Amazon, Hachette finally bury the hatchet over e-books
Amazon had removed pre-order tags for Hachette books, reduced discounts and slowed deliveries.
NEW YORK CITY: (AP) - One of publishing s nastiest, most high-profile conflicts, the months-long standoff between Amazon.com and Hachette Book Group, is ending.
Amazon and Hachette announced a multi-year agreement Thursday.
With e-book revenues reportedly the key issue, Amazon had removed pre-order tags for Hachette books, reduced discounts and slowed deliveries.
Neither side seemed to benefit. Hachette sales on Amazon.com, the country s biggest bookseller, had dropped sharply. Amazon, meanwhile, issued a disappointing earnings report last month, although the impact of the Hachette dispute was unclear.
Hachette s authors include James Patterson and Donna Tartt. It was among five publishers sued in 2012 by the U.S. Justice Department for allegedly fixing e-book prices. The publishers settled and were required to negotiate new deals with Amazon and other retailers.
