France says "Mais Non!" to free shipping

[tikistitch]

This was kind of odd...

Amazon Ordered to End Free Delivery on Books in France

Amazon.com may not offer free delivery on books in France, the high court in Versailles has ruled.

The action, brought in January 2004 by the French Booksellers' Union (Syndicat de la librairie française), accused Amazon of offering illegal discounts on books and even of selling some books below cost.

The court gave Amazon 10 days to start charging for the delivery of books, which should at least allow the company to maintain the offer through the end-of-year gift-giving season. After that, it must pay a fine of €1,000 (US$1,470) per day that it continues to offer free delivery. It must also pay €100,000 in compensation to the booksellers' union.

Evidently, Amazon intends to fight it...

Amazon Taking On French Law

Online retailer Amazon.com will pay 1,000 euros ($1,500) a day in fines in order to offer free shipping in France while it appeals a December court ruling that made the practice illegal.

Jeff Bezos, chief executive officer of Amazon, sent an email to customers of its French Web site stating Amazon will continue to offer free shipping while waiting for the outcome of the appeal.

"As amazing as this seems, free shipping by Amazon.fr is under threat," Bezos wrote in an email. "France could be the only country in the world where Amazon's free delivery offer would be illegal."

Given that, all things considered, things are run pretty darned well in France (especially compared to the way they've been going over here lately), we'd still want our free shipping. Dammit.

Comments

[biscuitbear.livejournal.com]

Rats!

[avalonjones.livejournal.com]

Has Euro Stitch offered his opinion on this yet?

[tikistitch.livejournal.com]

EuroStitchie was all fired up about how these regulations support a proud French literary tradition, until I told him he's going to have to fork over another 50 Euro for shipping the Complete Works of Camus he just ordered, and then he got all cranky and went out to smoke a cigarette.

[sarahpolk.livejournal.com]

Those durned French, just not used to capitalist competition.