Amazing.
Amazon has given an ultimatum to small publishers. These are the publishing companies that use print on demand - called POD in the industry - to print their books. They are small independent presses or those companies that are labeled as publishers allowing authors to self-publish [my book falls into this targeted group].The reason these POD companies are attractive [and are probably the wave of the future] is that they allow a company to offer books without having to stockpile an inventory. The book is ordered; it's printed; it's shipped. The quality is the same as a book on a Barnes and Noble brick and mortar shelf. The advantage is the small company is able to make a living without a warehouse. Many of them do not publish themselves anyway. They have subcontracted this job out to companies that they have investigated and met their requirements. The deal they offer to their authors is that their book is for sale just like any other book in places like Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com, etc.
Enter Amazon. They now have their own printing/publishing company called BookSurge. They have now gone to all the small presses and told them "Use our printer or we will not sell your book." Period. No negotiation. End of story. Refuse and the "Buy book" icon goes away.
Is this a good idea? Will companies go out of business? Will Amazon succeed?
Only time will tell.