Iria

Source: Tech-Ex
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Amazon.com has run afoul of a French law that basically makes free shipping a crime. On Monday it said it will continue to ship books for free in France and take a €1000 (or nearly $1500 at the time of this writing) a day fine.

craig5320

I wonder if charging shipping but then at the checkout page saying:

Amazon Gift Code:12345

Enter Gift Code:________

To them remove shipping charges would get round such a riduclous rulling.

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Customgamer1

That is a dumb law. One of the biggest selling points for me when I buy online is free shipping!

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Lowfat

that the hell kinda of law makes free shipping illegal? That is the stupidest thing I've heard all day.

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dr0p_z0ne

LOL I love it! I'm so sick of American companies thinking they can do whatever they want - in the US and especially abroad.

I hope the judge doubles the fine!

BlueMak

Please post more often,

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OmegaRED

Screw the French, let them pay the shipping if that's what their government wants. Everyone else in the world will be happy with free shipping.

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Vikingod

The law was designed for this folks. Amazon, and other large companies, make a hell of a lot more than $1500 a day with free shipping offers, and now the government can get there hands on some revenue. Pretty back-door and dishonest, it seems to me.

And the remark about the "American" companies is probably the most ill-informed remark I've heard in a while. This is a prime example of how a free market confronts a controlled market. Personally, I'd be more outraged at a government who, IMO, has way overstepped their bounds on this one.

It's also kind of ironic, considering the origin of phrase laissez-faire.

ferret2004

Maybe they should charge double or triple shipping to France.

BONEHEAD

I'm with you on that.

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IvanV

The law is simple and makes sense. It says that there must be a selling price on the cover of every book, and that a seller must sell that book for between 95% and 100% of that price. It was made that way so that the large retailers couldn't push smaller ones out of business by offering big discounts. So it's not about free shipping, it's about Amazon offering the books for under 95% of the editor indicated prices.

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Matth

Net Book Agreement - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Britain, books were about the only thing where retail price maintainence was still permitted, until the termination of the Net book agreement in 1997, which did result in problems for some of the smaller booksellers, just as supermarkets are a threat to the "corner shop". In any change, there will be winners and losers.

Resale price maintenance - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Since the EU want to "harmonize" all rules, does this mean Britain would be expected to bring back something similar, or that France should discontinue it if the general practice in EU countries is not to allow such price controls?

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cozumel

I have never lived in France and probably never will. I do agree with this law in principal and that booksellers should sell at the cover price (+or- 5%.) Shopping areas in all are major towns and cities are so dull and boring as you know what stores will be there and what products will be sold. The big stores (and etailers) have forced so many of the smaller independents to close that many towns no loger have any character.

Well done France and stick to your guns please. I just wish that other countries (including mine) had had the foresight to have kept their laws intact.

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OldBuzzard

There are at least 200 other countries in the world...feel free to move to any of them, and don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

As for the original topic, that's what you get with a socialist state. Being able to do things cheaper and more efficently than your competition is frowned on. Liberal/Socialist thinking wants to keep everyone 'equal', and will try to drag everyone down to the lowest common demonitor, rather than rewarding excellence.

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When looking for a reason as to why things go wrong, never rule out sheer STUPIDITY

Zelig

Being able to do things more cheaply and efficiently isn't than competition necessarily frowned upon, the fact that there is competition is the point of the matter.

Equating liberalism and socialism is inane. While your comments may hold true for a critic of socialism, the utmost goal of liberalism is the freedom of individuals. Classical liberalism, and to a certain extend, neo-liberalism would both be in essence opposed to price controls.

I generally refrain from mentioning liberalism is discussions regarding American politics, since the American usage of the word "liberal" differs from the rest of the world's, but applying the American sense of the world to a country like France doesn't work.

And for what it's worth, the UMP party in France, a right-wing party, with only a small minority of its members even classified as social-liberals, currently has an absolute majority in both the national assembly and the senate. France is by no means a socialist paradise.

As to the free shipping law, it seems rather pointless to me. If enough people care about having smaller booksellers stay in business, they'll shop there. Forcing a majority of book-buyers to subsidize a minority who enjoy going to small bookstores is senseless.

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dr0p_z0ne

That's very American of you. Thanks, I'll start packing.

Prime reason I have 13 posts in 5 years.

You seem to have a problem with free speech. Maybe it's you who should be moving.

cozumel

It's mot fair to paint us all with same brush you know dr0p_z0ne. You should come here more often, post your opinions and feel welcome. There will always people who will disagree with you but that's life.

Anyhow, I agree with France and disagree with policies of the US and the UK regarding free trade. And I believe in socialism.

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dr0p_z0ne

I come here everyday. I just don't post much. And sorry, I didn't mean to offend. I get a little defensive when I'm attacked for no good reason.

I find it ironic though. I served in the US military. Risked my life for our freedoms. And I get told to leave for exercising them. LOL

OldBuzzard

Feel free to say anything you want. However don't whine when someone else uses that same freedom to suggest you avail yourself of another freedom guaranteed by your constitution. Being a vet myself (USAF 1964-1968) your service (while commendable) doesn't shield you (or me for that matter) from critisism.

You should also note that there IS NO 'freedom of speech' on message boards such as this. This is privately owned, and the owner may restrict our speech in any way he wishes.

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When looking for a reason as to why things go wrong, never rule out sheer STUPIDITY

dr0p_z0ne

What I really don't understand is why my statement warranted such a response. Do you work for Amazon? I made a statement about American big-business - nothing more.

I should leave my country because I feel them to be less than ethical (and in this case illegal)?

Intelligent people can disagree. There was no need for your "love it or leave it" comment.

And I am guilty as well. I apologize for my initial response to your post.

YAYitsAndrew

It wasn't just Buzzard that was put off by this. Given the facts in this case, you seem to be rooting for the wrong evil.

I'm not coming back to this thread ever again so save your response. You asked why he jumped on you and I'm telling you. Your post seems purposely tailored to piss off your fellow Americans.

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"It is because the resistance to paying for copyrighted material, although often characterized as arising from a supposed technical burden or principled concern for the public interest, arises rather from exactly the same segment of the brain that is dominant in shoplifters."
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In other words, it's never okay to steal even if you think you have a good reason!

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