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Amazon's AbeBooks Backs Down After Booksellers Stage Global Protest (theguardian.com)

Posted by msmash on from the love-of-books-unites-us dept.

An "extraordinary and unprecedented" global protest from antiquarian booksellers has forced the Amazon-owned secondhand marketplace AbeBooks to backtrack on its decision to pull out of several countries. From a report: AbeBooks had told bookshops in countries including Hungary, the Czech Republic, South Korea and Russia that it would no longer support them from 30 November, citing migration to a new payment service provider as the reason for the withdrawal. The move prompted almost 600 booksellers in 27 countries to pull more than 3.5m titles from Abebooks' site, putting them on "vacation" as they cited the motto of the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, "Amor librorum nos unit" (love of books unites us). On Wednesday, president of ILAB Sally Burdon met AbeBooks chief executive Arkady Vitrouk to discuss the decision. It was agreed that booksellers in the four affected countries would be able to trade under current conditions until 31 December, with a solution to allow them to use the website indefinitely to follow.

26 comments

  1. Was pleased to be involved in this... by rootrot · · Score: 2

    As a rare book dealer and ABAA/ILAB member, I was pleased and impressed with both how many in the trade joined this and how quickly it came together. I was more impressed to see how quickly ABE backed off...
    Little things can matter...

    1. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by AndrewFlagg · · Score: 1

      ironically, i believe in the free flow of information and books are the life blood knowledge transfer no matter what age. when the electricity goes out, a candle and a good book is always appreciated. ;-) blessings from America.

    2. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by Angry+Toad · · Score: 1

      However I'd really appreciate it if they would remove the endless clutter of "print to order" book services from India. Sometimes you have to scroll through pages of that trash before you hit actual books.

    3. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      when the electricity goes out, a candle and a good book is always appreciated. ;-)

      Sure, as long as it is a rechargable LED candle. It is better for your eyes and the environment than an inefficient CO2-spewing wax candle.

      Another option would be to sit in the dark and listen to an audiobook.

    4. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Free flow of books .. sure ... as long as you are living in former British colony.
      When somebody wants to buy ebook from Amazon in English ... Amazon says ...sorry you are not allowed to purchase this book.

    5. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is better for your eyes

      Natural light from a candle vs harsh blue light from an LED? Not buying that.

      and the environment than an inefficient CO2-spewing wax candle.

      Give or take some very toxic metals, plastic, and electronic pollution you need to account for.

      The cradle to grave environmental cost of your rechargeable candle will far exceed that of quite a few candles over time ... a lot of candles in fact.

    6. Re:Was pleased to be involved in this... by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Free flow of books .. sure ... as long as you are living in former British colony.
      When somebody wants to buy ebook from Amazon in English ... Amazon says ...sorry you are not allowed to purchase this book.

      That's when you fire up your VPN.

  2. C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    C6gunner needs shot to death

    1. Re: C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What does c6gunner have to do with APK's blatantly anti-semitic rant?

    2. Re: C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's c6gunner pretending to be APK again. He does this, nazi faggots being the nutless twinks they are. APK even caught him one time when he failed to log out before doing it. c6gunner needs shot to death.

    3. Re: C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      you're both a couple shitbags.

    4. Re: C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it's APK who posted the anti-semitic rant. It's obviously his style and is consistent with his previous statements that hosts do port filtering and can prevent the exploitation of speculative execution vulnerabilities.

    5. Re: C6gunner needs shot to death by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually it is APK pretending to be c6gunner pretending to be APK. APK is obsessed with c6gunner because like so many others c6gunner successfully mocked him.

  3. But but but... free market! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    We can't let customers go around telling companies how to run their business! The businessman is sacrosanct! He must be protected against all offenses! I say we must prohibit all boycotts! Amazon must protect itself and push for legislation that forces people to buy their services, just like the insurance companies demanded from Obamacare. Those that raise their voice in protest should be shot!

    1. Re:But but but... free market! by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 1

      Your link is about how the US Congress says the US Government isn't supporting a UN resolution to boycott. It doesn't make it illegal for anyone else to do so.

      And, whether you think it made sense or not, the reason people had to buy insurance is cause the companies had to offer it regardless of preexisting conditions at the same price. Otherwise people only buy insurance once sick. And they just had to buy some insurance. It can be from any company. So you can boycott Blue Cross Blue Shield.

      --
      Your ad here. Ask me how!
  4. Amazon's side project by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    US site only accepts credit card or Amazon payments but redirects me to the EU site due to the country my credit card is registered in.
    EU site only accepts PayPal or credit card. Who wants to use Amazon Payments on an Amazon owned site anyway.

    I don't get why they thought this was a good idea.

  5. IMPERSONATING ME AGAIN? Please... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject - grow up! You can't take me down on tech points (especially on hosts) so you resort to impersonating me.

    * Weak boys. Really weak.

    Lastly:

    #1) I don't HAVE a MacOS X model (yet - no Mac here) & for BSD, the binary compatibility layer in BSDs SHOULD handle Linux programs! They improved that layer even MORE in the latest OpenBSD/FreeBSD/TrueOS afaik, too1

    &

    #2.) As far as PORT FILTERS you also impersonated me on as you are DOING now yet again - which EVERYONE knows you do?

    You FAIL this test (my program doesn't ALLOW that error) https://yro.slashdot.org/comme...

    APK

    P.S.=> Thanks for proving the BOLDED parts above TOTALLY correct for me... apk

  6. Whoa: I don't know about THAT but... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: He HAS impersonated me before when caught w/ his pants down FAILING vs. me https://linux.slashdot.org/com...

    * He's NOT some "1st" doing it either (others have as well & I have them bookmarked apparently "forgetting" to submit AC & instead "f'ing up" using their "registered 'lusrnames' giving away their CHILDISH games when they SELF-DEFEAT themselves vs. me, out of "FrUsTrAtioN").

    APK

    P.S.=> Glad to see others realize how STUPID these "wannabes" can be trying to "take me on" & FAILING then acting worse than WOMEN do! apk

  7. Port filtering & PortSmash you FAIL on... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    PORT FILTERING TEST you fail https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... & Portsmash https://it.slashdot.org/commen... hosts work against (has to execute a foreign program that hosts CAN block the SOURCE DOWNLOAD of).

    * You LOSE, as usual, again!

    Everyone KNOWS you weak WANNABES can't take me down on hosts & you FAIL as you do above when you try so you IMPERSONATE me https://linux.slashdot.org/com...

    APK

    P.S.=> What I read on JEWS here on /. shows they have been exiled nation to nation & those nations (a dozen @ least over time) were NOT "nazis" so there IS something to be said on those posts you speak of - they're ACCURATE (& what they say about "goyim" others? Pretty bad (we're pigs to be robbed, raped & killed etc.)) - GROW UP boys... apk

  8. THIS 'shitbag' does things /.ers like & use by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: Even /.ers like/use/praise my work that WORKS vs. threats & speeds u up 2 ways natively https://search.slashdot.org/co... vs. other methods crippled (adblock) by default & EASILY DETECTED + BLOCKED by webmasters (all addons w/ their overheads galore vs. hosts & DOING LESS) that are also LOADED w/ SECURITY ISSUES galore + bloat & excess complexity in MOVING PARTS that lead to their exploitation (DNS/Antivirus)...

    * SEE SUBJECT: c6gunner doesn't!

    (It's WHY he impersonated me when I said "let's see YOU do better" before this impersonation of me he clearly did (forgetting to submit AC) in childish "retaliation" https://linux.slashdot.org/com... )

    APK

    P.S.=> It is ALWAYS a pleasure seeing the CHILDISH actions you wannabes do after you CONTINUALLY FAIL vs. me, lol - you only make yourselves look STUPID (& me great)... apk

  9. Collective Boycott by quarrel · · Score: 1

    Good on them, glad enough at the outcome.

    BUT, isn't this a collective boycott? Which is illegal in many many jurisdictions? You can strike as a worker, with rules and procedures for doing so, but you do the same as a group of businesses, and in many places it is illegal.

  10. 1 thing's certain: I don't have to mock you... apk by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: U make a FOOL of urself on ur 'notware hotairware MILLION$" Run, Forrest - RUN!!! style https://yro.slashdot.org/comme... vs. me, lol!

    * You only make FOOLS of yourselves - & it's WHY you STALK me by UNIDENTIFIABLE anonymous posts + IMPERSONATE me https://linux.slashdot.org/com... when you FAIL, like that wannabe c6gunner got caught doing.

    APK

    P.S.=> You guys MUST be homosexuals - only gays act WORSE THAN WOMEN doing the crap you fools do after you SELF-DEFEAT yourselves vs. me trying to "take me on" & FAILING, lol... apk

  11. Probably is & those doing it need to see this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    See subject: A hero of mine "F'd" w/ & came out ontop ("I always knew I was going to score") Marcus Allen https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    * He's an inspiration of mine in this life - IF only more folks were like him? The world WOULD be a BETTER place!

    (Even Christian Okoye was INSPIRED by him & he was truly great/phenomenal as "the Nigerian NIGHTMARE" (nicest guy too)).

    APK

    P.S.=> "There are 2 types of players: Those who KNOW, & those who don't" - Marcus Allen (I'm one who does & took a LOT of "pages" from that fine man's playbook in life to do so + I got lucky & LIKE HIM? I tried to surround myself w/ GREAT people (that's their real greatness, inspiring others))... apk

  12. Not if the place being boycotted is a monopolistic by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    commercial entity threatening your ability to act as a vendor or merchant?

    Personally I think we will see Amazon push some even shadier shit in the near future.