Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Perseus Signs an EBooks Deal for the iPad

"Perseus Books Group, a large independent publisher that also distributes works from 330 other smaller presses including Grove Atlantic, Harvard Business School Press, Zagat and City Lights Books, signed a deal last week with Apple, following five of the six biggest publishers that have already signed agreements with Apple."

"With Apple’s iPad coming on the scene, Amazon is fighting to keep as much of its market lead as possible."

"Like the five other publishers who have already signed with Apple, Perseus will set consumer prices and Apple will serve as an agent, taking a 30 percent commission on each sale. E-book versions of most newly released adult general fiction and nonfiction will cost $12.99 to $14.99. All publishers whose books are distributed by Perseus will be allowed to opt in to the deal."

"Several of the larger publishers are seeking to renegotiate agreements with Amazon and other e-book retailers to mirror the deals with Apple. But Amazon has only agreed to those terms so far with one publisher, Macmillan, and is still in talks with the other big four, as well as other independent publishers. Amazon has told smaller presses that it does not want to enter into so-called “agency” agreements with them. These publishers fear that if they sign deals with Apple, Amazon will discontinue selling their books, as it did briefly during a dispute with Macmillan."

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