The minimum charge for book delivery in France will be 3 in order to help small booksellers compete with Amazon. Only orders under 35 will be subject to the minimum fee.
It's the latest measure by the French government to balance competition in the book sector. France has mandated fixed prices for books since 1981 and in 2010 expanded this law to cover ebooks. Amazon responded to the French government banning the free delivery of books by charging customers a small fee for delivery.
The minimum delivery fee was agreed to by the government in an effort to close the loophole. The minimum fee can be introduced six months after the European Commission approves the French plans.
The law of France will restore equilibrium.
France's culture and finance ministries said in a statement that this will adapt the book industry to the digital era by restoring an equilibrium between large e-commerce platforms, which offer virtually free delivery for books regardless of the order size, and bookstores that cannot match these delivery prices. The three euro delivery fee is not bad for book buyers and the 35 euro threshold is good for the environment.
The book market is the first of the cultural industries and is important to the industry as it offers personalized recommendations, promotes a variety of topics, and organizes cultural events.
The business of smaller shops has been eroded by the rise of online retailers. 80% of online book sales in France are accounted for by these two retailers, according to a report delivered to the French Senate. The dominant position of these companies allows them to offer free deliveries and grow their market share.
France's small booksellers have been supported by these measures. More than three times the number of independent bookshops in the UK, and with an equivalent population, have been created in the country.
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