Who Will Buy An eReader?

Kris777 · 08-03-2009, 11:50 PM

http://blogs.forrester.com/consumer_...erability.html

Awareness and ownership of eReaders is growing, spurred by marketing campaigns from Amazon.com and Sony as well as press coverage and word-of-mouth buzz. But Forrester's newest data suggests that tomorrow's prospects for eReader purchasing bear scant resemblance to the high-earning, male tech optimists that own eReaders today. Later waves of eReader adopters are likely to be female consumers who read a lot but buy fewer of their books online than the first wave of eReader adopters do. This spells trouble for Amazon — and opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers like Sony, mass-market retailers like Wal-Mart, and publishers like Harlequin, which could (and do) target these consumers with eBook subscription services.

First, eReader interest and awareness is definitely growing, as you can see:

Second, the types of consumers likely to buy an eReader are changing. While early adopters of eReaders were a perfect storm of demographics for Amazon (they could afford the device, they have a need for the device in business travel and urban commuting, they like technology, and they buy lots of books online), future prospects for the devices look completely different. They're more likely to be female, less tech optimistic, and they read a lot (on average, 5 books per month) but they buy and borrow books from multiple sources, as opposed to buying lots of books online.

The big takeaway is that this could spell trouble for Amazon, if competitors can move in to better serve the later waves of adopters who don't have as strong a relationship with the eCommerce giant.

I've heard from clients that they're already seeing this shift--more women buying the devices and shopping for eBooks.

daffy4u · 08-03-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

future prospects for the devices look completely different. They're more likely to be female, less tech optimistic, and they read a lot (on average, 5 books per month) but they buy and borrow books from multiple sources, as opposed to buying lots of books online.

I don't know about that. Amazon makes it so freaking easy to buy books with the Kindle that once you try it (and you will out of curiosity if nothing else), you're likely to stick with downloading from the Kindle store.

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I don't know about that. Amazon makes it so freaking easy to buy books with the Kindle that once you try it (and you will out of curiosity if nothing else), you're likely to stick with downloading from the Kindle store.

I know several people who read a lot but don't have Internet access

and
can't type on the keyboard

daffy4u · 08-04-2009, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

I know several people who read a lot but don't have Internet access

and
can't type on the keyboard

I would think that would be a small number. Most Kindles will be in a Whispernet area and you don't have to type much to buy a book from the Kindle store.

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

I would think that would be a small number. Most Kindles will be in a Whispernet area and you don't have to type much to buy a book from the Kindle store.

Agree but how they will buy Kindle in case if Kindle available online only?

daffy4u · 08-04-2009, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

Agree but how they will buy Kindle in case if Kindle available online only?

Somehow we've verged off on different tracks. I was talking about buying ebooks from the Kindle store and you're talking about buying the Kindle itself. If the buyer has no internet access and can't type on a keyboard, how are they going to buy ebooks no matter which ebook reader they purchase?

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Somehow we've verged off on different tracks. I was talking about buying ebooks from the Kindle store and you're talking about buying the Kindle itself. If the buyer has no internet access and can't type on a keyboard, how are they going to buy ebooks no matter which ebook reader they purchase?

they can't buy Kindle and ebooks online but if they will buy Amazon offline they can buy ebooks without Internet. The point is to make Kindle available in Target, Walmart and other offline stores

daffy4u · 08-04-2009, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

they can't buy Kindle and ebooks online but if they will buy Amazon offline they can buy ebooks without Internet. The point is to make Kindle available in Target, Walmart and other offline stores

How can they buy ebooks without the internet?

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy4u

How can they buy ebooks without the internet?

via Whispernet. If they don't have PC with Internet connection they can buy Kindle in offline store( like iPod ) and purchase ebooks from Amazon website via Whispernet.

Alisa · 08-04-2009, 01:02 AM

Most non-techy people I know are quite comfortable shopping online. It's dead simple. Most have iPods, too, and are quite comfortable with using iTunes. My sister is one of the most non-techy people I know and is quite comfortable using her Kindle. She probably wouldn't have bought one for herself in the early-adopter phase (I bought it for her as a gift) and she wouldn't be comfortable loading content on it by just dragging and dropping files. That hurdle is easily overcome with the technology, though. Even without wireless synching, it can be done with software. She loves to read and probably would've bought one for herself eventually when the price was right. The fact that it entailed buying stuff online wouldn't have caused a moment's hesitation. Even my dad who had never used a computer until a few years ago can buy songs and put them on his iPod.

Alisa · 08-04-2009, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

they can't buy Kindle and ebooks online but if they will buy Amazon offline they can buy ebooks without Internet. The point is to make Kindle available in Target, Walmart and other offline stores

I don't think that's exactly a huge market there. Sure, there are some people who would use it but enough to deploy such an enterprise? I'm not seeing a big return on investment.

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisa

I don't think that's exactly a huge market there. Sure, there are some people who would use it but enough to deploy such an enterprise? I'm not seeing a big return on investment.

many 50-60 years old people (mostly women) don't use computers but they have time and they read a lot. This is a huge market.

phenomshel · 08-04-2009, 01:10 AM

What I'm seeing is more blurring of the lines on "what exactly IS an ebook reader". There are more and more MID's and Personal Media Players coming out that are the same price or lower, and read text formats. The major difference is LCD vs. E-ink, (and we've had that debate ad nauseum around here), and how much finagling someone's willing to do to turn a device that might not have been exactly meant to be an ebook reader, into an ebook reader.
For example: I'm looking at/coveting/drooling over the Archos 9. It's meant to be a nearly full stop computer in a tablet form. BUT...running Windows 7 means it will read every ebook format (DRM and non DRM) except Amazon's Topazand Sony's LRX. Install a few programs like Calibre, MS Reader, Mobipocket Reader, and Adobe. Add that to the tablet form factor and what have you got? A very nifty ebook reader.

daffy4u · 08-04-2009, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

via Whispernet. If they don't have PC with Internet connection they can buy Kindle in offline store( like iPod ) and purchase ebooks from Amazon website via Whispernet.

If there is a will, there is a way, if one wants to buy a Kindle. If they don't personally have a computer with internet access, they can borrow a friend's, or go use a computer at the library, or have someone buy it for them.

I'm all for the Kindle being sold in brick and mortar stores but there are ways to get one now if someone wants one.

Kris777 · 08-04-2009, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

What I'm seeing is more blurring of the lines on "what exactly IS an ebook reader". There are more and more MID's and Personal Media Players coming out that are the same price or lower, and read text formats. The major difference is LCD vs. E-ink, (and we've had that debate ad nauseum around here), and how much finagling someone's willing to do to turn a device that might not have been exactly meant to be an ebook reader, into an ebook reader.
For example: I'm looking at/coveting/drooling over the Archos 9. It's meant to be a nearly full stop computer in a tablet form. BUT...running Windows 7 means it will read every ebook format (DRM and non DRM) except Amazon's Topazand Sony's LRX. Install a few programs like Calibre, MS Reader, Mobipocket Reader, and Adobe. Add that to the tablet form factor and what have you got? A very nifty ebook reader.

There are many cell phones on the market with camera but it doesn't make it a good camera...

08-03-2009, 11:50 PM	#1
Kris777 Banned Posts: 1,767 Karma: 2520493 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Nexus 7, jetBook-Lite, jetBook mini, Toshiba Thrive, JETBOOK COLOR	Who Will Buy An eReader? http://blogs.forrester.com/consumer_...erability.html Awareness and ownership of eReaders is growing, spurred by marketing campaigns from Amazon.com and Sony as well as press coverage and word-of-mouth buzz. But Forrester's newest data suggests that tomorrow's prospects for eReader purchasing bear scant resemblance to the high-earning, male tech optimists that own eReaders today. Later waves of eReader adopters are likely to be female consumers who read a lot but buy fewer of their books online than the first wave of eReader adopters do. This spells trouble for Amazon — and opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers like Sony, mass-market retailers like Wal-Mart, and publishers like Harlequin, which could (and do) target these consumers with eBook subscription services. First, eReader interest and awareness is definitely growing, as you can see: Second, the types of consumers likely to buy an eReader are changing. While early adopters of eReaders were a perfect storm of demographics for Amazon (they could afford the device, they have a need for the device in business travel and urban commuting, they like technology, and they buy lots of books online), future prospects for the devices look completely different. They're more likely to be female, less tech optimistic, and they read a lot (on average, 5 books per month) but they buy and borrow books from multiple sources, as opposed to buying lots of books online. The big takeaway is that this could spell trouble for Amazon, if competitors can move in to better serve the later waves of adopters who don't have as strong a relationship with the eCommerce giant. I've heard from clients that they're already seeing this shift--more women buying the devices and shopping for eBooks.

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08-04-2009, 01:02 AM	#10
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Most non-techy people I know are quite comfortable shopping online. It's dead simple. Most have iPods, too, and are quite comfortable with using iTunes. My sister is one of the most non-techy people I know and is quite comfortable using her Kindle. She probably wouldn't have bought one for herself in the early-adopter phase (I bought it for her as a gift) and she wouldn't be comfortable loading content on it by just dragging and dropping files. That hurdle is easily overcome with the technology, though. Even without wireless synching, it can be done with software. She loves to read and probably would've bought one for herself eventually when the price was right. The fact that it entailed buying stuff online wouldn't have caused a moment's hesitation. Even my dad who had never used a computer until a few years ago can buy songs and put them on his iPod.

08-04-2009, 01:10 AM	#13
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	What I'm seeing is more blurring of the lines on "what exactly IS an ebook reader". There are more and more MID's and Personal Media Players coming out that are the same price or lower, and read text formats. The major difference is LCD vs. E-ink, (and we've had that debate ad nauseum around here), and how much finagling someone's willing to do to turn a device that might not have been exactly meant to be an ebook reader, into an ebook reader. For example: I'm looking at/coveting/drooling over the Archos 9. It's meant to be a nearly full stop computer in a tablet form. BUT...running Windows 7 means it will read every ebook format (DRM and non DRM) except Amazon's Topazand Sony's LRX. Install a few programs like Calibre, MS Reader, Mobipocket Reader, and Adobe. Add that to the tablet form factor and what have you got? A very nifty ebook reader.