Germany has adopted a law prohibiting regional variation and seasonal discounts on book prices. The measure was strongly supported by authors, publishers, distributors and booksellers in Germany, though it is more controversial in the rest of Europe. Quoting State Minister for Cultural Affairs, Julian Nida-Ruemelin: "[C]ountries that do not have such a law publish markedly fewer books and can support far fewer bookshops and publishers. Under a free-pricing system, the law of supply and demand will immediately affect prices, since publishers mark up their bestsellers to compensate for losses from the discounts handed out by supermarkets. The temptation becomes strong to publish only those books that will sell easily and quickly, with a resulting loss of diversity." (Thanks to Terry Foreman.)
Posted by
Peter Suber at 6/25/2002 10:52:00 AM.
The open access movement:
Putting peer-reviewed scientific and scholarly literature
on the internet. Making it available free of charge and
free of most copyright and licensing restrictions.
Removing the barriers to serious research.
