I have read several articles on the new Buy button. The reactions have been rather angry from publishers and authors.
If you haven’t heard about this yet, well let me enlighten you.
Up until now, the buy button on book pages automatically directed customers to new copies of titles Amazon stocked from the publishers. Now, re-sellers can win a buy button by meeting various criteria outline by Amazon which includes the price, availability, and delivery time. The program is also only open to books in new condition.
Those objecting to this policy say it is allowing Amazon to deprive publishers of sales and authors of royalties. (Because re-sellers are not buying their copies from publishers, these sales will not be counted as sales, and money derived from them will not go to publishers or authors.)
A number of organizations, including the Authors Guild, are on alert. The guild said the change in policy means that “only Amazon and the re-seller share in the profits [of the sale]. This has the potential to decimate authors’ and publishers’ earnings from many books, especially backlist books.”
Some feel that this is a push by Amazon to promote their own printing program, instead of having tons of book inventory, they would just print as the book is ordered.
No one I spoke to thought this was a great idea and even Amazon has now clarified that the books must be in New condition. With the dust jacket. So pretty much anyone can get a free book and then go sell it on Amazon cutting out any profit to the author or publisher.
It seems as most are taking a wait and see approach. But, what do you think of this?
Let me know!
xx Patricia
Seems pretty shady but no shadier than their KDP program has been from the start. Now they are taking aim at the larger publishers and authors.
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Sounds suspicious. I want to be clear about what I’m buying and if it’s a 1st edition, paperback et al.
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Wow… though not too surprising. Businesses always look out for themselves. I will have to take a look. I used to buy only from bookstores, then I got a bit lazy and ordered online every month or so. I try to balance it now, but I want the money to go first to the author, then the publisher, then the book stores…
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I am pretty sure that it will be an option. But I’m keeping my eye on it!
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I hadn’t heard of this, but I think it’s a horrible idea!😒
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Me too!
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I dont like this at all!!
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Well, that’s not good.
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Nope. Basically if an author or publisher sends reviewers a book to review we could sell it as new as long as it is intact with the original dust jacket. Seems shady
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Agreed.
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Wow, I didn’t even consider this. Good point.
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Just another reason to hate Amazon IMO
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Big businesses are always trying to screw artists over. I understand the importance of a side hustle for individuals who may be selling, but writers put so much of their life’s energy into their craft. They should always have first benefits. Maybe there can be supplemental material (audio, interview with author, etc.)given to buyers if bought directly from an author’s website? It sucks that artists have to keep doing more and more to survive. I may be a hypocrite because I mostly shop used bookstores in my city.
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