Digital books on the Kindle, Nook or Kobo are way more expensive now, than ever before. Major publishers who control the vast majority of the market, control the prices and users end up paying more than the paperback and in some cases, the ebooks are more expensive than the hardcover. Why are ebooks so expensive now? Agency Model Keeps the Prices High Digital books used to be … [Read more...] about Why are Kindle ebooks so expensive?
Search Results for: apple price fixing
Judge recommends dropping lawsuit against Amazon and Publishers for price fixing ebooks
A class action lawsuit was brought to a southern district of New York last year claiming Amazon and many of the worlds largest publishers — Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster — agreed to price fix the price of ebooks. This would keep the prices artificially, so customers would have to pay more. Last week, the US magistrate Judge … [Read more...] about Judge recommends dropping lawsuit against Amazon and Publishers for price fixing ebooks
Authors to Dept of Justice: Stop the Penguin Random House Buy of Simon & Schuster
Once upon a time, the publishing world involved a vast, gatekeeping entity called the Big Six. Shortly after a devastating anti-trust lawsuit involving five of those publishers, Penguin and Random House merged to become the current largest trade publisher in the US. But a new deal to buy Simon & Schuster--amounting to what the Washington Post has called "the Big Bad Wolf … [Read more...] about Authors to Dept of Justice: Stop the Penguin Random House Buy of Simon & Schuster
Lawsuit filed against Amazon for ebook price fixing
Amazon is under fire for the dominant position in controlling the ebook market. A class action lawsuit has being filed against them, by the same law firm that successfully sued Apple in 2011, by colluding with publishers to establish a uniform pricing model for ebooks, for their iBooks launch. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, … [Read more...] about Lawsuit filed against Amazon for ebook price fixing
Amazon May Be Close to a Deal in EU Case
Amazon is no stranger to issues surrounding ebook prices. Stateside, Amazon was a quiet player in the Apple-Big Five lawsuit brought about by the Department of Justice, but in Europe, Amazon is the central figure in the proceedings. At its heart, the issue stems from alleged price fixing that forces the publishers' hands in an already hotly contested topic. But there may be … [Read more...] about Amazon May Be Close to a Deal in EU Case
Amazon Backs Down to Avoid EU Punishment
It's a strange day for book retailing and publishing, as readers and authors alike react to the news that Amazon, apparently, can be frightened into compliance. In a story that carries just as many questions as answers, book retail giant and worldwide phenomenon Amazon has agreed to back off on its iron-fisted terms of service, at least in European markets, under threats from … [Read more...] about Amazon Backs Down to Avoid EU Punishment
Amazon Attempts to Settle EU Antitrust Investigation
When words like Amazon and antitrust get bandied about in the same sentence, people start to wonder about the shady dealings the world's largest book retailer may be engaged in. At least that's the case where the European Union is concerned, and a year-long investigation into Amazon's ebook distribution contracts with publishers. Last year, a watchdog branch of the EU … [Read more...] about Amazon Attempts to Settle EU Antitrust Investigation
Apple gets some unlikely allies in e-book price fixing case
Apple is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn an appellate court decision that found they conspired with five publishers to increase e-book prices. Apple is trying to get the June ruling tossed out that would see them pay consumers $450 million under a 2014 settlement. Today, Apple has received some unexpected allies in the form of the Authors Guild, Authors United, … [Read more...] about Apple gets some unlikely allies in e-book price fixing case
Why do e-books cost so much?
Over the course of the last calendar year e-books have dramatically increased in price. Major publishers have all reported sagging revenue, as people are buying less digital content. The big problem is that Amazon has trained everyone to think that $9.99 was the perfect price to pay for a bestselling e-book. A million dollar industry quickly become a billion dollar industry , … [Read more...] about Why do e-books cost so much?
U.S. antitrust monitor says Apple its own worst enemy
Apple was brought to court for fixing e-book prices in 2013 and a court-appointed monitor was dispatched to basically insure the company was not doing anything shady in regards to e-books. Michael Bromwich, a former U.S. Justice Department inspector general whose relationship with Apple has been strained from the outset told a Federal judge yesterday that "In this respect, … [Read more...] about U.S. antitrust monitor says Apple its own worst enemy
Simon & Schuster has no problem with high e-Book prices
e-Books have been dramatically increasing in cost to the consumer ever since publishes have gained the ability to dictate their own price. Some people have called this phenomenon predatory pricing, devised to put the bulk of digital bookstores out of business. In a recent keynote with the Book Industry Study Group, Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy proclaimed she doesn't have … [Read more...] about Simon & Schuster has no problem with high e-Book prices
Agency Pricing for eBooks to Return – This is a Good Thing
The online bookstore landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years. There used to be a fair number of choices, such as the Sony Reader Store, Diesel e-Books and Txtr. One by one they all closed down because Amazon has been able to offer steeper discounts, offering readers incentives to buy the cheapest books possible. A few years ago Apple convinced all of the … [Read more...] about Agency Pricing for eBooks to Return – This is a Good Thing
Were “Flash in the Pan” Predictions Right?
When ebooks first appeared on the literary scene in a big way, critics and supporters alike had some pretty bold predictions. From the "death of print" side came support for the worldwide benefits of digital reading, while the "flash in the pan" crowd refused to let go of their paper editions and that "new book smell." There was even a solid middle ground as parents--even those … [Read more...] about Were “Flash in the Pan” Predictions Right?
More Speculation on the Final Bill for Apple’s Price Fixing Problems
News was announced yesterday from the lawyers for the plaintiffs in one of Apple's side lawsuits over ebook pricing that the grand total the company could have to pay out to consumers is $400 million. This amount was disclosed after the terms of the settlement were released following Judge Denise Cote's approval of the settlement. This settlement isn't to be confused with … [Read more...] about More Speculation on the Final Bill for Apple’s Price Fixing Problems