Comments on: Preventing the destruction of Australian publishing http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/ writing, reading, eating, drinking, sport Sun, 21 Mar 2010 23:26:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Conflux: Blog http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71159 Conflux: Blog Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:32:52 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71159 [...] Larbalestier leads us into the biggest issue of the month – parallel imports of books. She also comments on the writing life. See also Talking Squid for [...] [...] Larbalestier leads us into the biggest issue of the month – parallel imports of books. She also comments on the writing life. See also Talking Squid for [...]

]]> By: parallel importing « Locus http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71109 parallel importing « Locus Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:52:50 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71109 [...] Larbalestier (with Garth Nix in the comments), here, here and [...] [...] Larbalestier (with Garth Nix in the comments), here, here and [...]

]]> By: Read Alert » Blog Archive » Parallel imports http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71083 Read Alert » Blog Archive » Parallel imports Mon, 14 Jul 2008 03:18:55 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71083 [...] Justine Larbalestier. (and more [...] [...] Justine Larbalestier. (and more [...]

]]> By: Justine http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71068 Justine Sun, 13 Jul 2008 13:28:23 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71068 Steph: I could not agree more. The price of books at home is NUTS and the GST should not be applied to them. That would be a start but more needs to be done to bring the price down. Twenty-five dollars for a paperback is INSANE. Like you, I'm not sure what else can be done. But it's true something really has to happen to protect booksellers like you. I feel like I grew up at Gleebooks and Galaxy books in Sydney. They recommended books, let me hang around talking books and gossiping with them. They've supported my career now that I'm published, hosting book launches and signings and handselling my books like you wouldn't believe. Hell, Galaxy even gave me a job helping with stocktaking one time when I was totally broke. The thought of them going under fills my heart with despair. Steph: I could not agree more. The price of books at home is NUTS and the GST should not be applied to them. That would be a start but more needs to be done to bring the price down. Twenty-five dollars for a paperback is INSANE.

Like you, I’m not sure what else can be done. But it’s true something really has to happen to protect booksellers like you. I feel like I grew up at Gleebooks and Galaxy books in Sydney. They recommended books, let me hang around talking books and gossiping with them. They’ve supported my career now that I’m published, hosting book launches and signings and handselling my books like you wouldn’t believe. Hell, Galaxy even gave me a job helping with stocktaking one time when I was totally broke. The thought of them going under fills my heart with despair.

]]> By: steph http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71061 steph Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:53:34 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71061 Thanks for bringing this up. As a writer, I have to agree with the points raised here (and other places) about parallel importing. The publishing industry is beleagured enough as it is, without this kind of competition. As a bookseller, though, I have to adopt a slightly different point of view. Brick and mortar bookshops in Australia are already losing money to internet retailers - including Amazon.com. The exchange rate being what it is, the RRP for books here in Oz can be up to three times as much as that of the US edition. Even with the cost of shipping factored in, the difference in price between locally and internationally distributed books is significant. Also, individual shoppers on Amazon don't have to wait until they've accumulated a minimum order AND still pay shipping, which means they will almost inevitably get their books faster than if they went through us. I can't really begrudge them the business; when the same book is that much cheaper and if the shipping time isn't prohibitive like it used to be, what are you going to do? At least there's a generation of people out there who are determined enough to get their hands on the books they love (or will love, only haven't met yet). And, as you mentioned, as the bookselling industry suffers, so does the publishing industry. Follow the ripples for a bit, and it's not too difficult to see how this could lead to further books being published. So, no, parallel importing is not the solution - but there is a problem. I'm interested in the idea of making books exempt from GST, or perhaps introducting a customs tax, but I don't think I'm enough of an economist to say what that would do in the long term. Thanks for bringing this up.

As a writer, I have to agree with the points raised here (and other places) about parallel importing. The publishing industry is beleagured enough as it is, without this kind of competition.

As a bookseller, though, I have to adopt a slightly different point of view. Brick and mortar bookshops in Australia are already losing money to internet retailers – including Amazon.com. The exchange rate being what it is, the RRP for books here in Oz can be up to three times as much as that of the US edition. Even with the cost of shipping factored in, the difference in price between locally and internationally distributed books is significant. Also, individual shoppers on Amazon don’t have to wait until they’ve accumulated a minimum order AND still pay shipping, which means they will almost inevitably get their books faster than if they went through us. I can’t really begrudge them the business; when the same book is that much cheaper and if the shipping time isn’t prohibitive like it used to be, what are you going to do? At least there’s a generation of people out there who are determined enough to get their hands on the books they love (or will love, only haven’t met yet).

And, as you mentioned, as the bookselling industry suffers, so does the publishing industry. Follow the ripples for a bit, and it’s not too difficult to see how this could lead to further books being published.

So, no, parallel importing is not the solution – but there is a problem. I’m interested in the idea of making books exempt from GST, or perhaps introducting a customs tax, but I don’t think I’m enough of an economist to say what that would do in the long term.

]]> By: cuileann http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71048 cuileann Sun, 13 Jul 2008 04:57:55 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71048 Wow, this is really interesting. Perhaps I'll write too. Goodness knows I've enough free time. Wow, this is really interesting. Perhaps I’ll write too. Goodness knows I’ve enough free time.

]]> By: Justine http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71046 Justine Sun, 13 Jul 2008 03:28:05 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71046 Lizabelle: Taking the 9% tax off books will help bring the price down. We're one of the few countries that taxes books. Repealing that would be much more helpful than bringing in parallel importing. Herenya: It's being considered. You could write to Mr Rudd and ask that it not be introduced. Prime Minister the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP PO Box 476A Morningside Qld 4170 Lizabelle: Taking the 9% tax off books will help bring the price down. We’re one of the few countries that taxes books. Repealing that would be much more helpful than bringing in parallel importing.

Herenya: It’s being considered. You could write to Mr Rudd and ask that it not be introduced.

Prime Minister the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP
PO Box 476A
Morningside Qld 4170

]]> By: Herenya http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71045 Herenya Sun, 13 Jul 2008 02:35:08 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71045 OK, so that sounds like it would be completely disasterous! Book prices here aren't exactly happy-making, but as someone who is Australian and dreams of becoming an author one day, I would much rather pay more money for books than have the chances for want-to-be-authors in Australia disappear. Also, I love reading books that are very Australian, because they are about a culture, places and things I can identify with. If that market were to decrease... argh, I don't want to even think about it! Is this still only a proposed idea, or is it really going to go ahead? And is there anything we can we do? OK, so that sounds like it would be completely disasterous! Book prices here aren’t exactly happy-making, but as someone who is Australian and dreams of becoming an author one day, I would much rather pay more money for books than have the chances for want-to-be-authors in Australia disappear.
Also, I love reading books that are very Australian, because they are about a culture, places and things I can identify with. If that market were to decrease… argh, I don’t want to even think about it!

Is this still only a proposed idea, or is it really going to go ahead? And is there anything we can we do?

]]> By: Lizabelle http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71043 Lizabelle Sat, 12 Jul 2008 23:58:21 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71043 Thank you for this post. I have bemoaned the price of books in Australia ever since I arrived here, but now I understand the implications I'll buy from Australian bookshops when I can. Thank you for this post. I have bemoaned the price of books in Australia ever since I arrived here, but now I understand the implications I’ll buy from Australian bookshops when I can.

]]> By: Karen http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71037 Karen Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:38:42 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71037 As a Canadian writer, I hear you and totally agree. We're under similar pressures. Our general experience of "free trade" is that it really only flows one way (and not in our favour). Our publishing industry is under extreme pressure to provide cheap books (i.e., match U.S. prices), but economy of scale is making it almost impossible to do. So what happens? Consumers buy the American books instead. As a Canadian writer, I hear you and totally agree. We’re under similar pressures. Our general experience of “free trade” is that it really only flows one way (and not in our favour).

Our publishing industry is under extreme pressure to provide cheap books (i.e., match U.S. prices), but economy of scale is making it almost impossible to do. So what happens? Consumers buy the American books instead.

]]> By: nadai http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71035 nadai Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:13:29 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71035 I don't understand why Australia is considering this when the US market is decidedly not an open market. Even if it does result in cheaper books (and I'd like to see some proof that it would), all that would mean is someone in Australia could buy American books cheaper. Being reduced to a publishing niche in your own country just seems wrong. I don’t understand why Australia is considering this when the US market is decidedly not an open market. Even if it does result in cheaper books (and I’d like to see some proof that it would), all that would mean is someone in Australia could buy American books cheaper. Being reduced to a publishing niche in your own country just seems wrong.

]]> By: Alex http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/07/12/preventing-the-destruction-of-australian-publishing/comment-page-1/#comment-71031 Alex Sat, 12 Jul 2008 15:16:10 +0000 http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1258#comment-71031 I'm one of those dreadful Americans ignorant of what is currently occurring in the publishing world, but reading this entry was very informative, and I agree with you (and Garth) 100%. I had never really thought about how one's location affects one's writing, though, of course, that's true. But now I'm curious - is there anything to be done to prevent parallel importing? Other than raise awareness? I’m one of those dreadful Americans ignorant of what is currently occurring in the publishing world, but reading this entry was very informative, and I agree with you (and Garth) 100%. I had never really thought about how one’s location affects one’s writing, though, of course, that’s true.

But now I’m curious – is there anything to be done to prevent parallel importing? Other than raise awareness?

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