By Andy McCue, 9 January 2004 11:35
NEWS Amazon.co.uk has launched an investigation into an error that was allowing a cheaper US version of a UK book effectively a grey import to be sold through its site, after being alerted by silicon.com.
silicon.com reader Brian Clegg, author of Brief History of Infinity: The Quest to Think the Unthinkable, which is on sale at £7.19 on the UK site, contacted us after finding that the US version of the book, which goes under a slightly different title, was also being offered alongside it at the cheaper price of £6.04.
Clegg said his UK publishers Constable have contacted Amazon.co.uk in the past about the problem but that it keeps happening. And while he said he didn't want to "knock" Amazon he said it has a direct impact on his earnings.
"It reduces my income. A book usually only earns the author royalties above the original advance in its primary market, so any sales that are shifted to a secondary market can have a direct impact on my livelihood."
The listing of the two books together is also confusing for readers, he said.
"Although the content of the books is the same, they often have different titles and covers, which could mislead a reader into buying the same book twice."
Earlier this week Amazon.com answered claims from the BPI - which represents the music industry in the UK - that it may be breaking copyright law by selling imported CDs in the UK.
A spokeswoman for Amazon.co.uk admitted the error and said it was being looked into.
"This US title should not have been available to buy new from Amazon.co.uk - this was offered for sale in error and we have removed the ability for customers to place orders from us," she said. "We do have systems in place to protect against this happening and we are investigating to understand how this came about."
She said that "rare instances" of errors such as these are corrected as soon as they are flagged up.
Comments
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1. anonymous
I really hate how book and cd UK companies charge loads extra for effectively the same products, then claim to be hurt when people start buying cheaper imported versions.
UK firms expect to be able to claim legal rights or label the imports as substandard, and this makes everything alright then! What they should competing on price and trying to win over customers instead of alienating them by making us cough up more cash.
Remember that these imports also include import duties and local taxes (not for books), transportation costs, the original cost and mark up to the foreign producers. And they're still cheaper than the UK versions.
Just as bad, there are UK firms who buy the rights to release US publications in the UK, then effectively import the US books and just put a price sticker on the back. All they do is switch the $ to £ using a £1 to $1 exchange rate. It's the same as raising the coverprice by 70-80%.
This is one for the consumer associations.
2. Dave Howe
I think the author is blaiming Amazon.co.uk for the loss due to the lousy terms of his contract with his american publisher.
Two points there are
1) he got an "advance" but will never see any royalties above or beyond that.
WTF? an advance is just that - a payment of money in anticipation of earned royalties (and may even be repayable if the book doesn't earn those royalties). What he seems to have is a flat-fee payment (admittedly increastingly common in the states - abusing the "work for hire" rules rather than admit authorship by the author). His agent should have done better for him.
2) grey imports are a violation of his contract with his US publisher - and best left for his UK publisher to argue out with them (unless they are the same publisher, which I have seen before now as they hold the UK publication rights, not the author). Ideally, he could try and argue that these grey sales outside of their licence has invalidated their contract (with reversion of the publication rights to the author). If it isn't - well, yet again he got stiffed on the contract.
3. anonymous
Hmm.....makes you wonder why we all can't benefit from globalization of trade really doesn't it.
4. a.j.craske
Am I missing something here! Provided that I pay the appropriate UK/EC tax, why should I be denied the opportunity to buy an identical product at a lower price. As the author is content with a lower return in the US why should he expect a higher return elsewhere?
It seems that globalisation is only good when it benefits the producer - not the consumer.
5. anonymous
Another example of Rip-off Britain.
The Yanks would not put up with it.