Amazon pressure tactics reported in Hachette contract talks

 Amazon is pressuring the Hachette Book Group, a subsidiary ofFrench company Lagardere, by delaying deliveries of its books as the tworenegotiate their contract, The New York Times reported Saturday.The Times said Amazon's secret campaign to discourage customers from buyingbooks by Hachette has also involved tactics like charging more for its books thanother retailers and suggesting that readers might enjoy a book from another authorinstead.It said the "scorched-earth tactics" arose as Hachette balked at Amazon's demandsfor better terms in contract negotiations.Hachette confirmed that many of its older titles and a few new releases sold byAmazon were being hit with shipping delays that it attributed to the negotiationswith the e-retailer."We are satisfying all Amazon's orders promptly, and notifying them constantly offorthcoming publicity events and of out-of-stock situations on their website.Amazon is holding minimal stock and restocking some of HBG's books slowly,ausing 'available 2-4 weeks' messages, for reasons of their own," Hachette said in astatement."We are grateful for the patience of authors and all Amazon readers as we work toreach an agreement and to encourage Amazon to be back to offering Hachette BookGroup's books within normal shipment times," it added.Amazon did not respond to requests for comment. The campaign has Hachette authors fuming, according to the Times, which quotedauthor Marla Heller as saying sales of her book "The Dash Diet Weight LossSolution" has been "dramatically impacted.