Amazon likely to hit Dutch e-book market

Online shop Amazon.com is negotiating with Dutch publishers regarding the sale of e-books. Making the speculations about a possible move to the Netherlands concrete. The publishers can not confirm when the Dutch website Amazon.nl will go live and the sale will actually begin. Amazon requested a connection with CB a few years ago, making it evident that they also want to sell paper books in the Netherlands. CB is the distribution company for nearly all the books in the Netherlands. Bol.com, the biggest Dutch online shop, also works through CB. Publishers are still divided on the question of under what conditions they would go into business with Amazon. Sander Knol, form publisher Xander, signed a contract last week. "You're not going to say no to a new customer." he says. Others are still negotiating. The arrival of Amazon will mean competition for Bol.com, but probably also for physical book sellers. Earlier this week Bol.com announced that they will be working with Canadian e-book and e-reader supplier Kobo, greatly expanding their collection of foreign book titles. E-books are an attractive option for Amazon to start with in the Netherlands because they do not fall under the law on fixed book prices. Through its large purchasing power Amazon can try to be cheaper than others and bind clients to them in that manner.