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Threatened publishers band together

01.02.08

A number of UK independent publishers, including threatened presses Arcadia and Dedalus, have joined together to form an informal network called the Publishers Liaison Group. The group will meet to discuss common funding issues and strategy in regard to Arts Council England (ACE).

A number of publishers are expected to find out today whether their funding has been cut or curtailed by ACE. According to Arcadia's Gary Pulsifer, the publishers are particularly concerned to move forward "in a spirit of cooperation with ACE, after the recent turbulence of the past few weeks".

Inaugural members include the publishing heads of Arcadia, Barn Owl Books, Centerprise Literature Project, Dedalus, Enitharmon, Haus, Maia Press, Marion Boyars, Portobello/Granta and Tindal Street.

Arts Council England Independents Arcadia Dedalus ACE Publishers Liaison Group

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By Donald Rayfield (Garnett Press)

The worst enemy of this small publisher is Amazon.co.uk. They will list one or more of our books at a price below your trade discount, without even seeking to source it, and then tell customers that the book is 'unsourceable'. Your only possible response is to list it on Amazon marketplace at the real price and emphasize that only you can deliver from stock, but many customers will have been deterred, and your reputation damaged, by waiting fruitlessly for Amazon.co.uk to supply it. Complaining to Amazon is useless: a telephone call reaches a centre with only pre-scripted answers to elementary questions, e-mails to Amazon bring an irrelevant response that completely ignores the problem. Trading Standards tell me that Amazon's malpractice is outside their remit. What is to be done? All suggestions welcome.

18 Feb 08 17:39

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By Clive Keeble

The retailthinktank (Bookseller headlines) this evening reads 'Discounting can be detrimental' : in my opinion Amazon has a lot to answer for, but they have been given free licence to plunder and ravage. I doubt if the Publishers Association is any more concerned that the Booksellers Association - "free market economy" and all that crap. Pass the port please Sidney....grrrh.

18 Feb 08 18:01

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By Kirsten Elliott (Akeman Press)

I absolutely agree with Donald Rayfield. Amazon posted that our book All Roads Lead to France was unavailable - which it certainly is not - and the situation was made worse by the fact that all our other books are available through Amazon - at least so far. It would be reasonable to assume, therefore, that it is out of print. This explained why a slow but steady stream of sales had abruptly dried up. I remonstrated with Amazon, who refused to change it. I therefore reported it to the Advertising Standards Authority , who said they could do nothing. Since the statement is clearly untruthful and damaging, I can't see why not. Perhaps if other publishers bombard the ASA with this complaint, it may change its mind and something may be done. Or would it be possible to form a group of small publishers who are prepared to sue Amazon for loss of income? That might do the trick. Is Amazon trying to put independent publishers and booksellers out of business? It certainly looks like it.

18 Feb 08 18:19

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