Amazon is still sleeping on Macmillan’s couch, but at least they’re talking again. Rumour has it Amazon quietly started restocking hardcover and paperback copies of the publisher’s books – but not the ebook ones. Updated.
Amazon’s restored the entire book catalogue for Macmillan, the first publisher to play hard ball with them and have its entire catalogue promptly pulled from the site.
During media megaconglomorate News Corp’s earnings call – which owns publisher HarperCollins – the Dark Lord Rupert Murdoch reveals, “We don’t like the Amazon model of $US9.99… we think it really devalues books and hurts all the retailers of hardcover books.” Ruh roh.
Amazon has given in to Macmillan, and will switch to a pricing model that sees bestseller and new hardcover releases offered to customers at $US12.99 to $US14.99. The official statement is as follows:
Bad luck, non-US countries. iBooks won’t be available from launch in any country other than the US. That could mean Apple’s still to finesse the licensing details with book publishers in each country, or you’re just plain out of luck.
