07:22 PM	#15
SeaKing Frequent Flier Posts: 1,282 Karma: 2058993297 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: KB kindle aboard, Galx Tab 7.0 Plus, trying out Droid 1 as mini-tab	This seems overly complicated. I hate contracts, but I guess they are a part of the cost of doing business.