S&S, Amazon sign ‘version of agency pricing’ deal

22 October 2014 Books+Publishing

In the US, Simon & Schuster and Amazon have signed a sales agreement for the publisher’s print and digital books that has been described by S&S CEO Carolyn Reidy as ‘a version of agency pricing’, reports Publishers Weekly. In a letter to authors and agents, Reidy said the multi-year deal, which comes into effect in January 2015, gives the publisher control over the price of its books ‘with some limited exceptions’ and offers ‘flexibility to deliver great prices for readers’. She added that the deal ‘maintains the author’s share of income generated by e-book sales’. In a statement, Amazon said the deal ‘specifically creates a financial incentive for Simon & Schuster to deliver lower prices for readers’. Amazon’s dispute with Hachette US over sales terms is yet to be resolved.

Category: International news