Publisher’s Exclusive Arrangement with Amazon Comes With Price
21. Aug, 2008 | by Jane |
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A small print publisher is putting out a pro Obama book called, Obama’s Challenge by Robert Kuttner. It’s initial print run is available only via Amazon.
This exclusivity angered other booksellers including Barnes and Noble who had originally ordered 10,000 copies and now will sell the book via special order and on its website with no retail copies immediately available. B&N said that the exclusive sales arrangement was “unprecedented.”
Other independent bookstores are cancelling their orders.
Via Shelfawareness.
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What is really unfortunate for this author in the long run is, if it’s being published by Amazon’s BookSurge subsidiary, they have the right to pretty much do what they want with the book. I don’t think some authors who are desperate to get published are considering that.
And for these authors who are using any of Amazon’s subsidiary services, they may never have their book seen on more than that site. No in-store displays, no small bookstores, no online sales if they’re not done through Amazon.
Let’s face it, we’re all aware by now of the antitrust suit going on over Amazon’s desire to take over the small print and POD market, starting with the PODs.
That link didn’t work for me. I see it is a Booksurge book, that is now effectively Amazon’s in house printer–rather than a small press. I am not sure what all the surprise is about?
Books-A-Million is selling it as a pre-order. This is sad for the author!
I looked into it a little more and see the critics point now. To get the advance POD copy you have to buy from Amazon. Indy stores lose those sales, people who avoid Amazon have to wait. I can see why they are annoyed.
IMHO the owner of the press has rather missed the point here: http://www.chelseagreen.com/company/contactus/an_open_letter_to_booksellers_regarding_obamas_challenge/ . She seems to imply the critic are anti-POD (rather than anti-Booksurge) and silly to be anti-Amazon (there are plenty of good reasons to hate them).
My question for her would be: if POD printers were presidential candidates, would Booksurge be Obama?