Amazon Facing Class Action Lawsuit for Alleged Audiobook Monopoly [Video]

Amazon.com, the e-commerce behemoth, is facing a proposed class action lawsuitalleging that its audiobook distribution practices constitute a monopoly in themarket. The lawsuit, spearheaded by author Christine DeMaio (writing as CDReiss), accuses Amazon of violating US antitrust laws by charging authors higherdistribution fees if they don’t exclusively use its platform. This practice, thelawsuit argues, creates an unfair advantage for Amazon and significantly impactsaudiobook sales, amounting to billions of dollars. The lawsuit’s centralargument revolves around the claim that these higher fees stifle marketcompetition and ultimately harm both authors and consumers.

The Allegations Against Amazon:Market Dominance:Amazon’s acquisition of Audible in 2008 for $300 million propelled it to the forefront of the audiobook market. Today, Audible reigns supreme, controlling over 60% of domestic audiobook purchases, leaving Apple a distant second with a mere 20%. This commanding market share has empowered Amazon and Audible to exert significant influence over authors …