The effect of Agency Pricing on Amazon - UK vs US

[abookreader]

I just did a quick survey of some books at Amazon - first price is with a United Kingdom Kindle address where from what I vaguely understand agency pricing is illegal. The second price is with a United States Kindle address.
If this keeps up I think my Kindle might have to take up a new permanent address.

Night of Rain and Stars - Maeve Binchy (UK 6.91, US 8.99)
Lover Mine - JR Ward - (UK $5.78, US 12.99)
Silver Borne - Patricia Briggs (UK $7.20, US 11.99)
Changes - Jim Butcher (UK $9.75, US 12.99)
Innocent - Scott Turow ($11.74, US $12.99)
House Rules - Jodi Picoult (UK $$12.09, US $14.99)
The Poet Prince - Kathleen McGown (UK $11.74, US $12.99)
Savor the Moment - Nora Roberts (UK $8.66, US $9.99)

Anybody know of a cheaper country that me and my Kindle might want to move to?

[rgeorg]

I have a greece address. When I buy a US Kindle book, they add a $2.30 fee for Whispernet. I use Kindle for PC and download by wireless - is there any way to not have this charge?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by rgeorg

I have a greece address. When I buy a US Kindle book, they add a $2.30 fee for Whispernet. I use Kindle for PC and download by wireless - is there any way to not have this charge?

Not at the moment. Well, your could try to fool Amazon into thinking you're in the US, but apparently that will make them charge you a lot more for Penguin titles!

[abookreader]

The last time I bought a book with a UK address was in April, I bought Andy McDermott's Cult of Osiris using my son's University study abroad address in London. This is what I paid, no extra whispernet fee. The price is now down to $6.39 with a UK address.

-----

The Cult of Osiris [Kindle Edition]
By: Andy McDermott
Sold By: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
$6.86
Item(s) Subtotal: $6.86
----
Total Before Tax: $6.86
Sales tax: $0.00
----
Total for this Order: $6.86
----

[pdurrant]

If seems to be $7.06 from what I can see. Also, since it's not available from a US address, it's not possible to directly compare the price.

However, checking one of my books, Kai Lung Raises His Voice, it's $7.99 from the US, but $9.39 from a UK address. It does seem that the international wireless fee has been dropped. (Hooray!) ($7.99 * 1.175 = $9.39)

I suppose I might move back to the UK, and turn my wireless back on.

I think this news deserves its own thread. (Goes off to make one.)

Originally Posted by abookreader

The last time I bought a book with a UK address was in April, I bought Andy McDermott's Cult of Osiris using my son's University study abroad address in London. This is what I paid, no extra whispernet fee. The price is now down to $6.39 with a UK address.

-----

The Cult of Osiris [Kindle Edition]
By: Andy McDermott
Sold By: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
$6.86
Item(s) Subtotal: $6.86
----
Total Before Tax: $6.86
Sales tax: $0.00
----
Total for this Order: $6.86
----

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by abookreader

I just did a quick survey of some books at Amazon - first price is with a United Kingdom Kindle address where from what I vaguely understand agency pricing is illegal. The second price is with a United States Kindle address.

Is that including the $2.30 book fee?

rgeorg - Nope. Gotta love contingency fees.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Is that including the $2.30 book fee?

rgeorg - Nope. Gotta love contingency fees.

The wireless delivery fee has been dropped! In the UK at least, and it should be gone elsewhere too, although Amazon may not have got all the changes in place yet.

[rgeorg]

That would be good (if the wireless fee was dropped). They add 21% for VAT (intl taxes, which is legit I suppose) and then wireless fee on top of that! A $9.99 book goes to about $14.30 It's enough to make Amazon my absolutely last choice for online book-buying.

[HarryT]

VAT has to be charged on eBooks throughout the EU, in accordance with the EU's "eCommerce VAT directive".

[DawnFalcon]

pdurrant - Ookay, they really made a lot of news about that then. Of course, I've since got the free books I was interested in from other legal sources, and I have a high bar for installing anything...

[abookreader]

Unless I'm totally missing something - the prices I quoted for UK include wireless delivery and VAT. For instance, this is the Amazon page from Lover Mine

Lover Mine (Kindle Edition)
by J. R. Ward (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (241 customer reviews)
241 Reviews
5 star:
(128)
4 star:
(49)
3 star:
(30)
2 star:
(16)
1 star:
(18)

› See all 241 customer reviews...
› See all discussions...
Digital List Price: $11.02 What's this?
Print List Price: $25.95
Kindle Price: $5.78 includes VAT & international wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
You Save: $20.17 (78%)
* Unlike print books, digital books are subject to VAT.

This same book is $12.99 if you are a US resident. That I do know. Now I haven't actually bought it as a UK buyer to test, but that is the way I believe it works.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Unless I'm totally missing something - the prices I quoted for UK include wireless delivery and VAT.

Yes, the UK pages do still say the price includes wireless delivery and VAT. And so they do. It's just that the cost of wireless delivery (at least in the UK) is now $0, not $2.

As an example, look at my book, Kai Lung Raises His Voice. $7.99 in the US, $9.39 in the UK (UK VAT is 17.5%. 17.5% of $7.99 is $1.40. $7.99+$1.40 = $9.39.)

Until a few days ago, it was $11.74 in the UK. ($7.99 + $2.00 = $9.99. $9.99*1.175 = $11.74)

[DawnFalcon]

There's no press release on this. I've been looking. Erm, wtf lol?