February ebook sales figures announced

[Nate the great]

The IDPF just updated the sales figures for February. Ebooks sales at the wholesale level are up 131% over February of last year. I know that sounds great, but the January increase was 173%. I think we might be seeing the effect of the recession.

http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/industrystats.htm

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

The IDPF just updated the sales figures for February. Ebooks sales at the wholesale level are up 131% over February of last year. I know that sounds great, but the January increase was 173%. I think we might be seeing the effect of the recession.

http://www.idpf.org/doc_library/industrystats.htm

There's another factor. Fewer people able to buy them, because of georestrictions. That will definitely slow things and sell fewer books.

[Donnageddon]

but the January increase was 173%

compared to the previous January?

I just don't understand statistics.

[FizzyWater]

And how about the stupid pricing policies a couple of the publishers are trying?

[Donnageddon]

There's another factor. Fewer people able to buy them, because of georestrictions.

I agree, but coupled with that is the magic bullet: the ebook equivalent of the mp3.

That might be ePub. But the market for ebooks will explode when every device will display a common format. We may be years from that time.

But it will come.

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

I agree, but coupled with that is the magic bullet: the ebook equivalent of the mp3.

That might be ePub. But the market for ebooks will explode when every device will display a common format. We may be years from that time.

But it will come.

Yeah, that should help, along with html/txt support sort of thing.

Btw, how did you find Coyote Horizon?

[Blue Tyson]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

And how about the stupid pricing policies a couple of the publishers are trying?

There was a London Book Fair article yesterday, with one of the executives from a UK publisher - ' we have to try parity pricing to start with, then move (implication slowly) from there. So hardback priced ebooks, etc.

Example, Alastair Reynolds Zima Blue collection, which is a few years old now, even if not very common. Same with Neal Asher's Gabble and Other stories.

Basically $50, for us. Insane.

In that la-la land crippled electrons are worth several times more on some sort of crazy step function. Sales at these prices - good question - likely orders of magnitude lower - count on your fingers and toes perhaps. Also will completely miss the 'buy print and electronic' double, as who would pay $50, twice? Or even $50 and $20 when there's a paperback. Actually be cheaper to pay someone to scan it for you, in that case.

Now, putting one out _before_ any other copy is could be worth more, no doubt. E.g. Baen e-Arcs, or other examples like that.

Releasing a $18 Jack Chalker ebook that is decades old because you are pricing it the same as this new edition's physical format is crazypants.

For a brand new book, probably some sensible argument for it being a little more at the start, and a little cheaper when not selling as much. High prices for garden variety mediocre old books is distinctly odd, as opposed to the Lord Of the Rings, which maybe you can get away with, the first time, at least.

[BlackVoid]

It is a depression, not a recession.

[sirbruce]

The recession is already over in the US, though it'll be another 6-9 months before the economy is really growing again and unemployment comes down.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

I agree, but coupled with that is the magic bullet: the ebook equivalent of the mp3.

That might be ePub. But the market for ebooks will explode when every device will display a common format. We may be years from that time.

But it will come.

I do think that ePub will be that format.

[zelda_pinwheel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do think that ePub will be that format.

so do i. it's off to a good start already.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

so do i. it's off to a good start already.

If all the rumors of other devices getting on board with ADE does happen, then ePub can take off even more.

Mobipocket, your days are numbered.

[tirsales]

Originally Posted by sirbruce

The recession is already over in the US, though it'll be another 6-9 months before the economy is really growing again and unemployment comes down.

Depends on your source and way of calculation.

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I do think that ePub will be that format.

It's got a shot, but the whole no defined DRM could hinder it. It could get quite confusing, especially for the less technical folks who will help ebooks grow beyond what they are now, if we all of the sudden have Adobe epub, eReader epub, Mobi epub, etc. Unless by some miracle ADE and other readers are able to decode all the various DRM schemes and not just their own.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

It's got a shot, but the whole no defined DRM could hinder it. It could get quite confusing, especially for the less technical folks who will help ebooks grow beyond what they are now, if we all of the sudden have Adobe epub, eReader epub, Mobi epub, etc. Unless by some miracle ADE and other readers are able to decode all the various DRM schemes and not just their own.

eReader DRM on ePub is not yet out and if enough device makers can get ADE on board, eReader ePub will die before it's born.