Comments from the article: Let BookSurge Print Your Books, or Else...

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Amazon.com Telling POD Publishers - Let BookSurge Print Your Books, or Else...

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PublishAmerica Responds Publicly to Amazon/Booksurge

Dear Mr. Clifford:

This is to let you know that, as far as PublishAmerica is concerned, your company's recent strong-arming tactics are having the opposite effect.

Quite some time ago, sir, long before you were born, American soldiers fought the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. When the 101st Airborne Division found itself surrounded by the enemy, the Germans presented U.S. general McAuliffe with a piece of paper that demanded his surrender.

McAuliffe looked at it, borrowed a soldier's pen, wrote in caps, "NUTS!", then proceeded to win the battle.

There's our answer, sir. Couldn't have said it any better.

We'll be happy to work with your company again, as soon as you are ready for business as usual. Meanwhile we will continue to make our almost 30,000 titles available to Amazon as we always have, in ways that have always worked just fine. But PublishAmerica will not surrender to your bullying and your ultimatum.

When Amazon comes to its senses again, please let us know.

Enjoy your weekend.
For PublishAmerica, Inc., --willem meiners

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I was shocked by many this morning when I checked on my book on Amazon and found that the BUY ME button is gone on my book. I am with publish america and now have one more challenge in promoting my book.

They do have a comment that tells customers that they can buy from "Other" sellers listed. It is certainly a slap in the face to people like me who have spent thousands of dollars in advertising my book and utilizing Amazon as the servicing supplier. That certainly will all be shifted to B&N.com.

One more time where big business just isn't big enough and grows off the sweat and heartache of the small guy.

Thanks for all your efforts.

Brenda Munday Gifford
Author

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Amazon is a retailer, and yet they have long demanded (and received) wholesaler discounts on the products they sell giving them a non-competitive (and if anyone would really take a look at the fair trade laws on pricing, most likely illegal) advantage that has certainly contributed to the demise of independent bookstores. Whether much of the book-publishing world has subscribed to their business model through short-sighted financial desires (or in the case of self-published authors, ego as well) - the chickens have come home to roost. To produce a horrible mixed metaphor: everyone made their beds, so sleep in them. If you don't want to, you are going to have to take a rather long-term hit for a longer-term good - something Americans seem culturally incapable of every actually acting on.

Submitted by owner of a small publisher and specialty wholesale distributor

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Angela,

Since you specifically mentioned a book published by PublishAmerica, I used Aaron Shepard's Sales Rank Express to search for books published by them. Starting with their best-selling title and working down the list, I found that NOT ONE of their top 12 titles has a "Buy" button anymore. All are listed as only available from other sellers.

This ain't just a rumor anymore, folks. And if anyone thinks Amazon will stop with just the "PODs", they are being very naive. They obviously intend to take over LSI's self- and small press-published book market, too.

Amazon is testing the waters. We've got to turn the heat up until that water hits boiling and they pull back. I'm contacting SPAN about starting a massive campaign to strike back before this goes any further. Anyone who is a member of either SPAN or PMA needs to contact the appropriate folks and get them to join forces and get moving on this one. If we do this one by one we will not make a wave that Amazon would even notice. But if the big organizations (maybe in concert with the "POD publishers") join forces, we might create a tsunami.

Sort of reminds me of Google's earlier copyright infringement activities...

Walt Shiel, Publisher, Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC
http://SlipdownMountain.com
Five Rainbows Services for Authors & Publishers - http://FiveRainbows.com
editing, typesetting, indexing, book covers, coaching and more
LinkedIn profile - http://www.linkedin.com/in/waltshiel

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Thank you for the article about the Amazon/Booksurge deal. I for one if this goes into effect it would be a sad day for any author and publisher. While Amazon is a huge resource if this goes through I would find other resources to purchase books that I am interested in buying. There is too much competition in the industry and people can buy from the authors, their publishers or other sites that lists books for sale. Like other comments mentioned I can see lawsuits and court injunctions to prevent this type of action. While I am not a lawyer I feel that it may also violate some anti-trust laws. Hopefully like you stated in your article Amazon/Booksurge will come to their senses and cancel this tactic.

Thanks again for a great article and I am glad to see that actions have been indicated in other responses to involve other organizations and publishers in an effort to convince Amazon/Booksurge that this is not the way to do business. Hopefully they will listen.

Dennis

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Hi, Now I know why my book “There’s not a healthy recipe in this whole damn book, a guide to southern comfort food” is not offered by amazon.com. It was Tuesday and today Thursday, it is still on the site but only buyable through 2 other sellers...at a higher price than the correct $19.95. What a scam. Greed is never good and hopefully they will suffer for it.

I am livid and will forward your article to my POD publisher.

Thanks for the info.

Paula Oandasan

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HEY GUYS, Has anyone contacted the U.S. Attorney's office and mentioned price fixing, monopolies and all those other lovely words that U.S. Attorneys love?I would contact Jeff Bezos and let him know that he, and his company, are now guilty of pandering, price fixing and attempting to establish monopolies. All of which will get someone's attention. I'd rather burn my own books than to submit to blackmail. Oh, did I mention blackmail? Oops. Sincerely,C.

Microsoft gets sued for moves like this. Amazon should get the same

Michael

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Angela,

I read your article on Amazon. Very Scary. But since Amazon is threatening to pull the plug on Lightning Source, why doesn't Ingram threaten to pull the plug on Amazon?

-- Joseph Lyon Layden: joe.booklocker.com Author: The Other Side of Yore Journalist: Richmond Hill Reflections Cabinet Design:Layden Custom Cabinetry A portion of online sales of The Other Side of Yore is given to www.amphibianark.org, the real heroes saving frogs from extinction!

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Dear Angela,

Thank you for remaining sane, checking your sources and doing your best to keep a level head while this situation quickly heats up. My spidey senses tell me that Amazon may be in violation of anti-trust laws and sadly, I am not a lawyer so I have very little knowledge as to whether or not they do.

As a writer savvy with business matters venturing forth to noveldom for the first time, it is very hard not to have a gut reaction to things like this. Very.

For your information, I blogged about the issue on my blog located at: http://www.mlvwrites.com and am raising it with my local newspaper. I wish you continued success in your endeavors, and appreciate your thoroughness.

Regards,

Monica Valentinelli

--
Visit my blog at: http://www.mlvwrites.com for almost daily updates about writing and life in Madison.

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Hi Angela,

I couldn't believe it when I heard what Amazon is trying to do. But in a weird twist of irony, it looks like Publish America and the rest of the book publishing world is going to be on the same side of the fence for a change. I really hope we can galvanize the book buying public to take action. Nothing will stop this march except a direct hit to their pocket book. So let's hit them. I for one have changed all my buy links on my web page to non Amazon links. And I have just sold another two books, and trust me, none of my web advertising will include an Amazon link.

- --
Pat Brown
http://www.pabrown.ca/

L.A. Heat, the first Chris and David mystery

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Angela,

As an author, podcaster and someone who is about to launch a publishing division of a media company using Lightning Source I am deeply saddened and outraged by this latest development. As it always seems to happen, the rebels who make their mark and succeed by their own brand of anarchy, (in this case Amazon's changing the way books are now sold) always end up the ones who strive to take control of their industry. Look at Microsoft. The idea of a company that has built its reputation and business upon an "open source" model to then want to institute a monopoly is very heartbreaking because it is so true that power corrupts and now that Amazon has the power, it will choose to force out those whose backs their business was built upon. I hope others will stand up and make their voices of outrage heard.

Best,
Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff
http://www.wordsushi.com

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Hi Angela

Please print such parts of this email as you would consider useful : I'm tired and its been a long day here :^) Keep up the good work.

As an opinionated independent UK bookdealer I tend to follow the ongoing manner in which Amazon is enforcing terms and conditions on their suppliers. Thankfully I have had the good sense never to list, either directly or indirectly, on Amazon : and thankfully have never purchased anything from them.

I think that your readers should be aware that Amazon.uk has in recent months withdrawn the 'Buy New' button here on "hard print" titles, the best documented case was with independent publishers Bloomsbury. It was several days before the 'Buy New' button was re-instated : neither publisher nor Amazon gave a printable quote to the trade press stating why the 'Buy New' button was withdrawn or re-instated.

http://www.publishingnews.co.uk/pn/pno-news-display.asp?K=e2008012411553984&TAG=&CID=&PGE=&sg9t=

At the time Benazir Bhutto "Reconciliation" was published the 'Buy New' button mysteriously disappeared on Amazon, only to be re-instated two days later with AZ discount increased to 50%. I am unaware of any direct press comments - on the bookworld grapevine it was referred to a "just a little technical glitch" (believe that if you want).

In my opinion, Amazon is a dangerous predator and needs to be treated as such.

Best regards
Clive Keeble

Keeble Antiques
Cheapside
Langport
Somerset TA10 9PW
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0) 1458 259627 store book website
Fax +44 (0) 1458 259627
http://www.keebleantbks.co.uk

A quality, friendly and prompt service with fast delivery

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Thank you for your very enlightening article on the Booksurge/Amazon fiasco. As a developmental editor I have helped over 20 authors successfully publish POD books, accounting for at least 5,000 sales through Amazon. Two of the authors I've worked with did their books through Booksurge. Both were absolute disasters. I would never have anything to do with Booksurge again.

Amazon's move to require us to use Booksurge is going to do one thing--give those of us in independent publishing a new push in the second leg of alternative publishing, that is, to bring more readers to our websites and introduce them to the real adventure of browsing for the thousands of books available from non-mainstream channels.

We know that chain stores, and even the big e-retailers like Amazon, have had a huge impact on what gets published by mainstream publishing. I've been in the book business for over 30 years, with more than 30 books of my own with mainstream publishers. And as a developmental editor I have helped over 300 authors develop successful books, including several national best sellers. I can tell you that censorship at the cash register, that is, editorial policy at major houses being set by what sells in the chain stores, has become rampant. Independent publishing has taken up a gap created by this phenomenon, that is, giving an alternative way to get more adventurous writers' works out there.

Amazon's move with Booksurge will ultimately hurt them. But it will also push authors, publishers and readers in the direction of seeking alternatives to Amazon. That's good news for most of us. Amazon has been a good service, in spite of its many flaws, but their strange affair with one of the worst POD companies on the internet is surely going to hurt them in the long run. It has certainly fanned the passions of many of us in publishing to develop new marketing, new technologies, and a new consciousness to take the next step.

Hal Zina Bennett, Author-Publishing Consultant
http://www.HalZinaBennett.Com/

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Hi Angela,

Thank you for the excellent (and eye-opening) article! As the owner/manager of a small POD-based publishing company, I can quite easily see from your article how little Amazon respects the independent publisher. Through might and muscle, they mean to force publishers to submit - those who aren't already lemmings floating along with the Amazon tide.

My answer to Amazon is "No." I will also respond in kind by promoting other sales channels and taking any purchases elsewhere (B&N, Borders, etc). Being with LSI and by default, Ingram, I have been very happy with the customer service, the distribution options and their respect for the small publishing company.

If Amazon goes through with this, I predict a double-digit percentage drop at Amazon.com in book sales and a corresponding increase at BarnesandNoble.com and Borders.com. The question remains whether this drop in sales revenue will be offset by the additional fees they're charging to carry non-Booksurge books plus those who relent and use Booksurge for printing.

Thanks again,
David Matusik
----------------------------------------
Managing Editor, Trytium Publishing, LLC
5448 Apex Peakway #370
Apex, NC 27502-3924
http://www.trytium.com

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Hi,

Sounds like amazon is using the old IBM sales playbook. They are using FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) to boost their sales (in this case sales of booksludge services). Will they, won't they, why take a chance on losing that sales ability, just switch to booksludge.

As with IBM, which tried to make people buy their punch cards to use in the IBM machines, the courts have ruled in similar cases that this is restraint of trade. amazon will lose when push comes to shove. But like sony, they push the law beyond all reasonable limits if they can make a buck.

Someone needs to sue amazon about the FUD tactics, which I believe were also illegal. And then sue them again when they start enforcing the booksludge mandate.

Our first books will be out next year and we had already set our policy to not pay exhorbitant fees including percentages , or agree to onerous terms, to amazon or any other distributor.

Our books are for sale. We don't lend them , rent them, or consign them. If you want to resell them then we will give discounts for bulk purchases. Non returnable unless defective on receipt.

We do not pay percentages to anyone , at any time , for any reason. If we want to use a service we will pay a flat rate that is consistent with our making a profit. If we paid everyone the percentage that they wanted we would be paying out more than 150% of the total gross revenue on top of paying for the book production!

Whilst we can do this because we have an easy way to reach our niche audience, others should still say no. Barnes & Noble is a sufficient alternative to amazon. Others may become available to help fill this need.

Perhaps there is an opportunity here for someone to become the mini-amazon for self published and POD books. And if amazon refused to fill orders from booksurge at the same prices they could be sued again. Next to Microslop, I can't think of another company I would enjoy seeing being run out of business as much.

william adams, pe, phd

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Angela,

This has been all the buzz on Publish-L (this is the site where someone recommended you so highly). Everybody is very concerned about this.

I would love to see Amazon fall flat on its face. Everything that is wrong with this country all revolves around GREED. I don't like blackmail, I don't like monopolies and I abhor bullies.

I hope they come to their senses but the only thing that will do that is a mass walkout of authors from Amazon to B&N and other places. Wouldn't you love to see Amazon come crawling on their knees begging for another chance?

Anyway, I'll pass your newsletter along to others. I can imagine the position this has put you in.

Hugs,
Sherry

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Dear Angela:

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The sharp and unethical business practices you describe are reminiscent of Microsoft. Is it a coincidence that both Amazon and Microsoft are located in Seattle?

In any case, as a freelance writer and iUniverse author, I am disgusted by this "my way or the highway" attitude. To deny self-published and POD authors the modest sales that they have is, in my view, a declaration of war against them. There is enough literary bigotry as is. To add to it with this grubby new policy is beyond revolting. I know from personal experience that many libraries and bookstores, especially in New York, refuse to host or stock POD authors regardless of how good their reviews and endorsements are.

I've had other problems with Amazon, so, in a way, I'm not so shocked by this turn of events. For example, their "Look Inside the Book" Program is of uneven quality. When I subscribed to it, my title was plagued with bugs which Amazon was either unable or unwilling to correct. I, therefore, demanded that "Look Inside" be removed from my title. When I wrote one of their executive officers, I never even received the courtesy of a reply. There are many incompetent people in the "Look Inside the Book" Program. Perhaps, they, too, discriminate against POD authors. The Draconian Amazon/Booksurge ultimatum was probably dreamed up by other incompetents. It is my hope that intelligent, ethical adults at Amazon will terminate this anti-consumer policy immediately.

Sincerely,

Mark Stuart Ellison, Author of
Dear Mom, Dad & Ethel
World War II Through The Eyes Of A Radio Man (iUniverse 2004, 2006)
www.momdadandethel.com

Visit Mark Stuart Ellison on Associated Content

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Dear Angela

As a UK based print on demand author I am following the amazon and Booksurge debacle with some interest. As I am sure you are aware, Lightning Source also have a printing plant in Milton Keynes in the UK. I wonder if this situation then also extends to UK operations and whether amazon will try and pull this stunt with UK authors and publishers. I cannot help but feel that if they try this will backfire for them spectacularly. Print on demand is now big business in our country being no longer confined to self publishers as even large publishers are now embracing it to bring their back list titles back into circulation.

What amazon are doing defies all logic and goes against all business sense and protocol. The number of titles published here in the UK last year reached a record high and this has largely been attributed to POD - not because of Booksurge, but because of Lightning Source, who are far and away the biggest POD printer. Are they really going to risk losing this level of sales - if so this is indeed commercial suicide. They need to understand that they are not the only internet retailer out there selling books, and someone else can easily take their place. Authors are resourceful people (they have to be) and we will find new ways to market our books that do not involve them. They will be the ones to lose and not us.

Regards
June

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I sent the following letter to Amazon.

Email: ir@Amazon.com

Attn: Mr. Bezos

I hear about more and more buy buttons being turned for the books of fellow authors in the wake of your company's decision to force publishers to use Booksurge for their POD needs. Every publisher that I have heard from agrees that Booksurge's product is unacceptable quality, and the cost of the contract is too steep. Even without these problems, your plan to push Booksurge on everyone reeks of monoply. And the underhanded methods that Amazon has taken to promote this plan makes me suspect that the company is aware of the illegal territory it has breached. Why has Amazon not come out with a press release stating its new policy so that the average person (those who might not be aware of the workings inside the publishing industry) can decide if this policy is fair?

Until Amazon retracts this Booksurge policy, I will be decactivating all the Amazon links on my site. I was about to purchase a Kindle, but will put that off too, along with all my regular book purchases from Amazon. I will be notifying all my family, friends, and considerale contacts of authors, illustrators and publishers that Amazon has become a bully out to crush small publishers and authors.

I sincerely hope that Amazon will reconsider this new policy so that I can continue to be proud buy and list books on Amazon.

See the Writer's Weekly article here.

Kim McDougall
Between the Cracks Fiction at http://www.kimmcdougall.com

Children's and YA Fiction at http://www.kimchatel.com

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Hi Angela,

Just read the posting about Amazon/BookSurge.... Frankly we've been referring readers/buyers to Barnes&Noble.com for years. Amazon has never really been that friendly in dealing with reviewers, authors and small publishers from our experience. Now this "brain-dead" stunt.

I think the biggest thing the small presses and others can do to counter this stupid "brain-storm" is to direct, as you said, all stuff to Barnes & Noble. I'm sure they'll be happy :-) with the results of more book sales and may even make things a little more friendlier for the small press industry.

No, this is not the end of the world for small press authors or publishers, especially the ones who use POD. On the contrary, I think this will hurt Amazon more than they really think. I'm sure the regular trade publishers will scrutinize their relationship with Amazon and might even decide to make B&N an exclusive deal that will really rattle Amazon's cage.

I think if I was the CEO at Amazon I'd be having a nice long hard chat with the person or persons who came up with this hair brain idea. After the meeting, that person or persons may be having to seek out a temp agency for their next job assignment.

Anyway, thanks for getting the word out.

Best---

Charles Vestal
Editor
Yellow30 Sci-Fi
www.yellow30scifi.com

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Hi Angela,

Thank you for posting your article. I am completely outraged by Amazon's attempt to monopolize the POD industry! I always buy my books from Amazon, but no longer, if they continue this greedy course. I will be happy to transfer my business to Barnes and Noble. Be sure I will let Amazon know exactly what I think, too!

Thanks again for giving us the heads up.

Jennette Green
Author of historical romance
www.jennettegreen.com

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I am not a POD author or publisher, just a humble reader who also happens to promote books on my business website. I emailed our web designer today and asked him to remove all Amazon "buy" buttons from our site. That's over 100 books that will now be re-routed to BN or Borders or anywhere other than Amazon. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

The unfortunate truth is that Amazon is so huge that the chances of public outrage making a difference are slim. But, contacting you state representative and crying "monopoly" during an election year might prove to be a more effect approach than just media. Media will remain interested until a better story comes along. But, your state or federal representative is far more likely to feel obligated to DO something about it.

For people who don't know who to contact, here is a link to a site that can help - http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

The government intervened with MicroSoft. Why not Amazon?

A lot of your government officials will take email.

Sheila Clover

Sheila Clover English
CEO, Circle of Seven Productions
www.cosproductions.com
Reader's Entertainment TV
www.readersentertainment.tv

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I think Amazon's new strong arm is appauling. I will not be buying books from them any longer and neither will the people I know. I am going to Barnes and Noble or ANYWHERE that doesnt try to FORCE writers and readers hands.

Beloved

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Wow! I’m speechless. I can imagine some ladder-climbing, career-hungry, brown-nosing, double-degree idiot who wanted to make a name for herself/himself make this totally disastrous decision. Well, amazon, it was good while it lasted. You just lost another long-term customer. I will be shopping elsewhere until this decision is reversed and the person who came up with this lame idea FIRED!

As usual, great reporting on your part!

Jen

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To the powers that be:

Whoever came up with this "brain-dead" stunt to monopolize POD publishers through BookSurge should be brought into your HQ and asked to hand in their resignation ASAP, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Man, what are you guys thinking about? First you try to kill off the POD publishers by forcing them to jack up their retail prices way beyond the trade industry... this was back in 2001 if you remember back that far.... Now this "stupid" stunt.... Come on, why don't you people really look at the market and figure that there are "millions" of authors out there publishing through POD and the preferred choice online is Amazon... but no, you really aren't listening, so this is going to force people to go to Barnes & Noble to get their books.... and B&N will be thanking you all the way to the bank....

Yes, I'm really mad about this "brain-dead" stunt. The real life to the publishing industry is in the small press, especially online. If you want to get people to use BookSurge, then make it as easy as Lightning Source to use, not worse. (Let's face facts: It is worst-Bad books come from BookSurge) Learn from the leader in the field and try to do a better job. IF you do, you'll get more people wanting to switch without being FORCED TO DO SO.

You're only causing people to rise up and rebel and rebel they will. I think even the Big Boys in New York might think twice about what you guys are really doing. After all a lot of them use POD for their backlists.... you do this and some big name might really take you to task. This is going to have a ripple effect across the whole industry and believe me, this will not be a good effect.

So, stop this "brain-dead" stunt in its tracks and put some effort into making BookSurge a viable option for PODers.

You may ignore one voice, but when all the voices join together, the noise will be heard from coast to coast and it will get LOUD, VERY VERY LOUD if you guys don't change course.

We'll be watching. Turn this ship around!

Sincerely,

Charles Vestal,
Editor,
Yellow30 Sci-Fi
www.yellow30scifi.com

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GRR!!!!!

I hate it when people get so FOCUSED upon the bottom line that they lose sight of the long term consequences of their actions!!!!

Once I go to the time and effort to “switch” the links promoting my book from Amazon to Barnes and Noble… I WILL NOT take the time to switch them back.

Amazon loses all around. They lose the sales... they lose the links... they lose the relationship with thousands of authors... A.K.A. their customers!!!!

It’s obvious that the long term consequences of this action have yet to dawn on the executives at Amazon. Perhaps they thought no one would speak up. Looks like Amazon needs a lesson in Web 2.0.

Kathy Hendershot-Hurd
Creating exceptional online
marketing vehicles for your business.
http://www.virtualimpax.com
http://www.beyondnichemarketing.com

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The story about Amazon/Booksurge answered a question for me. In the last couple of months, I've been purchasing many craft books from Amazon. Many of those are POD books. What was puzzling me was how many were being listed "able to purchase by resellers only." As such, I thought they must be out of print. Since resellers are usually more costly and can't be used towards free shipping I would try to find something comparable.

Now I know why so many I looked at had no "BUY" button.

At this point in time, I have an Amazon "save for later" purchase list. I almost immediately deleted it, but decided to wait to see what happens. Until I find out, the list will stay only as a refernce list, and any next purchases will be made through Borders or elsewhere.

If Amazon stays bull-headed, POD companies may need to combine forces setting up one central site for all POD companies to come together as one place to list books. It will provide a huge inventory comparable to Amazon and maybe even a better site. The BUY links would go to the site (POD publisher) providing the book so each company would still receive their own revenue. Each POD company would pay a *reasonable* yearly fee used towards paying someone to set up and maintain the site. Sounds perfect to me! E-books would still be downloaded from the author's POD publisher, and hardback/softcover books still sent from them also. No warehouses needed! (I doubt it could be *quite* so simple, but a long as each POD company agreed to whatever terms, I don't see too many difficulties.) At this time, I have no more plans to purchase anything more from Amazon until I see them do away with this ridiculous practice. They'll be losing several more hundreds of dollars in book sales from me. I'll also be utilizing Walmart. Target, and others for DVD purchases even though they'll cost more. Once I get through my list or get it copied, I'll stop going there at all.

-- Karen Carver

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Angela,

Press 53 is a small traditional publishing house that uses Lightning Source. When I got my first email about the Amazon/BookSurge threat, I passed it off as a hoax. Who, at Amazon, would have the arrogance and ignorance of a third-grade bully? What a joke! Then I was directed to your blog.

I know we're a small press and we only publish 8-10 books each year, but I'm not about to move my business to BookSurge. If all the publishing houses held their ground, Amazon would eventually lose theirs. There are plenty of other booksellers who will gladly pick the business Amazon apparently wants to throw away.

Kevin

Kevin Watson
Press 53
336-414-5599

Literate Yourself!
www.Press53.com

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I consider such an attempt by Amazon or by any business entity, for that matter, an egregious insult to the POD industry and to all of Amazon's clients. In my opinion, it has the ugly stench of monopoly and greed that undermines the fundamental principles of our free enterprise system. If it were to succeed, it would be an outrageous coup that we should not contribute to or tolerate.

Historically it has been essential for the development, evolution and promotion of diversity in all art forms to have venues making them readily available to the public - giving the unknown artists and the "little guy" an open door to succeed. The same is true today. And I think Amazon would be slamming the door in our faces with such a greedy tactic.

All of us who are associated in some way with the book industry, whether we are a POD printing company CEO, author, illustrator, purchaser of books, or whatever, I think we need to come together to solve this problematic situation. We need an alternative to the Amazon model. The POD book industry needs to start a website through which books from any publisher are sold to the public. Perhaps it could be owned by those of us who support and will benefit from it through some sort of cooperative alliance or guild. Let's get connected and collaborate - think outside of the "box". We need to get our thinking caps on - get our best computer and business-talented people and put it together... leaving greed out of the equation and leaving Amazon standing in the dust when it comes to buying and selling new books POD.

-Name not published on request

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HI Angela,

Wow, that Amazon thing is so frustrating to hear. I can't believe these big companies who are so insecure about themselves that they have to crush the other guys completely out. It's so sad. Most of the people who buy my books either buy them through my Booklocker link, or my B&N link anyway (cause up until recently B&N was cheaper than Amazon anyway, but for some reason Amazon lowered the price of my book to EXACTLY the same as B&N price now.. hmmm, wonder what they're up to? ha)

I know you're always looking out for us, and I feel so fortunate to have both The Book of Affirmations and Ready, Click, Win with you. I'm still going full-force into getting my next books done so I can put them with you too. Keep up the good fight and know some of us are sending powerful, positive energy to the situation, and most especially to you!

I also see that great message posting with all of your marketing articles on it on my page. I haven't had time to do them yet, as I've had company here. How long will that stay on there? I hope it doesn't go away, or should I be copying and pasting them to quickly save them somewhere?

Thanks again for all that you do,
Sharon

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Wow. What are they telling the traditional publishers?

Amazon is thinking short term and shooting themselves in the foot. Right now they are Walmartish--selling everything everywhere; but if they insist on "owning" all the content, then those content sources will dry up!

Walmart doesn't attempt to "manufacture" everything they sell!! Long term: Producers of content have lots of online options rather than being shanghaied (however you spell that)into this monopolistic model.

The internet was Amazon's birth and if they maintain this course of action, it will be their undoing on the publishing side.

When they sold me a guitar amplifier for my teenage son, they didn't MANUFACTURE that amp before selling it to me...why do they want to do that on the publishing side?

Sam Walton's empire grew because he knew the value of making a LITTLE bit (cheap prices/low markup) off MANY items (I saw this on a documentary). He didn't say, "Let's own/earn a 66% profit margin on everything because we made it AND sell it.

Amazon forgets that the vitality of their site is created by its breadth and diversity--not by "owning" and therefore narrowing their selection. Bezos...are you studying your history of retail?

-Name not published on request

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I enjoyed reading your summary of the recent decisions by Amazon.com regarding print on demand publishing. I count myself as a fairly serious bookbuyer, as well as an aspiring novelist. (Just so there's no confusion, let me say up front that I'm not the same Kathryn Smith who already has a number of novels in print). I'm also a former Amazon customer who's decided in the last year that I don't want to do business with them because of their lousy customer service.

The free shipping deal is only good if the books actually arrive. I used it about a year ago, for a book they said was in stock. They held the rest of my order for a month and a half waiting for that book, then eventually canceled the order saying it was unavailable. I got no satisfaction whatsoever from their customer service, and I've been taking my business to Barnes and Noble since.

Amazon has also been becoming less and less useful as a resource for book and music buying in general. I've encountered several instances recently where they say a work is no longer available, but I've had no difficulty ordering it through other on-line stores. They're turning into a department store, not a bookstore.

Kathryn Smith

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I read with interest your article concerning Amazon's incredible move.

This news seems to tie-in nicely with Booksurge's recent unannounced increases in the costs of their product offerings. What I would consider the option with the most control for the skilled author (in terms of self-packaging their product), the Express b/w PDF ready publication service, was increased last year (their other services in the POD realm may have increased too, though I never noted their cost prior to the increase). That's a pretty substantial increase for a POD company that can't handle professionally designed wrap-around covers!

It would seem logical that many authors using other POD service providers are already versed in converting their manuscripts to PDF and handling the cover designs and associated logistics (it's not that difficult once you learn the basics and familiarize yourself with certain legal aspects). Perhaps in this case 1+1 doesn't equal 2, but it certainly appears to be little more than a shameless money-grab by Amazon.

Yes, I'm a Booksurge author (soon to be ex-Xlibris one too).

-Name not published on request.

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Just checked on one of my books published through Lulu.com, and everything seemed fine. It's possible they're not executing it very thoroughly yet, but if this turns out to be true, I'm killing my affiliate account with them and shutting down all my amazon ads. This is stuff I'd expect from the Bush administration, but not from a major book dealer.

Brian Donohue
http://www.dailyrevolution.net
http://www.lulu.com/briand

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Dear Mr. Bezos,

There is a very nasty hoax circulating around the Internet that your company, Amazon, is trying to force POD publishers like Press 53 to start using BookSurge or you will deactivate the buy buttons on our books. I have done my best to assure everyone that there is no way Amazon would use such bully tactics, and no way a company like Amazon would even tolerate one of its executives to get away with even uttering something so destructive to a company like Amazon. I mean, from what kind of business school would someone so arrogant and ignorant have graduated? Moscow University? The Castro Business School? Thugs College? I know, it's all ridiculous, but despite my efforts to assure my friends and fellow POD publishers that this is a silly hoax, the story keeps spreading and causing a lot of commotion.

I know you are busy, and you shouldn't have to bother with this, but I think it would be a good idea to make a public statement exposing this absolutely dim-witted, implausible, and amateurish business idea for the hoax it is.

Sincerely yours,

Kevin Watson
Press 53
Literate Yourself!
http://www.Press53.com

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If Amazon is seen as a greedy monopoly, or being unfair to less established writers, it will turn off writers who buy from Amazon, as your article suggested, and it will frustrate regular customers of Amazon who suddenly find their purchases blocked.

Of course, Amazon is not a monopoly since there is Barnes and Noble.

Sincerely,

Michael Corrigan

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Amazon.com Telling POD Publishers - Let BookSurge Print Your Books, or Else...

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