Big Five named as defendants in US e-book price-fixing suit

US publishing's Big Five-Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster-have now been named as defendants in an amended class suit originally brought against Amazon alone for anti-competitive behaviour in relation to e-books in the US.

A class action complaint was initially filed mid January against Amazon, claiming that Amazon.com, the defendant, had "agreed to price restraints" with the five publishers, then described as "co-conspirators", causing consumers to "overpay" for e-books.

In an update to the case, in an amended complaint filed on 4th February, the publishers have since been named as defendants alongside Amazon.

"Had Defendants only raised prices on Amazon.com, consumers would be free to shop for lower-priced e-books on other retailer sites. Instead, Amazon and the Big Five agreed to a price restraint that prevents lower e-book prices on other e-book retailer sites," the amended complaint reads.

Both injunctive relief and monetary recovery is being sought.

The same law firm, Hagens Berman, sued Apple and major book publishers over the pricing of e-books back in 2011; as reported by PW. Five of the publishers settled their claims for $166m in consumer credits while Apple lost at trial and paid $400m to consumers.

Amazon and the publishers have yet to comment on the suit.