tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post4529419549290882697..comments2023-10-02T03:40:50.258-07:00Comments on jillysheep: Trouble in the book worldJillyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post-68345553086383524792010-11-05T08:14:22.621-07:002010-11-05T08:14:22.621-07:00Leigh - I do understand what you're saying abo...Leigh - I do understand what you're saying about bookshops and libraries and while I don't use libraries any more (shameful admission froma former professional librarian) I would hate to see them disappear. Amazon at least - while they offer low prices - don't do 3 for 2 offers.<br /><br />I was under the impression that more people are reading these days - in spite of what Steve Jobs thought - so I can't see the need for books disappearing any time soon.<br /><br />Perhaps bookshops need to diversify - as Waterstones etc have done by having cafes or coffee shops sharing their premises.<br /><br />Personally I have no problem paying for books but I do object to price fixing when it isn't allowed for any other product.Jillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post-666249262896925022010-11-05T08:07:46.777-07:002010-11-05T08:07:46.777-07:00Interestingly enough I bought some e-books publish...Interestingly enough I bought some e-books published by the Hachette group before 1 November and some prices are exactly the same as I paid before the change. Others have doubled in price. I paid £3 something for the Penguin edition of Cold Comfort Farm and it is now £6.99!Jillyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00104126307586066155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post-30591016439979780592010-11-04T15:39:30.396-07:002010-11-04T15:39:30.396-07:00I can't disagree with Leigh; it's called e...I can't disagree with Leigh; it's called economics and it applies in all industry segments. Except that no store can afford loss leaders on the scale of the now ubiquitous "3 for 2" offers - so one has to assume that the store have beaten the publishers down on bulk pricing. But it's a fine line between "devil take the poorest negotiator" and "fair trade". I guess it comes down to whether one has a "regulatory" or a "free trade" view of how the world should be. I'm sure we would all like "fair trade" to prevail, but for many people personal economics will dictate where they draw the line. I'd hate to have to give up books!Keith (kcm)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13012662682711683850noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post-61094278795273971692010-11-04T15:15:52.063-07:002010-11-04T15:15:52.063-07:00Online suppliers and supermarkets virtually give b...Online suppliers and supermarkets virtually give books away - 3for2 means effectively one free book. This slashes bookshops' profits - Borders have already gone - and will put publishers out of business. If publishers can't cover their costs, let alone make a profit, they won't survive. The writing is already on the wall (sorry - bad pun!) for bookshops, and now libraries are under threat... If no one pays for books, they won't survive.Leigh Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15080517449825380527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4520417522254048550.post-85072071979574633092010-11-04T11:53:32.126-07:002010-11-04T11:53:32.126-07:00Hold on! Do these people really want to sell book...Hold on! Do these people really want to sell books? The Agency Pricing model is lunacy, and always has been; it should have been made illegal with the proscription of Resale Price Maintenance in the 50s & 60s and the Net Book Agreement. It beats me why Amazon has dropped its action against the Hachette; of all the people who are (should be) at the forefront of competition surely it's Amazon. Has no-one realised yet that protectionism doesn't work? <br /><br />Fortunately I buy mostly paperbacks these days - I object to hardback pricing which seems excessive - and I'm certainly not going to pay inflated (ie. above paperback) prices for e-books. Not that the latter is likely in the near future as I have no javascript:void(0)intention of buying an e-book reader until either there is a decent colour Kindle (or equivalent) as I want colour photo reproduction or there is an e-book version of <i>Dance</i>; neither look imminent. Makes you wonder what planet some people are on.Keith (kcm)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13012662682711683850noreply@blogger.com