Walmart and Barnes & Noble aren’t the only ones capitalizing on Amazon’s contract dispute with the Hachette Book Group — brick-and-mortar retailers are, too.
Seattle-based independent bookstore Third Place Books said today that it will hand-deliver copies of The Silkworm, a new novel by J.K. Rowling (she wrote the book under her pseudonym, Robert Galbraith).
Amazon is currently locked in a stalemate over pricing and profit margins for e-books with Hachette, publisher of The Silkworm. Amazon customers are seeing delays of up to 5 weeks on printed books from Hachette authors, and some titles from Hachette authors, like The Silkworm, aren’t even available for pre-order on the site.
Third Place Books is taking pre-orders for the book, which debuts June 19, and is offering 20 percent off the $28 retail price.
“Third Place Books feels it’s important their customers realize the impact of Amazon pulling buy buttons, and making books unavailable to them has on the bookselling industry,” the company said in a statement. “Third Place Books will be taking this opportunity to emphasize their service and valuable role as a bricks and mortar independent bookstore in the community by taking pre-orders for The Silkworm, offered at 20% off, and delivering them by hand on Thursday, June 19th, Silkworm’s release day.”
Walmart and Barnes & Noble are also offering big discounts on Hachette books. Both are taking pre-orders for The Silkworm at 40 percent off the normal price.
Critics have called out Amazon for unfairly wielding its power over the book business. Amazon, however, has defended its stance, noting that its actions aren’t any different from what other retailers do when negotiating with their suppliers. The Seattle company recommends customers look for a new or used version from one of our third-party sellers or from one of our competitors,” if they want to purchase a Hachette book.
