E-commerce

Despite last week’s news to the contrary, Google will be continuing its relationship with indie booksellers that sell Google eBooks™ through its affiliate program.

On February 20, in a dispute over terms, Amazon.com stopped selling some 4,000 e-book titles distributed by Independent Publishers Group.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s office announced this week that an agreement on sales tax fairness legislation had been reached with Amazon.com, members of the General Assembly, and key retailers. In Kansas, ABA Board member Sarah Bagby of Watermark Books & Café testified before a state Senate committee in support of sales tax fairness legislation.

Four New Jersey state lawmakers have introduced legislation that would provide online retailers with a sales tax exemption in exchange for a capital investment and the creation of full-time jobs in the state between January 1, 2012, and December 1, 2013.

On February 10, the Virginia Senate passed a sales tax fairness bill by a margin of 34-6. Senate Bill 597 would require retailers with warehouses or distribution centers in Virginia, such as Amazon.com, to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Virginia residents.

The results of the third annual “Survey of Book Buying Behavior With Verso Digital,” presented at last month’s Winter Institute, provided insights on e-reader and tablet ownership, the split between e-book/print book purchasing, and the effect of the Borders closing on book buying.

On Monday, IndieCommerce informed subscribing stores of a new policy regarding available inventory. Beginning this week, only publishers’ titles that are made available to retailers for sale in all available formats will be included in the IndieCommerce inventory database.

SB 1338, a bipartisan sales tax fairness bill introduced in late January, cleared Arizona’s Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday, February 8. If the bill is enacted, Arizona could recapture more than 5,400 total jobs and stop future job losses, according to a recent study.

On Tuesday, February 7, the Virginia State Senate Finance Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 597, legislation that would require retailers with warehouses or distribution centers in the state to collect and remit sales tax for purchases made by Virginia residents.

Arizona tells Amazon to pay up; Pennsylvania extends deadline for nexus compliance; Massachusetts governor urges Congress to support sales tax fairness; Maryland introduces sales tax fairness legislation

ABA is urging members to meet with their federal lawmakers in person in their local, district offices to express their support for bipartisan sales tax fairness legislation currently under consideration.

On Monday, the New York Times ran an op-ed by Richard Russo, who, along with several other bestselling authors, criticized Amazon’s new price check app.

This week, the American Booksellers Association announced the launch of a beta version wish list for IndieCommerce sites.

ABA CEO Oren Teicher has written an open letter to Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos that highlights the glaring discrepancy between the company’s recent statements in support of sales tax fairness and Amazon’s latest exploitation of an inequitable strategic advantage.

On Wednesday, November 30, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary held a hearing to discuss the authority of states to collect sales tax on online purchases.