Amazon stopped discounting?

[pbray]

Was on Amazon.com this morning and noticed that they are no longer discounting new massmarket paperbacks. A quick search confirmed that there seems to be a new policy--hardcovers and tradepaperbacks are discounted, massmarket is not.

Anyone else noticed this? As far as I can tell this is a recent phenomenon.

Comments

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

Well, that's annoying. It certainly makes them less attractive as a source for reading material. Still, unless they start charging sales tax, they're still cheaper than buying books locally, provided you buy enough to get free shipping.

Mind you, I do very much like buying books locally, especially now that my city has a bookstore (and an independent one at that).

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I find it odd, since the other online booksellers are still discounting paperbacks, and many offer free shipping if you're ordering at least $25 dollars. Unless they follow suit, I think Amazon is going to start losing business.

[princejvstin.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I know they tried this before, and then rolled it back sometime later.
And older massmarkets have always been pushed back to cover price for a long time now.

But I just checked a newly published book, and that's not discounted either.

Damn, I think you are right.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

You're right, I seem to recall that they tried this before. They may just be testing the waters to see if other online booksellers will follow suit.

The discount for older MM titles has also been variable. For a while they went back to cover price, but my most recent orders have been at 10% discount, including an order I placed in April.

Hmm. The plot thickens.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I stand corrected. Went back and checked the Amazon order from April, and only the newer releases were discounted, the older titles were full price.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I hadn't noticed the new MMs being discounted recently at all, let alone the older MMs. In fact, I only order MMs from amazon if I'm desperate. I do buy all my trade and hardcovers there though. I think they're general policy is that if it's over $15 then it's guaranteed to be discounted in some way. Everything else is hit or miss.

ST doesn't seem to have a discount yet. Or do they only start applying the discount once the book comes out?

[pbray.livejournal.com]

My preorders for TFB were at a discount price, which is why I was surprised to see that it was back to full list price. Other new massmarkets I'd ordered in April also were discounted.

BN.COM still discounts their massmarket paperbacks, and offers free shipping on orders over $25, so they're another option.

[earthgoat.livejournal.com]

Most stores don't discount mass markets anymore either.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

True, most of the big chains no longer discount massmarket paperbacks unless you're enrolled in one of their discount programs, such as Barnes & Noble's membership card where you pay $25 a year and then get 10% off.