Amazon publishes Hachette CEO’s email address in pricing spat

NEW YORK - Amazon revealed Saturday the email address of the American head of publishing group Hachette, urging readers to pressure him in writing to end the two groups' simmering dispute over book pricing.

The move came after more than 900 authors signed a letter urging the US online giant Amazon to end its battle with Hachette.

"We will never give up our fight for reasonable e-book prices. We know making books more affordable is good for book culture," a letter posted by Amazon on readersunited.com read.

"We'd like your help. Please email Hachette and copy us."

In addition to providing the email address of Hachette Book Group CEO Michael Pietsch, the letter also listed talking points for readers to include in their emails to him.

The American online retailer even suggests accusing Pietsch of "illegal collusion."

"Please stop working so hard to overcharge for e-books. They can and should be less expensive," given the lack of printing, stocking and shipping costs for e-books, the Amazon letter added in its talking points.

Amazon says it wants to set a $9.99 price for most e-books, compared to $12.99 to $19.99 currently.

Amazon and Hachette have been locked in tense negotiations in the United States in recent months. In order to pressure the editor, the online retailers has reduced its Hachette stock and stopped taking pre-orders for the authors it edits.

Amazon has drawn fire for its tactics that include discouraging customers from buying books by Hachette authors and suggesting that readers might enjoy a book from another writer instead.

Amazon last month attempted to shift the blame to Hachette, saying the publisher is opposing lower e-book prices.

Amazon said its proposal to Hachette is to give 35 percent of e-book revenue to authors, another 35 percent to the publisher and then keep the remaining 30 percent as its share. — Agence France-Presse