No one likes a bully and when a corporate giant gets headlines like this from Publishing Weekly - 'Amazon to Force POD Publishers to Use BookSurge' – you have to wonder what is going on.
The nub of the story according to PW is that Amazon.com is forcing print on demand publishers to use its own POD service, BookSurge. PublishAmerica said no, and they found their buy buttons on Amazon disabled. They issued a press release saying, "PublishAmerica will not comply with Amazon's ultimatum, and will not allow that company to dictate who will print PublishAmerica's books, and at what conditions."
Amazon own statement says, 'Speed of shipping is a key customer experience focus for us and it has been for many years. Amazon Prime is an example of a successful and growing program that is driving up our speed of shipment with customers. POD items printed inside our own fulfilment centres can make our Amazon Prime cut-off times. POD items printed outside cannot.
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=176060&p=irol-printondemand"
So the customer demands quicker and quicker shipping times and Amazon complies – naughty ole customer causing all these problems – so it doesn't have anything to do with an increase Amazons in profits?
A key customer experience for me is the concept of fair trade. It doesn't just apply to subsistence farmers growing bananas on the Windward Isles, it counts for UK farmer getting a fair price for their produce and not being bullied by Tescos and other other large supermarkets. And it most definitely applies to small publishing firms being able to choose with POD supplier they use. According to my Penguin Pocket English Dictionary to bully is to treat abusively or intimidate.
Online Petition can be signed here http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/protectPOD/?e
More information http://www.writersweekly.com/amazon.php on Angela Hoy's Writers site.
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