May 23, 2013
The indie publisher of the day is Barefoot Books, a Massachusetts-based indie that proudly states, “At the heart of everything we do are our core values: imagine, explore, create, connect, and give back.” According to co-founder and CEO Nancy Traversy, in an article shared by Shelf Awareness, Amazon’s automated publisher services couldn’t quite grok the philosophy. “We couldn’t even talk to a human being,” she said. “It’s not a very 
satisfying way of doing business.”
Barefoot will no longer suffer the dissatisfaction, as the publisher has cut all ties with Amazon, in the U.S and the U.K. Barefoot Books titles can be purchased from the publisher’s own website and, of course, your local indie. Show your support!
Good for them. I once worked for Amazon, back when dinosaurs roamed the internet, so I’ve been more hesitant than some to castigate the company as a whole instead of focusing on individual practices and policies. But I think I’m past the tipping point. The sheer volume of socially destructive behavior in which they engage is simply too much.
In case anyone is casting about for examples, how about just these recent ones?
Tax avoidance in the UK: http://www.mhpbooks.com/just-a-joke-amazon-gets-more-money-from-uk-government-grants-than-it-pays-in-tax/
Co-optation of fan-fic writers: http://www.mhpbooks.com/amazon-to-monetize-fan-fiction-he-moaned/
I’m glad there are still independents such as Barefoot Books and Melville House who aren’t shy about their feelings.