Last week I posted a blog about the book price wars between WalMart and Amazon.com. Well, I didn’t have to wait too long before what I knew was coming actually happened. From the Dallas News:
The American Booksellers Association on Thursday asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate online book price wars underway by Amazon.com, Wal-Mart and Target.
In a letter from the 109-year-old trade organization representing independent booksellers, the ABA’s board told antitrust officials that the discounted pre-sales of hardback bestsellers for $9, “constitute illegal predatory pricing that is damaging to the book industry and harmful to consumers.”
The American Booksellers Association stated, in a letter, that WalMart and Amazon are devaluing the very concept of the book. It also stated that “extremely discounted best-sellers take the consumer’s attention away from emerging writers.” Thanks goodness for those powerful lobbies that protect their industry profits protect the consumer. As I wrote back in 2002, consumers tend to be scared off by lower prices. Thanks to Daniel for the link.
