tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20803105.post7638708954718341243..comments2024-03-23T13:09:54.464-04:00Comments on EXCESS COPYRIGHT: Oz to Allow Parallel Importation of Books?Howard Knopfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18321190334597129416noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20803105.post-9819692543961557632009-09-09T07:32:14.142-04:002009-09-09T07:32:14.142-04:00I completely disagree with Australian Online Books...I completely disagree with Australian Online Bookshop.<br />The average new book in Australia costs about $29.95 (soft cover). The exact same book from the US can cost from $21.00 (HARDCOVER!) to $18-$14 (soft cover).<br />The Government makes more from the GST/VAT/sales tax on books than Authors get on royalties.<br />And at the end the ones whom do the worst are the consumers... And those consumers are switch their purchasing decision... 3x DVDs or 1 Book.<br />Do you really think the average Australian is buying books that are so overpriced? No they will get their entertainment else where.<br /><br />And old non current books don't get cheaper in Australia - they just stay the same price... Even if the wholesale price is way down...<br /><br />And as the productivity commission says the major benefit are overseas Authors.... The whole idea of the banning of 'cheap' books was to provide assistant to Australian Authors... Why are we helping overseas Authors? If there doing well enough to print here, they are doing very well on the international market.<br /><br />Finally the Average Author would probably get $1.50 for every book sold. It would be better simply to add a book tax and pay it via that.<br />The only people pro the restrictions are those whom sell only a few books at high prices...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20803105.post-8133276261698061332009-08-05T19:39:04.823-04:002009-08-05T19:39:04.823-04:00Although the productivity commission recomended th...Although the productivity commission recomended the removal of PIR's in Australia I can't see it happening any time soon. The PIR's as they stand at the moment are formulated around the 30/90 rule. This means that if an Australian publisher has the right to a book they must publish it within 30 days of it being published overseas and it must not be unavailable/out of stock for a period of 90 continuous days. If the Australian publisher does not meet these conditions any book seller can legally sell the overseas version.<br />Proponents for the removal of PIR's will tell you that Australian book prices are artificially inflated because Australian book buyers don't have access to cheaper overseas version. This is in fact wrong and completly missleading. Australian book buyers can jump online and buy any book from any international bookseller at whatever price it is listed at. What does drive up the price of books in Australia is a consumption tax. I'm not sure about Canada but I know that neither the US nor the UK levy a federal tax on books. Both of these economies do, however, have outright bans on book importations.<br />The push for the removal of PIR's is being driven by the 3 biggest book retailers in the country. his is more about bigger proffits for them rather than cheaper books for the public.Australian Online Bookshophttp://www.thebookabyss.com.aunoreply@blogger.com