The Authors Guild is urging its over 8,000 members to sever links from their Web sites to Amazon.com because of the company's growing used-book business. The Wall Street Journal reports that the trade group is upset about Amazon Marketplace, an area of the site that has become increasingly more popular. Individuals and small merchants can offer used books and other items for sale on the site; Amazon
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The Authors Guild is urging its over 8,000 members to sever links from their Web sites to Amazon.com because of the company's growing used-book business.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the trade group is upset about Amazon Marketplace, an area of the site that has become increasingly more popular. Individuals and small merchants can offer used books and other items for sale on the site; Amazon earns a commission on the sales.
The Guild is concerned that the used sales will canabalize new book sales, the profits of which would go to the author and publisher.
Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith told the WSJ lower prices for older books may actually stimulate new-book purchases by getting readers to experiment.
