ABA Applauds Random House Move to Agency Model for E-Books

On Monday, February 28, the American Booksellers Association indicated its strong support of the decision by Random House, Inc. to adopt the agency pricing model for the publisher’s e-books in the United States. Under the agency model, a publisher sets a retail price for a specific book, which establishes a level playing field for all resellers.

“We have believed from the beginning that the agency model is in the best interest of not only the book industry, but the consuming public as well,” said ABA’s Chief Executive Officer, Oren Teicher. “We appreciate the careful and thoughtful deliberation Random House has brought to this issue, and applaud their decision to adopt agency pricing.”

With the move to agency, effective March 1, Random House joins a significant number of other major publishers that have already adopted the model. The agency model affects more than 200 ABA member stores with IndieCommerce websites [1] that are now selling both agency and non-agency Google eBooks™ online, as well as other resellers of e-books. As America’s largest general interest book publisher, Random House, Inc. books are sold by most independent bookstores.