Google to challenge Amazon with it’s book-selling plan
Google appears to be laying down the gauntlet in the e-book market.
In discussions with book publishers at the annual BookExpo convention in New York over the weekend, Google signaled its intent to introduce a program by year’s end through which publishers could sell digital versions of their newest books direct to consumers through Google. The move would pit Google against Amazon.com, which is seeking to control the e-book market with the versions it sells for its Kindle electronic reading device.
As such it is likely to be welcomed by publishers, who have expressed concern about Amazon’s aggressive pricing strategy for e-books. Amazon offers Kindle editions of most new bestsellers for $9.99, a price far lower than the typical $26 at which publishers sell new hardcovers. In early discussions, Google has said it would allow publishers to set consumer prices.
“Clearly, any major company coming into the e-book space, providing that we are happy with the pricing structure, the selling price and the security of the technology, will be a welcome addition,” said David Young, chief executive of Hachette Book Group.
Google’s e-book retail program would be separate from the company’s settlement with authors and publishers over its book-scanning project, under which Google has scanned more than 7 million volumes. Most of those books are out of print.
Under the new program, publishers voluntarily give Google digital files of new and other in-print books. Already on Google, users can search up to about 20 percent of the content of those books and then, if they want to buy them, can link to online retailers and buy either paper or electronic versions of the books. But Google is proposing to allow users to buy those digital editions directly from Google.
