Amazon and Bloomsbury Settle Dispute, Books Remain Available

After a brief but tense standoff, Amazon and Bloomsbury have successfully negotiated a new long-term supply agreement, ensuring Bloomsbury’s print and digital books remain available to customers.

The conflict escalated when Amazon announced that its contract with Bloomsbury would expire at midnight on January 23, warning customers that print books would no longer be available in the UK, Europe, and Australia, and Kindle editions would be removed globally. However, a resolution was reached just hours before the deadline, with Amazon updating customers late on Thursday evening:

“As of 10:30 p.m. on January 23, an agreement in principle has been reached between Amazon and Bloomsbury, and Bloomsbury books continue to be available for our customers.”

Bloomsbury echoed the news on its corporate site, confirming the new agreement and reassuring stakeholders of its continued commitment to delivering books to readers worldwide.

The dispute stemmed from ongoing negotiations that had extended beyond the original contract expiration date last year. According to Amazon, the company had made repeated attempts over the past seven months to engage in good faith negotiations with Bloomsbury but claimed the publisher was unwilling to cooperate. In a statement, Amazon expressed frustration with the impasse:

“Despite our best efforts, Bloomsbury has refused to engage in good faith negotiations to discuss a new contract to sell their titles in our store. Publishers in every country have many options through which they can sell their books, and that includes Bloomsbury titles in the UK.”

Amazon also acknowledged the potential impact on authors and customers, emphasizing their desire to resolve the situation swiftly.

With the new agreement now in place, Bloomsbury can continue focusing on its publishing goals while Amazon customers can purchase their favorite titles without interruption. The terms of the new deal have not been disclosed, but the resolution signals a win for both parties—ensuring authors and readers maintain access to Bloomsbury’s catalog on the world’s largest book-selling platform.

The publishing world will be watching closely to see how this agreement plays out in the long term, as tensions between retailers and publishers over pricing and supply terms remain an ongoing challenge in the industry.