The class action lawsuit brought by independent booksellers has gotten Amazon and the six largest trade publishers to agree on something: they all think the suit is without merit and should be dismissed. Since the suit appears to be a proxy action against Amazon’s market power more than anything else, their reply is likely of more interest. Amazon argues that in the ebook pricing suits Judge Cote already “determined that complaints by ‘industry stakeholders like bookstores’ about harm from Amazon’s low prices and innovations were not the basis for a legitimate antitrust claim.” Amazon turns their reply into a celebration […]
Bookstores
People, Awards, Etc.
Author Iain Banks reported in a statement that he has inoperable late-stage metastatic gall bladder cancer and is “extremely unlikely” to live for more than another year. “So it looks like my latest novel, The Quarry, will be my last…. Meanwhile my heroic publishers are doing all they can to bring the publication date of my new novel forward by as much as four months, to give me a better chance of being around when it hits the shelves.” At Little, Brown Children’s, Pam Gruber has been promoted to associate editor. At McGill-Queen’s University Press, Susan McIntosh has been promoted to associate director. Berlin-based […]
Bookstore Briefs
Literati Bookstore opened in downtown Ann Arbor on Sunday. Richard and Lisa Howorth’s Square Books in Oxford, Miss has been selected as PW’s bookstore of the year. And Bruce Joshua Miller of Miller Trade Book Marketing was named their rep of the year, after he led efforts to save the University of Missouri Press. AfterWords Books in Edwardsville, IL is using crowdfunding to raise enough money to get their new smaller store up to building code. As previously announced, the flagship Nicholas Hoare bookstore closed in Toronto on Monday. Hoare, 70, who is retiring, said: “The sendoff as sendoffs go […]
The Price of Goodreads
The details of Amazon’s planned purchase of Goodreads were not revealed officially (though they are likely to be disclosed in a quarterly SEC filing after the deal closes). For now the most credible information comes from multiple WSJ reporters. First Kara Swisher reported on Friday that “Amazon paid about $150 million…but that number could close in on $200 million, if certain performance metrics are met…. I am still trying to determine how much of the deal was cash — most of it, said sources — and how much was stock.” Then two more WSJ reporters posted that “Amazon will pay […]
Briefs: Changing Hands To Open Second Location in Phoenix; NYS Court Affirms That Amazon Must Pay Sales Tax
Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, AZ has finalized plans to open a second store in Phoenix in early November, co-owner Gayle Shanks said on the store’s website. The new location has been in the works since last year, according to Phoenix Business Journal, and the bookstore will partner with Phoenix-based real estate firm Venue Projects (“whose mission is to create inspiring places that serve and celebrate nature while promoting community”), the Beckett’s Table restaurant restaurant group, and a company focused on meeting and event space for mobile professionals to redevelop the space, formerly occupied by a restaurant. They are working […]
People, Etc.
At Counterpoint, Charlie Winton will relinquish his role as publisher, while remaining as ceo and executive editor-at-large. Rolph Blythe will take over as publisher of Counterpoint/Soft Skull, starting May 1. But editorial director Jack Shoemaker and business manager Kelli Adams will continue to report to Winton. In the release Winton says that “Counterpoint/Soft Skull is coming off our best year ever in 2012 with net revenues increasing over 30 percent” and “the company is well positioned for me to make this transition away from day to day operations.” He adds, “I think this change will allow me to stay creatively […]