IT and book market: Amazon and Barnes&Noble change price policy for E-books

The largest book retailers in the USA - Amazon and Barnes&Noble - have both announced that they would let book publishers set prices for eBooks, sold in their shops. They are certain that this step would allow them to better compete with Apple, which has captured the lion’s share of the eBook market.

Earlier Amazon announced about its intention to sell eBooks at a price of $9,99 per book. Representatives of publishing houses claim that such policy doesn’t evidently suit the retail business, as special price could be set on bestsellers and new editions.

Sony, which is also producing eReaders, informs that the majority of eBooks in their shop will be sold at a price of $ 13-15 per book, though certain editions will get special prices.

All three eBook retailers claim they are conducting negotiations with leading publishers and are ready to provide the latter flexible conditions of distribution, at the same time all three companies refrain from announcing fixed prices and names of publishing houses.

Apple, which is going to sell eBooks for iPad will follow the scheme, which was already applied for App Store. According to it, it’s up to the publisher to set the price for the eBook, however 30% of it will go to Apple, the rest 70% will be left to the publisher.