Amazon and HarperCollins reach agreement ahead of marketing push for new Harper Lee title
HarperCollins has reached a multi-year agreement with Amazon which will see the publisher set its own retail prices for digital books.
Speculation has been mounting that the pair had failed to come to an agreement which would lead to disrupted sales.
HaperCollins had been offered the same contract signed by Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan but had failed to agree on the terms.
It followed a similar battle Amazon had fought with Hachette last year with Amazon eventually ceasing pre-orders on coming Hachette titles and running out of stock on some new Hachette books.
However, citing a person familiar with the situation The Wall Street Journal reports that a new agreement will see HarperCollins incentivised by Amazon to provide low prices for customers.
It comes as HarperCollins gears up to heavily promote Harper Lee’s new novel ‘Go Set a Watchman’ – anticipated to be among the biggest selling titles of the year – ahead of the book’s publication in mid-July.
A spokesperson from HarperCollins said: “HarperCollins has reached an agreement with Amazon. Our books will continue to be available on the Amazon print and digital platforms.”
Terms of the deal were not revealed but typically publishers keep around 70 per cent of revenue from each sale while retailers receive 30 per cent as a fee and publishers must give permission before the retailer can discount.