Amazon Cuts New Ebook Deals With Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins

Posted on April 1, 2010

Reuters reports that Amazon.com has cut new ebook deals with Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins. The deals allow the publisher to set the prices for the ebooks. The agreement is similar to deals Apple is said to be cutting with publishers for the iPad's bookstore.

CBS Corp's (CBS.N) Simon & Schuster and News Corp's (NWSA.O) HarperCollins will be allowed to set their own prices for e-books under their agreement with Amazon, the report said.
Amazon, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins did not respond to requests for comment.

Ebook prices will be going up for new releases. Amazon.com has been selling new ebooks for $9.99 but with the new deal publishers are said to want to charge between $12.99 to $14.99 for new releases. That's a jump of 30% to 50%. Authors and publishers are likely to sell fewer ebooks with these big price jumps.