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Old 06-06-2007, 10:33 AM   #1
Steven Lyle Jordan
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Shelf Awareness article: Getting a Read on Digital Reading
Shelf Awareness presents an optimistic article on Digital Reading, including comments by Bill McCoy of Adobe Systems, Dan Albohn of Sony, Willem Endhoven of iRex Technologies, and Brent Lewis of Harlequin Books.

Each (understandably) addresses a different area and perception of e-books: Adobe emphasizes getting the content out there; Sony is shooting for the right price to make e-books popular, and wants the reader not to associate e-books with "just computer and cell phone screens"; iRex echoed the "content is king" idea, downplaying specific devices; and Harlequin reminded everybody that e-books aren't just dominated by "the nerds," that female romance readers are the fastest growing segment, and emphasized letting the customers pick favorite formats.

They saved the best quote for last:

Quote:
Lewis said that ultimately the readers will decide what works best: "All great technology is invisible to the end user. The key is that consumers want a device they don't have to think about."
Hear, hear.

Read the article here.

Thanks to Rita Toews for pointing me to this article!
Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 06-06-2007 at 10:37 AM.
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Old 06-06-2007, 02:53 PM   #2
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This quote was mind-boggling:
Quote:
Sony's Dan Albohn cited advantages like lower retail prices for ebooks ("typically 20%-30% less than the hardcover equivalent")
It's ironic that iRex was quoting the "content is king" line, considering how long it was between the release of their product and their support for commercial product. Maybe they were listening to their customers after all.

I also thought it was funny that the Harlequin editor thought that the popular perception of ebooks is that they're for "geeks and kids" (emphasis mine). I can hardly find books for kids in ebook format. Publishers are notorious for not wanting to bother with them.
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Old 06-06-2007, 04:36 PM   #3
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"Sony is shooting for the right price to make e-books popular"

This IS Sony of the Connect store, right?

Cognitive dissonance...hurting...my...brain...
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Old 06-07-2007, 05:42 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmeister0 View Post
"Sony is shooting for the right price to make e-books popular"

This IS Sony of the Connect store, right?

Cognitive dissonance...hurting...my...brain...
Maybe they mean the price of the reader? Otherwise....
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Old 06-07-2007, 08:32 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmeister0 View Post
"Sony is shooting for the right price to make e-books popular"

This IS Sony of the Connect store, right?
Yah... they may have the right idea, but they still need to work on those price numbers...
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Old 06-07-2007, 09:01 AM   #6
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@Steve I still think you should have stuck to your previous prices. Have your changes done some good or has the(possible) increase in traffic amounted to an identical result overall ?
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Old 06-08-2007, 07:47 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yvanleterrible View Post
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@Steve I still think you should have stuck to your previous prices. Have your changes done some good or has the(possible) increase in traffic amounted to an identical result overall ?
My redesign has resulted in new sales, from old and new customers, but nothing that significant. For the record, I haven't discounted the possibility of dropping my prices below $2.50 permanently... but in fact, the $1.50 sale prices did not result in huge sales, either!

Based on my evaluation of the situation, a lack of notoriety seems to be my biggest drawback...
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Old 06-08-2007, 07:57 AM   #8
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Based on my evaluation of the situation, a lack of notoriety seems to be my biggest drawback...
http://www.baens-universe.com/articles/salvos7
Eric Flint talks about that problem.
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Old 06-08-2007, 11:02 AM   #9
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This is a totally new market that offers no definite tools to operate. Internet is way too diffuse we need some kind of focusing tool to concentrate the relation between buyer and seller. Unfortunately the bigger outfits who have clout in this do not want to play ball fairly. It's dog eat dog. Tough to be a puppy! Even a cute one!
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Old 06-08-2007, 06:55 PM   #10
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I agree with Flint's assessment of "invisibility" in an "opaque" market... and I agree that that is certainly my biggest hurdle, too. This is why viral marketing is such a popular tool these days... anything to raise you above the throng is worth it, no matter how inane. (And trust me, the day I come up with a good viral campaign, I'm using it, too!)

Most of his comments, of course, apply to authors who use e-books to augment print sales, which are assumed to be their main source of revenue. Therefore, when he recommends giving away electronic copies, he isn't providing for revenue for us purely electronic authors.

However... based on his theories, regular deals and "sales" to help get your books disseminated might be worthwhile. I'll have to give some thought to maybe a rotating selection of "monthly freebie" books, or something of that nature.

Of course, the word still has to get out that they're there...
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