In a win for authors and publishers, Amazon will adjust its ebook return policy to restrict returns on books that have been more than 10 percent read. The Author’s Guild and the UK Society of Authors advocated for the change with Amazon’s senior executive team. The AG writes that the new policy will take effect by the end of the year: “Any customer who wishes to return an ebook after reading more than 10 percent will need to send in a customer service request, which will be reviewed by a representative to ensure that the return request is genuine and […]
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Distribution: Penzler Imprints and Open Road
Otto Penzler has expanded his longtime relationship with Open Road, which has marketed and distributed MysteriousPress.com titles since the line’s founding in 2011. Now Open Road will power the marketing and distribution of ebooks from Penzler Publishers’ American Mystery Classics and Scarlet imprints. (Norton will continue to distribute the print editions.) “Speaking as a bookseller as well as a publisher, it’s clear that Open Road’s eBook marketing technology drives sales increases not only for ebooks, but for the corresponding print editions as well,” Penzler said in the announcement. “We’re looking forward to more growth as Open Road’s marketing technology is […]
Amazon to Discontinue Kindle In China
Amazon announced today that it will stop supplying retailers in China with Kindle ereaders this week, and plans to shutter its ebookstore there in June 2023. In 2024, the Kindle App will be removed from stores and users will no longer be able to access digital books they have purchased. Chinese customers who purchased a Kindle device in 2022 have been offered a refund. Reuters reports that the company said it’s “adjusting the strategic focus of its operations” but that its other remaining businesses in China will continue. Amazon effectively closed its main eretailing business in China in 2019, and […]
Maryland Claims eBook Lending Law Is About “Consumer Protection” Not Copyright, But Clearly Seeks to Remedy Lack of Digital First Sale Doctrine
The state of Maryland filed their reply to the AAP’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the state’s new library ebook law while the matter is litigated. The state claims the interference with Federal copyright law is incidental and accidental rather than primary: The AAP’s complaint, they write, “rests on the mistaken assumption the Maryland Act is a copyright law and not a regulation of unfair trade practices. State copyright laws are preempted by federal law, but State laws restraining unfair trade practices are not…. The Maryland Act, by contrast, is a consumer protection statute regulating reasonable terms regarding licensing […]
Data Says Library eBook Lending Is Up, Costs Are Down
In contrast to lobbying efforts in some state legislatures, the dominant service provider for library ebook lending reports that the market is thriving. Overdrive notes that in 2021, “With a focus on equity of access to books for all, libraries achieved all-time records for circulation while lowering the average cost-per-title borrowed.” Senior manager for public library content Karen Estrovich says in one press release flexible pricing models are an important element: “Top performing libraries utilized simultaneous access, cost-per-use and community reading programs to maximize access by increasing the number of available books in their collections.” Among the factors, American Rescue […]
Authoritive Announces Funding, Legible Goes Public
Publishing-related startup Authoritive formally announced the completion of $5 million in seed funding, led by edtech venture firm Owl Ventures, and including Guardian Media Ventures. The Lean Startup author Eric Reis is also an investor and board member. Founded by literary agent Christy Fletcher, Figment co-founder Jacob Lewis, and technology executive Gene Cohen, Authoritive uses messaging technology to provide instruction, coaching and other learning experiences from experts — including such authors as Gretchen Rubin, Denise Hamilton, Sarah Knight Mark Bittman, Susan Cain, Danielle Town, and Tim Tebow. (While some are Fletcher & Co. clients, many are not.) In addition to direct-to-consumer […]