Amazon’s $9.99 eBook Price Point Attacked as “Predatory Pricing”

During a publishing demographics panel at the eBook Summit, Books on Board founder Bob Livolsi received a rousing ovation after making what may be the conference’s most dramatic comment about a bookselling giant’s eBook pricing: “$9.99 is a predatory pricing practice by Amazon. It’s an attack on literature so Amazon can control the industry.”

The quote ricocheted around the Twittersphere. Many repeated Livolsi’s follow-up: “People need to have the courage to speak out against Amazon’s practices.” Guy L. Gonzalez wrote: “Instead of drinking the Kool-Aid, @PublishersWkly @GalleyCat et al, need to report issues related to pricing.”

This GalleyCat editor helped moderate the panel discussion, and built a simple list of other stories we published about the million dollar question: What price eBooks? Look for more coverage in coming weeks.

Last December, GalleyCat readers weighed in on eBook pricing.
In April, Amazon customers boycotted books priced higher than $9.99.
In July, Barnes & Noble accepted the Amazon price standard.
Last week, we wrote about indie bookstores struggling with eBook prices. Editor’s Note: The original post had a mistaken picture.

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