CEO of Monsoon Commerce Brian Elliott is stepping down from his position immediately, with president Kanth Gopalpur taking over. Elliott will work with Gopalpur “to ensure a seamless leadership transition….over the upcoming months.” The combination of Alibris, Monsoon, and Stone Edge Technologies, Monsoon Commerce notes they raised another $8 million in financing earlier in the year, with Oak Hill Capital Partners remaining as majority owner. The company is rellocating resources from their commerce business to their software business, “affecting staff primarily at the company’s headquarters in Emeryville, CA.” They have “eliminated about 10 positions in the Alibris business” as a […]
eNews
How the State Settlement Will Boost the Book Business
Yes, it’s another settlement piece. But there’s some good news for the entire industry that has not been fully appreciated yet. While the pending settlement with the states will cost the Settlers money, almost all of that money–and potentially more–will flow right back into the book business. The way the settlement is constructed, you could consider it a little Book Publishing Stimulus Act, particularly since the proceeds will be available to consumers in time for the busiest book-buying time of the year. The Stimulus Act endeavors to put about $65 million into the hands of people who bought ebooks from […]
Annals of Agency Lite: Wednesday
While people wait for the next shoe (or two), here are some additional observations on nouveau Agency. Feel free to send us your questions (or post them in the comments). Will Everything Go Faster? A process that could have taken over a month to recalibrate now looks like it could be mostly resolved by the end of this week or beginning of next, following Harper’s quick move to new contracts. That plus the imminent expiration of Apple contracts is both accelerating and potentially simplifying the renegotiation process. And as we have seen with Harper, even when retailers may not have […]
Harper Starts Selling Under New eBook Contracts, Often At Higher List Prices
At least some new pricing for ebooks started Monday, in advance of any indication from the courts whether an appeal might stay formal imposition of the settlement with the Department of Justice. As spokesperson Erin Crum told Publishers Lunch Monday afternoon, “HarperCollins has reached agreements with our e-retailers that are consistent with the final judgment.” One reason to initiate new contracts as soon as possible is to get the process over with; each publisher must wait two years after execution of new contracts, whenever that occurs, before being able to return to unimpeded agency. The results of those new agreements–including […]
Harper Starts Selling Discountable eBooks Under New Agreements–At Higher List Prices
At least some new pricing for ebooks is starting in advance of any indication from the court whether an appeal might stay formal imposition of the settlement with the Department of Justice. Spokesperson Erin Crum told Publishers Lunch Monday afternoon, “HarperCollins has reached agreements with our e-retailers that are consistent with the final judgment.” The results of those new agreements–including discounts on at least some ebooks–were reflected during the day on Harper ebooks, first noticed at Amazon and BooksOnBoard.com, which had emailed customers offering 24 percent off Harper ebooks this week as they “welcome[d] back discounts for HarperCollins ebook titles.” […]
Hurry Up, Wait, and What The…!? Life Under Agency Lite
With Judge Denise Cote approving the settlement between the Department of Justice and HBG, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster more swiftly than most people expected, the industry moves into the what-happens-next phase. The answer, depending upon your view, is either just complicated, or a big fat mess. The biggest immediate pressure is the need for the Settlers to have new contracts in place with Apple in as little as week. And the biggest wildcard is what, if anything, happens with appeals. Here is our guide (which we reserve the right to modify at any time). The Legal Parts: Another Delay? […]