This article was published on July 11, 2014

Amazon now makes users in France spend a penny to get around new book delivery rules


Amazon now makes users in France spend a penny to get around new book delivery rules

Amazon has changed its delivery fees and pricing structure for books sold through its French retail portal in response to a change in legislation.

Under the new rules, the company is no longer allowed to offer a 5 percent discount and free shipping for customers in France purchasing books. It is, however, still offering free shipping for its Amazon Prime customers in the country. Other shoppers will be charged “1 penny per order”, which it says is the minimum permitted by law.

The new law was put into place by the French government as it seeks to help try and restore the balance of power between offline retailers and Amazon. As such, brick-and-mortar shops are still allowed to offer free delivery and a discount. Nonetheless, given the convenience of shopping at Amazon, it’s unlikely that the penny charge is likely to sway anyone’s book buying decisions but it keeps the company within the law.

➤ New law on distance selling book: Amazon commitments [Amazon France – Google Translate via Engadget]

Featured Image Credit – Shutterstock

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