Spain’s biggest publishers form ebook distribution company
By Paul Biba
From Publishers Lunch. Great news!
Planeta, Random House Mondadori and Santillana–which comprise 70 percent of the Spanish trade book market–have joined forces to set up an ebook distribution company. And apparently the three hope that together they can impose an economic model on the market–intending to sell ebooks at 80 percent of the print list price, paying royalty of 25 percent, and selling to booksellers at a 50 percent discount. But publishers intend to hold these terms only for two years, through 2011.
Publishing Perspectives (the recently-launched newsletter from the Frankfurt Book Fair covering one issue of international interest daily, led by Ed Nawotka) reports: “This initiative will go hand in hand with a major marketing effort starting with a splashy launch of e-books and e-readers this holiday season through at least one major retailer. They have set a goal of having every frontlist title able to be published simultaneously in both print and ebook form by mid 2011.” The new distribution company will not sell directly to consumers, and has “invited other publishers to participate as well, either as partners or as distribution clients. …
July 14th, 2009 at 6:26 am
As you can realize, that range of prices is a very bad news for ebook adoption in Spain. Indeed, I believe that this measure is a stopgap, an almost clear intention of delay ebook introduction in Spain.