英语六级
Amazon is facing a battle with UK publishers as it seeks to secure more advantageous terms in its latest round of contract negotiations. The web giant wants the right to print books itself if publishers fail to provide adequate stock, and wants publishers to match any pricing deals it offers to other distributers.
"Print-on-demand"
Among the new clauses of the contract negotiations were the right for Amazon to print its own copies of a book if a publisher runs out of stock. The Seattle-based company would do this using its"print-on-demand" equipment, and would require publishers to hand over electronic versions of their titles. The process, which can print books more quickly than a traditional press, is generally thought to offer an inferior product. Publishers are concerned that if Amazon used this method to print books, customers would blame them, and not the tech firm, for the quality.
Another clause, known in the industry as a "most favoured nation" (MFN)proposal, asks publishers not to offer promotions to distributors without also offering them to Amazon. This would include selling books at a discount on the publishers´ own websites.
It also demands that publishers inform Amazon before offering e-book deals to other clients,and give the tech firm the same terms.
One representative of a mid-sized firm said Amazon had become "increasingly cruel" in its negotiations, while another accused Amazon of "bullying".
Publishers also said that Amazon generally prefers verbal agreements, and rarely documents its negotiations, but had done so in the latest round of talks, with one mid-sized firm saying this was the first time it had received correspondence outlining such terms.
In a separate development, a German trade association has brought a complaint against Amazon to the country´ s competition authorities, claiming the firm abused its market dominance.
On Thursday, the Associated Press reported that the French government, in a bid to support the country´s small bookshops, has adopted a bill that will prevent Amazon and other online retailers from offering free deliveries of discounted books.
But Mr Jones also emphasized the positive role Amazon has played in the bookselling industry."The worst thing that could happen (to book publishers)would be for Amazon to go away," he said. "The second worst thing would be for it to become more dominant."
When can Amazon print its own copies according to the new clause?
A.When the readers make pre-orders.
B.When the publishers have not enough stock of certain books.
C.When this kind of book is very popular in the market.
D.When the copies the publishers offered are of poor qualities.
亚马逊正处于与英国出版商的战斗中,因为它在最近的一轮合约谈判中寻求更加有利的条款。这个网络巨头希望有权在出版商无法提供足够库存时自己刊印书籍。还希望出版商给它与分销商相同的价格优惠。
“按需印刷”
在合同协商中的众多条款中有一条就是授权亚马逊在出版商缺货时印自己的书籍。一个西雅图的公司会用“按需印刷”的设备印书,并要求出版商提供他们书籍的电子版。这个过程比传统方法印书更快,一般认为这种产品的质量较差。出版商担心如果亚马逊用这种方法印书,顾客不会怪罪亚马逊质量不好而是怪罪他们。
另一个在业内被称为“最惠国”方案的条款要求如果出版商没有给亚马逊促销也不能给分销商促销.出版商也不能在自己的网站上进行促销打折。
这还要求出版商在给其他客户电子书优惠前要通知亚马逊,而且要给技术公司相同的优惠政策。一家中型企业的代表说亚马逊在谈判中“日益残酷无情”,而另一家则指责亚马逊“降强凌弱”。
出版商也提到亚马逊一般倾向于口头协议,而且很少记录它的合约,但是在最近的一轮谈判中却做了记录。一个中型企业说这是他们第一次收到概述这些条款的信件。
另一方面,一家德国的行业协会向该国的竞争管理机构提出了针对亚马逊的投诉,声称该公司滥用市场主导地位。
周四,美联社报道为了保护该国的小书店,法国通过一项法案,禁止亚马逊和其他一些网上的零售商向顾客免费邮寄打折书籍。
但是琼斯先生也强调了亚马逊在图书销售业里扮演的重要角色,“(对于出版商).最糟糕的事就是亚马逊的离开”他说道,“其次糟糕的是它变得更加主导市场”。
参考答案与解析
细节题。根据题干中的print its own copies可以定位到文中The web giant wants the right to print books itself if publishers fail to provide adequate stock,
可知在出版商无法提供足够库存时它可以自己印书。A、C、D选项的内容在这里都没有提及,因此,正确答案是B。
你可能感兴趣的试题
A.The publishers should offer copies at a very low price.
B.The books offered by the publishers must be of good quality.
C.The publisher should offer Amazon the same promotions as it offers to distributors.
D.The publishers should inform Amazon if it offers books to its clients.
A.It abused its market dominance.
B.It bullied small German publishers.
C.Amazon became "increasingly ruthless".
D.The publishers of small and middle size have been exploited by Amazon.
A.To protect the rights of the small bookshops.
B.To promote the country' s small bookshops' business.
C.To popularize e-books.
D.To promote the free deliveries of discounted books.
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