Hachette Book Group defended itself Sunday against accusations of pushing up prices for e-books amid a simmering dispute with online retail giant Amazon.<\/p>\n
“Hachette sets prices for our books entirely on our own, not in collusion with anyone,” the American head of the publishing group, Michael Pietsch, wrote in a letter to readers shared with AFP.<\/p>\n
The letter will be sent to anyone who emails Pietsch, Hachette said, after Pietsch’s email address was published by Amazon, in a bid to pressure the publishing company over the price battle.<\/p>\n
Amazon’s move came after more than 900 authors signed a letter urging the US online giant to end its battle with Hachette.<\/p>\n
In his letter, the Hachette chief swung back at the company.<\/p>\n
“This dispute started because Amazon is seeking a lot more profit and even more market share, at the expense of authors, bricks and mortar bookstores, and ourselves,” he argued.<\/p>\n
While he acknowledged that both companies are “big businesses,” he argued Hachette believes “in a book industry where talent is respected and choice continues to be offered to the reading public.”<\/p>\n
Amazon says it wants to set a $9.99 price for most e-books, compared to $12.99 to $19.99 currently, arguing the lack of printing, stocking and shipping costs for e-books should make them less expensive than traditional printed books.<\/p>\n
The online retailer said its proposal to Hachette is to give 35 percent of e-book revenue to authors, another 35 percent to the publisher and then keep the remaining 30 percent as its share.<\/p>\n
Among other moves to pressure the book publisher, Amazon has reduced its Hachette stock and stopped taking pre-orders for the authors it edits.<\/p>\n
But in his letter, Pietsch said his company sets “our e-book prices far below corresponding print book prices, reflecting savings in manufacturing and shipping.”<\/p>\n
“More than 80 percent of the e-books we publish are priced at $9.99 or lower,” he noted, adding that “we know by experience that there is not one appropriate price for all e-books, and that all e-books do not belong in the same $9.99 box.”<\/p>\n
Book publishers invest sometimes years worth of work before a book comes out, he said, including “editing, design, production, marketing, shipping, piracy protection and more.”<\/p>\n
E-book pricing war of words<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Build your custom order with Amazon\u2019s 3D printers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n