"Consumers Don't Mind...Ads." Really?

L.J. Sellers · 05-17-2011, 09:19 AM

From Shelf Awareness today:

In Forbes magazine, Erika Morphy offered four reasons why Amazon's new $114 Kindle with ads, which currently tops the company's bestselling electronics list, "is an interesting data point for the e-commerce industry and online advertisers":
1. Consumers don’t mind online ads, even in e-books, if they are transparent.
2. We’ll probably see more of the user’s choice ad model.
3. People don’t mind online ads if they get something in return... and if the ad is unobtrusive.
4.. Emboldened by user and advertiser support, Amazon may be more inclined to go a little crazy with the supposed tablet it is developing.

By "go a little crazy" I assume they mean with advertising, which could be a mistake.
L.J.

ProfCrash · 05-17-2011, 09:24 AM

Hopefully they will have two versions like they do with the Kindle and people can opt in to the ads.

The Offers on the KSO are pretty nice. I have not seen anything that I need or want in them but if they are in your zone you can save a decent amount of money. Not a bad deal.

Worldwalker · 05-17-2011, 09:47 AM

Aren't 1 and 3 pretty much the same thing?

Anyway, I am not a consumer, I am a human being! Less facetiously, I choose to be defined by what I do, not by what I buy.

It is entirely possible that people who choose to be defined by what they buy do not mind being pestered to buy more and more. The rest of us, though, want a break from the incessant drumbeat of "buy ... buy ... buy ... buy." For me, reading is one of those breaks, and no amount of supposed benefit (which seems to involve me buying still more anyway) is going to change that.

DiapDealer · 05-17-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

1. Consumers don’t mind online ads, even in e-books, if they are transparent.

As I understand it no one is subjected to ads while reading an ebook on the new ad-supported Kindle. Ads are on the Home page and screensavers only.

Having said that, I still wouldn't buy one myself, but I think it's important to be clear about exactly when you are being solicited... and it's clearly not in an ebook (unless you count the "if you liked this book" suggestions). When/If they do cross that particular line in the sand is the day my ereader learns what defenestration is all about.

tubemonkey · 05-17-2011, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

For me, reading is one of those breaks, and no amount of supposed benefit (which seems to involve me buying still more anyway) is going to change that.

I visit the ads on my KSO every 4 days. That's Amazon's current schedule for releasing new offers. Otherwise, I'm not aware of their presence.

Giggleton · 05-17-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I visit the ads on my KSO every 4 days. That's Amazon's current schedule for releasing new offers. Otherwise, I'm not aware of their presence.

Would you be more willing to call those offers coupons rather than ads? People seem to like coupons more these days.

I've actually been thinking about what kind of advertising I would be willing to tolerate for a subsidized Amazon tablet, I suspect it is none at all but maybe I will be surprised.

Sweetpea · 05-17-2011, 10:25 AM

How do those ads on the Kindle manifest anyway? I couldn't find anything on it...

tubemonkey · 05-17-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giggleton

Would you be more willing to call those offers coupons rather than ads? People seem to like coupons more these days.

Works for me. Ads, offers, coupons, rebates, whatever; it's all the same to me. In the end, Amazon is giving me money to buy products I was already going to buy.

ProfCrash · 05-17-2011, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

How do those ads on the Kindle manifest anyway? I couldn't find anything on it...

The intial ads and offers were loaded on the KSO when it shipped. I would guess that new ads and offers will be sent through firmware upgrades or over the WiFi.

tubemonkey · 05-17-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

How do those ads on the Kindle manifest anyway? I couldn't find anything on it...

They replace the dead author screensavers and add a small ad banner at the bottom of the home page. There's also a page of the current offers accessed only from the home page menu called "View Special Offers".

That's it. No manifestation anywhere else and definitely no ads while reading. I've saved $83 so far on products I was going to buy at full price anyway. I love the concept. It's a money saver for me.

taustin · 05-17-2011, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

As I understand it no one is subjected to ads while reading an ebook on the new ad-supported Kindle. Ads are on the Home page and screensavers only.

I believe the concern is "so far." I don't believe for a second there aren't plans already in place to change that, the moment that Amazon thinks they can get away with it. With luck, they'll never think that, but I'm quite happy with my nook, so I don't really care.

DiapDealer · 05-17-2011, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taustin

I believe the concern is "so far." I don't believe for a second there aren't plans already in place to change that, the moment that Amazon thinks they can get away with it.

Which coincides nicely with the latter portion of my post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me

When/If they do cross that particular line in the sand is the day my ereader learns what defenestration is all about.

I just wanted make sure that people don't think that ads are popping up willy-nilly during the current book they're reading on the KSO.

Penforhire · 05-17-2011, 11:25 AM

Some website ads are certainly crossing the line for me. I don't mind static ads, say on Yahoo in years past. Lately we're facing more ads that expand across the page and move. A close second on my most-hated features are too many pop-up roll-overs on a page, where you can't hardly mouse around without triggering a few.

Today's ad supported Kindle seems like a good idea. Tomorrow's? Not as likely.

teadonkey · 05-17-2011, 11:33 AM

I really don't mind ads on the internet. I almost don't mind pop-ups, either. I have a slower computer, so the really flashy ones bother me only in that they slow me down dramatically. But everything else I just ignore. They don't get in the way.

If I hadn't already been given a Kindle, I would definitely get the Offers one. It's cheaper and there's the chance that I'll get shown a coupon/ad/whatever for something I was already going to get. What's not to like? I'm not going to buy something I didn't want to buy before.

Sweetpea · 05-17-2011, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

They replace the dead author screensavers and add a small ad banner at the bottom of the home page. There's also a page of the current offers accessed only from the home page menu called "View Special Offers".

That's it. No manifestation anywhere else and definitely no ads while reading. I've saved $83 so far on products I was going to buy at full price anyway. I love the concept. It's a money saver for me.

That doesn't sound too bad... I had all kinds of horror scenarios in mind, where you'd get an add every 10 pages you'd read

05-17-2011, 09:19 AM	#1
L.J. Sellers Novelist Posts: 287 Karma: 387979 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Eugene, Oregon Device: Kindle	"Consumers Don't Mind...Ads." Really? From Shelf Awareness today: In Forbes magazine, Erika Morphy offered four reasons why Amazon's new $114 Kindle with ads, which currently tops the company's bestselling electronics list, "is an interesting data point for the e-commerce industry and online advertisers": 1. Consumers don’t mind online ads, even in e-books, if they are transparent. 2. We’ll probably see more of the user’s choice ad model. 3. People don’t mind online ads if they get something in return... and if the ad is unobtrusive. 4.. Emboldened by user and advertiser support, Amazon may be more inclined to go a little crazy with the supposed tablet it is developing. By "go a little crazy" I assume they mean with advertising, which could be a mistake. L.J.

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05-17-2011, 09:24 AM	#2
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Hopefully they will have two versions like they do with the Kindle and people can opt in to the ads. The Offers on the KSO are pretty nice. I have not seen anything that I need or want in them but if they are in your zone you can save a decent amount of money. Not a bad deal.

05-17-2011, 09:47 AM	#3
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	Aren't 1 and 3 pretty much the same thing? Anyway, I am not a consumer, I am a human being! Less facetiously, I choose to be defined by what I do, not by what I buy. It is entirely possible that people who choose to be defined by what they buy do not mind being pestered to buy more and more. The rest of us, though, want a break from the incessant drumbeat of "buy ... buy ... buy ... buy." For me, reading is one of those breaks, and no amount of supposed benefit (which seems to involve me buying still more anyway) is going to change that.

05-17-2011, 10:25 AM	#7
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	How do those ads on the Kindle manifest anyway? I couldn't find anything on it...

05-17-2011, 11:25 AM	#13
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 2,230 Karma: 7145404 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle Voyage & iPhone 7+	Some website ads are certainly crossing the line for me. I don't mind static ads, say on Yahoo in years past. Lately we're facing more ads that expand across the page and move. A close second on my most-hated features are too many pop-up roll-overs on a page, where you can't hardly mouse around without triggering a few. Today's ad supported Kindle seems like a good idea. Tomorrow's? Not as likely.

05-17-2011, 11:33 AM	#14
teadonkey Zealot Posts: 132 Karma: 2179008 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle 3 WiFi	I really don't mind ads on the internet. I almost don't mind pop-ups, either. I have a slower computer, so the really flashy ones bother me only in that they slow me down dramatically. But everything else I just ignore. They don't get in the way. If I hadn't already been given a Kindle, I would definitely get the Offers one. It's cheaper and there's the chance that I'll get shown a coupon/ad/whatever for something I was already going to get. What's not to like? I'm not going to buy something I didn't want to buy before.

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