| s a shot heard round the publishing world in record | | | | that include: |
| time. Once Writers Weekly's Angela Hoy, | | | | * Amazon Tightens Noose on Print-on-Demand |
| co-owner of Print-On-Demand services company | | | | Publishers |
| BookLocker, got off the phone with an Amazon | | | | * Amazon to Force POD Publishers to Use |
| rep last month, she posted the warning that | | | | BookSurge |
| Amazon was issuing an ultimatum to POD and | | | | * Amazon pulls a Microsoft |
| small press publishers: print through our | | | | * Amazon puts the screws to small publishers |
| on-demand service, BookSurge, or the "buy | | | | * Is Amazon Getting Greedy? |
| button" on their Amazon page will be turned off. | | | | And a personal favorite: Use BookSurge or Die? |
| It gets better. POD publishers who do strike an | | | | One independent author has even posted an |
| agreement with Amazon to use BookSurge must | | | | online petition. Authors have filled message boards |
| pay for the privilege. These publishers will pay | | | | and blogs with comments trying to grapple with |
| Amazon to print their book, plus pay setup fees | | | | this issue and what it means to them and their |
| for new books, and on top of that Amazon will | | | | books. Most authors are not pleased, although |
| take 48% of each sale. Or, the alternative for | | | | there are some pragmatists who see it as |
| these publishers to ensure their buy buttons | | | | business as usual - Amazon's only doing what any |
| remain activated is to join Amazon's Advantage | | | | other company would do (if it could), the same |
| Program, which costs $29.95 per year, plus | | | | way Microsoft dominates software. Some points |
| shipping costs AND 55% of each sale to Amazon | | | | raised include: |
| (You can find this analysis as well as a | | | | * Can books be ported over from a POD |
| comprehensive overview of the issue and many, | | | | publisher directly to BookSurge? Over at Lulu |
| many related articles put together by Angela and | | | | forums, authors noted that Lulu's standards differ |
| her husband Richard at their site, Writer's | | | | - to be published by BookSurge could mean that |
| Weekly). | | | | the authors would have to purchase a BookSurge |
| PublishAmerica, which refuses to kowtow to | | | | publishing package even though they chose to |
| Amazon's demand, has posted a release on its | | | | publish with Lulu. Lulu's CEO was quoted in the Wall |
| website to explain why it will not comply with | | | | Street Journal as saying he believed BookSurge |
| Amazon's "strong arm" tactics. | | | | had "slightly" higher prices than other printers. |
| What Amazon says: using machines in its own | | | | * Is it really about faster customer service, or is |
| warehouses to print books saves time, making | | | | Amazon simply looking to make more money by |
| titles ready for shipment faster. It also allows | | | | printing more books? (It should be noted that |
| them to combine the title with another product to | | | | Amazon/BookSurge has been approaching |
| be shipped in the same box and utilizes Amazon | | | | publishers for a while and trying to get them to |
| Prime shipping times. Amazon claims it also makes | | | | print via BookSurge - unsuccessfully of course). |
| more sense to print books on site in order to | | | | * Consternation over being forced to use |
| save on transportation and fuel costs. | | | | BookSurge's services when the authors are |
| What we say: It may be legal, but trying to | | | | happy with their current publisher. |
| increase BookSurge's market share at the | | | | * The fact that if books were printed through |
| expense of other publishers looks, sounds and | | | | BookSurge they'd have to be set up again with |
| feels like a monopoly. And that's not good | | | | LSI/Ingram (a BookSurge competitor) in order to |
| business for anyone: publishers, authors and | | | | be distributed to bookstores. Again, more costs. |
| readers. | | | | * A boycott of Amazon, by not doing business |
| While we have relationships with many POD and | | | | with the company, not purchasing books through |
| small press publishers and certainly sympathize | | | | the site and removing Amazon buttons from |
| with their dilemma, we are particularly disturbed | | | | websites, blogs, newsletters etc. |
| by how this undercuts the independent author, | | | | Sure, Amazon's a business and can do whatever |
| who is going to pay the price for this one way or | | | | it wants. Perhaps it would be more convincing if |
| another. Where is the choice to publish now? With | | | | Amazon could make a better argument. |
| corporate Amazon calling the shots, it undermines | | | | Comparing this issue to its earlier decisions to add |
| the concept behind POD. | | | | reader reviews, despite publisher's objections, and |
| Perhaps the handwriting was on the wall when | | | | to allow used books to be sold, again, despite |
| Amazon first purchased BookSurge - why did | | | | publisher's objections, don't work. |
| Amazon need or want an on-demand printing | | | | Why? In the case of reviews, Amazon allowed |
| service? More than 80 online blog posts, news | | | | outside people to provide those reviews |
| articles and forum posts later, the consensus is | | | | (interestingly enough, it used to be anyone could |
| clear: if it's not illegal, it's unethical and unwise for | | | | review a book on Amazon, now you have to be |
| Amazon to put the squeeze on POD publishers | | | | a registered member of Amazon to do |
| and authors. | | | | so…). The same with selling used books - |
| Hoy, like PublishAmerica, says that she will not be | | | | these books are sold by people who are not part |
| blackmailed into Amazon's ploy; she's encouraging | | | | of Amazon. With BookSurge, however, Amazon |
| other POD publishers to combine forces to fight | | | | realizes the profit because it owns BookSurge. So |
| back. The major players, however: AuthorHouse | | | | authors have lesser choice, POD publishers face |
| iUniverse, Lulu and Xlibris for instance, have | | | | more costs, and in the end, who gets less? That |
| remained mostly silent in public. | | | | much-touted consumer Amazon loves to pretend |
| Meanwhile, the Net is buzzing with activity, and | | | | it cares about. That may be big business in action |
| there's a clear consensus rendered by headlines | | | | for you, but it's not good business. |