Comments on: Amazon Continues to Squeeze Authors and Small Publishers with BookSurge Ultimatum http://jeejeebhoy.ca/2008/04/05/amazon-continues-to-squeeze-authors-with-booksurge/ Reading is just as important as taking care of yourself Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:40:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: BookLocker Has Sued Amazon in a Class Action Antitrust Lawsuit | Shireen Jeejeebhoy, Author http://jeejeebhoy.ca/2008/04/05/amazon-continues-to-squeeze-authors-with-booksurge/comment-page-1/#comment-513 BookLocker Has Sued Amazon in a Class Action Antitrust Lawsuit | Shireen Jeejeebhoy, Author Sat, 02 Aug 2008 21:02:43 +0000 http://jeejeebhoy.ca/?p=146#comment-513 [...] haven’t kept up to date with how small publishers are dealing with the Amazon Ultimatum. The last I heard was that the American Society of Journalists and Authors, among other organizations, had joined the [...] [...] haven’t kept up to date with how small publishers are dealing with the Amazon Ultimatum. The last I heard was that the American Society of Journalists and Authors, among other organizations, had joined the [...]

]]> By: Shireen http://jeejeebhoy.ca/2008/04/05/amazon-continues-to-squeeze-authors-with-booksurge/comment-page-1/#comment-165 Shireen Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:20:49 +0000 http://jeejeebhoy.ca/?p=146#comment-165 That sounds logical to me. Hopefully BookSurge will go away, but I suspect not just passive, but active resistance may be what will get Amazon to change its mind. iUniverse has just confirmed in an e-mail to me that they are using Lightning Source and will continue to do so when printing my books. That sounds logical to me. Hopefully BookSurge will go away, but I suspect not just passive, but active resistance may be what will get Amazon to change its mind.

iUniverse has just confirmed in an e-mail to me that they are using Lightning Source and will continue to do so when printing my books.

]]> By: Author http://jeejeebhoy.ca/2008/04/05/amazon-continues-to-squeeze-authors-with-booksurge/comment-page-1/#comment-164 Author Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:07:32 +0000 http://jeejeebhoy.ca/?p=146#comment-164 Someone with Microsoft Press told me that when Microsoft created it, the executives were told in no uncertain terms that Microsoft had no interest in running a vanity press, that they had two years to show a profit or go out of business. Amazon bought BookSurge in 2005, just over two years ago. The ensuring time has done nothing to fix problems that make going with Lightning Source rather than BookSurge one of the easiest decisions any publisher can make. It's easy to expect that Amazon execs may have given BookSurge a similar ultimatum and, with the warning about to come due, BookSurge demanded one more opportunity, the ability to threaten POD publishers with removal from Amazon sales. Amazon execs might not have thought through the implications of what they were doing. If so, then hanging tough for a little bit longer, stalling off or even refusing to talk with BookSurge's sales staff when they call, may pay dividends in the long run. BookSurge might just go away and Amazon might learn to leave the printing and publishing to others. Someone with Microsoft Press told me that when Microsoft created it, the executives were told in no uncertain terms that Microsoft had no interest in running a vanity press, that they had two years to show a profit or go out of business.

Amazon bought BookSurge in 2005, just over two years ago. The ensuring time has done nothing to fix problems that make going with Lightning Source rather than BookSurge one of the easiest decisions any publisher can make.

It’s easy to expect that Amazon execs may have given BookSurge a similar ultimatum and, with the warning about to come due, BookSurge demanded one more opportunity, the ability to threaten POD publishers with removal from Amazon sales. Amazon execs might not have thought through the implications of what they were doing.

If so, then hanging tough for a little bit longer, stalling off or even refusing to talk with BookSurge’s sales staff when they call, may pay dividends in the long run. BookSurge might just go away and Amazon might learn to leave the printing and publishing to others.

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