[NewsPoster]

Amazon's battle with publisher Hachette is continuing, with authors still being affected by the issue. The Authors United group, who previously took out an ad in newspapers decrying treatment by Amazon, is planning to send a letter to the head of the US Justice Department's antitrust division, asking them to look into the matter. Authors attached to the letter include Stephen King, Donna Tartt, Paul Auster, James Patterson, John Grisham, Jennifer Egan, Joshua Ferris, Karen Joy Fowler, Siri Hustvedt, Joseph O'Neill, Jeffery Deaver, Lee Child, Barbara Kingsolver, Clive Cussler, Anita Shreve and Philip Pullman.

Amazon has publicly admitted to disrupting sales of books from publishing group Hachette, via its Kindle forum. The retailer revealed it is not actively buying stock from the publisher in anticipation of sales to customers, and claims the entire escalating feud between the two companies relates to the pricing of books, along with other supply-related terms.

Head of the effort, author Douglas Preston, said of the effort that "we're not asking Amazon to stop negotiating with Hachette or anyone else, just to start selling their books again." The letter to the Justice Department is currently circulating amongst the 1,000 strong group, and will be sent after signatures are completed.

Amazon claims its actions do not affect 989 out of 1,000 items sold, while also suggesting those requiring Hachette books quickly to "purchase a new or used version from one of our third-party sellers or from one of our competitors." Amazon states that the issues with negotiations is on the "behalf of customers," with the term negotiations being an "essential business practice" critical to "keeping service and value high for customers in the medium and long term."

In the eyes of Amazon, Hachette is the one to blame for the dispute. It claims that Hachette was contacted to discuss terms in January. Hachette refused the offer, which Amazon says would have returned "normal levels of on-hand print inventory, return to normal pricing in all formats, and for books that haven't gone on sale yet, reinstate pre-orders."

Apple and others are taking advantage of Amazon's stand-off by wooing customers who want Hatchette authors' works to order them from the iBookstore and other e-book outlets.

[Makosuke]

That's an impressive list of authors, but then if I were an author (oh, wait, I am) I would be terrified by any company with that much of a stranglehold on distribution of my wares.

The Justice Department will no doubt have to pay attention now, and will dutifully investigate Apple and fine them for colluding with Hachette to make Amazon pull their books.

(Seriously, though, how confident do you need to be in your iron grip on a market that you can tell people to shop at your competitors... because you know it won't matter. Also, Amazon is sounding more and more like an abusive spouse in these negotiations: "This is for your own good. Why are you making me hurt you?")

[prl99]

Don't forget the "fact" that Amazon wants to reduce the cost to consumers because that's all they care about. /s btw: The acronym is DOJ, not DoJ. The DOJ is an old DOS user so everything is in caps, which explains a lot. http://www.justice.gov/nsd/ovt/ovt-acronyms.html#4

[Gazoobee]

Amazon is a horror on the market which should be broken up by the Government IMO. For this and many other egregious acts. The idea that Amazon actually cares about it's customers and the price they pay for their books and things is absolute balderdash. They keep saying it, but that doesn't make it true.

@Makosuke: Amazon doesn't actually have a stranglehold on the market now that Apple has come along with iBooks. I publish everything I write there, and Amazon can go get screwed. Certainly these famous authors could do the same. If they were actually in control of their own work that is, which is another rampant problem in the business.

[Inkling]

There is almost no chance the DOJ will act. Both Obama and Eric Holder are Chicago-machine politicians and the essence of that is pay-to-play. Those who pay get to determine the rules. Amazon has apparently provided the administration with some service, not necessarily money, for what it is being rewarded with legal immunity. Recall that at the time of Apple's alleged price fixing it controlled 0% of the ebook market while Amazon, which had 90% of that market was pursing the class monopolist move of selling below cost. Take note that Eric Holder did just announce--minutes ago--that he is resigning as Attorney General. Perhaps he is trying to evade the hearings that have begun in the House and, if the Republicans take over the Senate in November, the Senate too.

[Flying Meat]

Some people are good at sitting in a room full of self-centered idiots, and explaining the most rudimentary concepts of governance and law over and over and over again.
Holder is probably leaving because he's fed up with it.

[gprovida]

This should be interesting, seeing the DOJ who worked hard to guarantee Amazon monopoly to now address abuse of Monopoly sanctioned and enforced of DOJ and the courts.

[LenE]

Holder is resigning because his clock just ran out on withholding the Fast and Furious documents. Getting out now, he can attempt to tie his legacy to civil rights issues (Ferguson), instead of the truly terrible corrupt actions of his department, under his direction. If he moves fast enough, with enough cover from the race merchants, he will be seen as a victim, instead of the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, he was the ogre in chief in a army of crusading political legal ogres. The laws and constitution of this country don't matter to him. Woe be those who fall in the path of his mercenaries, who also don't care about the laws and constitution, as they are implicitly given the power to impose policy and craft law as the situation requires, to meet the desired end.

I speak from direct experience with the DOJ OCR. It is a criminal enterprise. Likewise, the DOJ persecution of Apple at Amazon's behest is just as criminal. Amazon will not face any justice.