Some believe the “agency model” is little more than fixed book pricing in disguise. By Edward Nawotka Unlike several countries in Europe — as discussed in today’s feature story — the United States does not have fixed book prices. US publishers offer a recommended sales prices, which is printed on the book, but the price is not fixed by law …
Swiss to Reinstate Fixed Book Prices
The debate over fixed book pricing remains a complicated and volatile one in Europe. By Amanda DeMarco On March 18 the Swiss parliament approved a fixed price system for books in German-speaking Switzerland, both for online and in-store sales as of next year. The debate over fixed book pricing is a complicated and volatile one in Europe. Various degrees of …
Does Europe Need a Single Open Market for E-books?
By Edward Nawotka As discussed in today’s lead story, European laws governing the sale of books vary wildly from country to country, often favoring print over e-books. Many of the major markets have fixed book pricing and part of the reasoning behind fixed book prices is that it allows all retailers to compete on a level playing field when it …
Is the Agency Pricing Model a Net E-Book Agreement in Disguise?
By Edward Nawotka At the end of today’s lead story surveying UK independent booksellers’ attitudes toward selling e-books, writer Roger Tagholm writes: “Many note that [the agency pricing] model is effectively an e-book NBA (the UK agreement, abolished in 1995, that banned discounting) and that it is this which is providing them with the opportunity.” “I’m struck by the fact …
France to Reduce VAT on E-books to 5.5% Starting in 2012
By Siobhan O’Leary In several European countries, books are subject to a reduced VAT rate in light of their status as a “cultural” product. This has been complicated by the emergence of e-books, which tend to be viewed as electronic products for taxation purposes and are thus subject to full VAT (19% in Germany, as opposed to the reduced rate …
Should Publishers Raise the Price When a Book Becomes Popular?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead article discusses why the publishing industry should implement dynamic pricing. Among the arguments made is that a 1% increase in price could lead to a significant hike in operating profits for publishers. One possible strategy would be to raise the price of a book as it becomes more popular. This runs counter to the traditional …
The 1% Windfall: Why Publishers Need to Implement “Dynamic Pricing”
• A 1% increase in book prices could lead to significant change in the operating profits of many companies, argues pricing expert Rafi Mohammed. But, contrary to this fact, the publishing industry is under pressure to lower prices rather than raise them. • The answer is to implement “dynamic pricing,” which will enable publishers to respond to the demands of …