Amazon’s Death Blow To Publishing Industry
Amazon is no stranger to controversy. From remotely deleting titles from the Kindle to requiring POD publishers to use Amazon’s BookSurge. And despite these controversial moves, they continue to blaze trails through the digital publishing world.
It’s not surprising there are many who aren’t too happy about Amazon’s growing dominance in publishing. Some are even saying that Amazon is wrecking the publishing industry. The biggest beef publishing insiders have with Amazon, is their highly aggressive digital publishing platform that include several imprints:
It has launched four publishing businesses: Amazon Encore, specialising in first-time writers; Amazon Crossing, which sells English language translations of foreign books; Montlake Romance; and non-fiction range Domino.
The move is part of a campaign to further boost demand for the company’s Kindle electronic reader, which is the biggest- selling product of its kind in the world. The ebooks published by Amazon will be available only through this device.
It’s pretty obvious that Amazon’s ebook-centered publishing strategy is very profitable. So why aren’t other publishers just as aggressive in their own digital strategy?
Luke Johnson, the chairman of the Royal Society of Arts, said: ‘Some within the publishing industry should be scared because the industry is going to be squeezed unless it adapts very rapidly.
‘The problem with the traditional publishing industry is that it doesn’t understand technology. They have allowed this giant and utterly dominant organisation to take complete control of the book trade.’
Mr. Johnson is spot on. They’re afraid to adapt, and to a great extent, they don’t understand how ebook technology can increase their bottom line.
I think the biggest risk for Amazon is being accused of anti-competitive practices. Their dominance of the ebook market is sure to gain the attention of government regulators sooner or later. And if they continue to get under the skin of large publishing houses, someone is bound to take legal action.
If you want a good example of an industry that didn’t adapt with changing technology and paid a large price for it, you only have to look at the music industry. I just hope these large publishers don’t make the same mistakes.
Related Posts
- Ebooks Spell Doom & Gloom For Publishing Industry
- What’s the truth about the publishing industry?
- 2010 and Beyond: Predictions for ebooks and publishing
- Bold predictions for the future of publishing
- Barnes & Noble’s Chairman Len Riggio Upbeat About Digital Publishing
Read More: eBooks, Publishing News
