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B&N and S&S Kiss and Make Up After Months Long Fight

7980234741_7cbc060aea[1]Simon & Schuster announced today that they had settled the long-running dispute with Barnes & Noble. Neither party has released any details, but they did say:

Barnes & Noble and Simon & Schuster today announced that they have resolved their outstanding business issues.  Both parties said they look forward to promoting great books by Simon & Schuster authors.

Neither the bookseller nor the publisher has disclosed what it is they were fighting over, but in March the NYTimes reported:

The dispute centers on the financial arrangement between Barnes & Noble and Simon & Schuster. While neither side will specify exactly what new terms Barnes & Noble is seeking, a senior executive familiar with the negotiations said that the bookseller wanted to pay less for books and receive more money for giving titles prominent display in its stores. Such display spots are coveted because they are thought to be critical in helping customers discover new books.

Barnes & Noble had reportedly used various means to pressure S&S, including limiting the number of copies ordered for S&S titles, banning S&S authors from attending book signings, and other tricks that resulted in reduced sales for S&S titles.

Further Reading

  • Why isn’t B&N taking books from Simon & Schuster? (MobyLives)
  • The B&N Ban (Kent’s Rants)
  • Barnes & Noble-Simon & Schuster Dispute Said to Hurt Sales (NYTimes.com)
  • Barnes & Noble Cuts Back Simon & Schuster Titles (WSJ.com)
  • Terence Clarke: Simon & Schuster vs. Barnes & Noble (HuffPo)

image by Seattle Municipal Archives

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