Authors Guild: Claims Kindle Lending Library is a breach of contract

=X= · 11-16-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Amazon actually pays publishers a fee whenever someone rents a book for free, so why are they up in arms about the move? .... Amazon asked permission from major publishers to participate and after most declined Amazon’s offer, the retailer still decided to go ahead.

“Amazon simply disregarded these publishers’ wishes, and enrolled many of their titles in the program anyway,”
--The Authors Guild

more...

Interesting....

SleepyBob · 11-16-2011, 12:59 PM

But Amazon is paying them the wholesale rate for those books. If a seller charges $6.99 per book purchased, and that is what they get paid, how can they complain?

Sydney's Mom · 11-16-2011, 01:09 PM

They are going back to the old "you are devaluing the ebook" argument. But I still don't get $19 for Stephen King's new book.

howyoudoin · 11-16-2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

They are going back to the old "you are devaluing the ebook" argument. But I still don't get $19 for Stephen King's new book.

Haha, yeah. Like the article points out, it's no different to how a library functions, except that they'll actually get paid for each 'withdrawal' here. If anything traditional libraries 'devalue' books more.

covfam · 11-16-2011, 01:28 PM

funny how getting paid for the book isnt enough for them.

The ford corporation doesnt have kittens when the local ford dealer lends me a car for a week while my ford is in the shop why? because Ford already got paid for said car AND if i like the service or the loaner car enough i may go buy another one from ford and make ford even more money!

If amazon is paying for each and every copy being "lent" for free i dont see how thats a problem for authors/publishers. i say got a tom clancy book for free on kindle and really enjoyed it.. im gonna buy several of his other books and paying said author even mor emoney.

Now if amazon only buys a single copy of the boo and lends it to 3 million people at once then THAT would be a bad thing but thats not what it sounds like is happening so i dont understand what the problem is.

Apache · 11-16-2011, 01:40 PM

The problem is greed.
Apache

BWinmill · 11-16-2011, 02:07 PM

There is another thing the author's guild should consider: lending ebooks should devalue the ebook for the retailer as well, yet the retailer seems to believe that it adds enough value that they are paying to provide this service. Now the benefits to Amazon are obvious: it helps them to pull in customers. The author's guild should start thinking about how this can be of value to them.

Hellmark · 11-16-2011, 02:23 PM

The thing to consider is, how much is Amazon paying. I sincerely doubt that the amount of profit is the same per book as if it was sold.

howyoudoin · 11-16-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellmark

The thing to consider is, how much is Amazon paying. I sincerely doubt that the amount of profit is the same per book as if it was sold.

I don't see any reason to assume that, in the absence of a deal, Amazon would be paying the publishers less than what they would be paying them for an actual sale of the same book.

Fbone · 11-16-2011, 02:38 PM

I still wonder how long Amazon can afford to buy all these books without raising the cost of Prime. Costs much reach into the millions.

RichL · 11-16-2011, 03:02 PM

Probably nothing more to it on Bezos' part that wanting (and getting) free advertising for Amazon / Kindle Fire from of all the gullible pro and con OMG'rs getting on their high horses on the internet.

Hellmark · 11-16-2011, 03:26 PM

Exactly, if they're paying the same amount on every book, regardless of if it is loaned out or bought, then they're bound to lose tons of money.

khalleron · 11-16-2011, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

I still wonder how long Amazon can afford to buy all these books without raising the cost of Prime. Costs much reach into the millions.

Probably not as much as the Prime Video service costs them.

Fbone · 11-16-2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khalleron

Probably not as much as the Prime Video service costs them.

I'm sure you're correct.

Only difference is Video is a set cost. Amazon can control it somewhat. Who know how many Prime members will use Lending Library.

ProfCrash · 11-16-2011, 06:59 PM

Not if a ton of people with Prime Memberships decide to buy Kindles and Fires and then buy e-books outside of borrowing 12 a year. Or the cost of the number of people who join Prime for these perks and never use them.

How many people in the US pay for a gym membership and never use it?

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11-16-2011, 12:59 PM	#2
SleepyBob Evangelist Posts: 420 Karma: 8522810 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wisconsin, USA Device: Kindle PW3	But Amazon is paying them the wholesale rate for those books. If a seller charges $6.99 per book purchased, and that is what they get paid, how can they complain?

11-16-2011, 01:09 PM	#3
Sydney's Mom Wizard Posts: 2,895 Karma: 6995721 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Idaho, on the side of a mountain Device: Kindle Oasis, Fire 3d Gen and 5th Gen and Samsung Tab S	They are going back to the old "you are devaluing the ebook" argument. But I still don't get $19 for Stephen King's new book.

11-16-2011, 01:28 PM	#5
covfam Addict Posts: 304 Karma: 1139862 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Ipod Touch,Ipad3,Kindle fire, Samsung Galaxy tab, Samsung Galaxy S3	funny how getting paid for the book isnt enough for them. The ford corporation doesnt have kittens when the local ford dealer lends me a car for a week while my ford is in the shop why? because Ford already got paid for said car AND if i like the service or the loaner car enough i may go buy another one from ford and make ford even more money! If amazon is paying for each and every copy being "lent" for free i dont see how thats a problem for authors/publishers. i say got a tom clancy book for free on kindle and really enjoyed it.. im gonna buy several of his other books and paying said author even mor emoney. Now if amazon only buys a single copy of the boo and lends it to 3 million people at once then THAT would be a bad thing but thats not what it sounds like is happening so i dont understand what the problem is.

11-16-2011, 01:40 PM	#6
Apache Readaholic Posts: 5,132 Karma: 89858112 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: South Georgia Device: Surface Pro 6 / Galaxy Tab A 8"	The problem is greed. Apache

11-16-2011, 02:07 PM	#7
BWinmill Nameless Being	There is another thing the author's guild should consider: lending ebooks should devalue the ebook for the retailer as well, yet the retailer seems to believe that it adds enough value that they are paying to provide this service. Now the benefits to Amazon are obvious: it helps them to pull in customers. The author's guild should start thinking about how this can be of value to them.

11-16-2011, 02:23 PM	#8
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	The thing to consider is, how much is Amazon paying. I sincerely doubt that the amount of profit is the same per book as if it was sold.

11-16-2011, 02:38 PM	#10
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,189 Karma: 100500000 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	I still wonder how long Amazon can afford to buy all these books without raising the cost of Prime. Costs much reach into the millions.

11-16-2011, 03:02 PM	#11
RichL Evangelist Posts: 407 Karma: 1096520 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: back to x51v	Probably nothing more to it on Bezos' part that wanting (and getting) free advertising for Amazon / Kindle Fire from of all the gullible pro and con OMG'rs getting on their high horses on the internet.

11-16-2011, 03:26 PM	#12
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	Exactly, if they're paying the same amount on every book, regardless of if it is loaned out or bought, then they're bound to lose tons of money.

11-16-2011, 06:59 PM	#15
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Not if a ton of people with Prime Memberships decide to buy Kindles and Fires and then buy e-books outside of borrowing 12 a year. Or the cost of the number of people who join Prime for these perks and never use them. How many people in the US pay for a gym membership and never use it?

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