Did Amazon Just Kill a Golden Goose?

By curtailing paid commission to free ebook listing sites, Amazon is penalizing the big traffic producers that generate brand loyalty and other purchases. But why?

Discussion: Why is Amazon Trying to Squash Availability of Free Ebooks? Millions of dollars are spent on apps and websites touting superior book discoverability, but there's yet to be a category killer and skepticism is mounting.

More News from PP: Stéphane Hessel RIP: "Death Shall Perhaps Be Even More Beautiful" The French philosopher and humanist, made famous by his global sensation Indignez Vous!, a 4-million-copy bestseller in France, has died after an extraordinary life. Pick Your Winner for Oddest Book Title of the Year Six titles are shortlisted for the Diagram Prize for Oddest Book Title of the Year. They include How to Sharpen Pencils and Was Hitler Ill? among others. Vote now.

From the Archives: My New Year’s Resolution is to Dump Amazon, And Why I’ll Fail For long-time ebook buyers indoctrinated in Amazon’s convenient ecosystem, trying to make the switch to a competitor can lead to frustration and disappointment.