01-23-2013, 01:49 PM | #31 |
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Social networking is an interesting one. I enjoy Goodreads and I like that I can use it to keep a record of my books, make reviews and check out others' books and opinions, and maybe make friends that way. I'm not sure how much I want that to be integrated with a reader/app/bookstore. I've never set up the social networking side on any of my devices. I do take the point about Goodreads probably launching a store soon.
I think the other thing about social networking is that it seems to promise a solution to the so-called "discoverability" problem. However my experience has been it's generally no better (nor much worse) than the other attempts to solve this problem. I don't think we're there yet on this but I think whoever first solves this problem is probably going to make a lot of money. The thing is it's really two problems - the reader wants an effective filter but the seller wants a promotional tool. Anyway that's a big topic but I think what I'd like is a better way to discover new books that I might like given the massive over-abundance of choice, but that I don't really believe that anyone has that yet. |
01-23-2013, 03:45 PM | #32 | ||||||
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As far as can currently be sorted out: Breaking DRM for personal use is not illegal (by the same legal standards that allow time-shifting VCR use); however, distributing DRM-cracking tools is illegal... in the U.S. Customers in other countries face other laws, and any statements about what is/is not legal should be made with the international market in mind.
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(Sorry; bit of a rant there. I have several friends who've started actively reading again after decades of mostly not doing so; ereaders help compensate for shaking hands or poor eyesight in ways that print just doesn't.) Quote:
What authors need is a way to encourage people to buy instead of read for free. Books have *always* been available to read for free for those who went out of their way to do so; there is nothing in the digital age that's going to change that. However, most readers want to support the authors they like -- students move from book-borrowers to book-buyers when they have the resources to do so, as long as books are available in the formats they want for a price they find reasonable. Treating all customers like incipient criminals isn't a great way to encourage long-term support. Quote:
I'm not saying that piracy can't harm sales. I'm saying that *digital copies* aren't what harms sales; people not-paying harms sales. And "read a free copy" doesn't cost the author any more money than "chose to buy a different book instead." Authors don't make money by preventing piracy; they make money by increasing sales. Discouraging piracy can be a method they use for that, but it doesn't directly lead to more money. Quote:
Most customers understand that maybe downloads won't be available forever--publishing contracts change; file hosting systems get upgraded, and so on--the important thing is to notify customers long in advance of any changes, and be supportive of their interest in keeping access to what they paid for. The "Fictionwise is Closing" thread here at MR is a great example of how NOT to change your downloading policy. Quote:
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Re: Social Networking--I wouldn't expect to use it. I have an account on Goodreads that I don't touch; I don't have a Facebook account; my Twitter languishes with one or two posts a month. Like wifi and DRM, I don't care if it exist; I just don't want it to be in the way of my interactions with the site. I'm not adverse to social networking features, but I don't expect a bookstore to provide ones I'd enjoy. REVIEW NOTE: You'll have to decide if you allow reviews/ratings by non-purchasers. One of the ways Amazon developed its rich (and problematic) review culture was allowing people to review products bought in other places. If you limit reviews to on-site purchases, people who've read that book in print or bought it elsewhere won't be participating with that part of your site. If you allow non-buyers to review, that brings up its own squirm of tentacles; talk with your marketing and site management people (or person, or whatever) in trying to sort that out. Allowing non-buyers to review means someone has to be available to remove problematic reviews, whatever you define those to be. |
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01-23-2013, 07:39 PM | #33 |
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Regarding goodreads, I don't use it as a social networking site (meaning discuss books with other people etc there) but I do use it to find books, series of books, sometimes reviews etc.
It would be convenient to have a shopping link next to the book as a link or something, which it DOES have already anyway, but as the original question asked, my "dream ebook store" ought to have it as well. But it's not a big deal, I'm quite capable of tracking a book down on the various online ebook shops myself. |
01-23-2013, 11:03 PM | #34 | |
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Direct download to a PC via a browser. If a store wants to have an application to "assist" some customers, fine, but don't make it mandatory for the rest of us. No DRM. I get rid of it now, but I'd rather not have to. A range of formats to keep everyone happy. Epub should be one of them. My library on the company's website should pesist. I should be able to re-download the books as many times as necessary. Samples would be greatly appreciated. I'll buy books by some authors right away, and other authors I'll buy after reading a short description of the book. For others, I can be convinced to spend money if I can read X number of pages and decide that the book is intriguing. So, what about social networking? 'Absolutely zero interest' is an understatement. I'd like it to be available for people who want it, but it shouldn't be slapping me in the face at every turn. |
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01-24-2013, 01:23 PM | #35 |
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ereadingdotcom,
About the "no-DRM" request that several people have mentioned: Most of us are very aware that a store would be severely limiting its market by not carrying any DRM'd ebooks, and we don't expect you to do that. But you can support readers and authors who are anti-DRM by
Last edited by Elfwreck; 01-24-2013 at 01:26 PM. |
01-24-2013, 01:59 PM | #36 | |
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Last edited by artifact; 01-24-2013 at 02:01 PM. |
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01-24-2013, 02:15 PM | #37 |
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I don't mind DRM, but I do wish that a bookstore would allow you to download whatever works for the device you have (so it would have a variety of formats) and then if you switch to a different e-reader, you would be able to download another copy of the book to the new e-reader in whatever format that new e-reader uses, without an additional charge. Like you could register your device, whatever it is, with that seller and then download books to that device in the format that works for it.
Also, I know when I worked for a newspaper, we knew through marketing how many people on average read each printed copy of the newspaper. I feel confident that publishers know how many people read each hard copy book that is printed, at least roughly, and I would like to see sharing available similar to how some books can be shared on the Nook, but I'd like to see it for all books and allowed for a number of shares comparable to how many people would have most likely read each hard cover book. Either that, or I'd like to see ebook prices decreased pretty significantly. I buy a lot of $12-range books and if I'm paying that much, I'd like to be able to share it at least generally as much as I would a hard copy book. As far as the sharing goes, I have family overseas, and I would like to not be limited to sharing with people in the US. I personally buy from my iPad and then have the books downloaded to my e-reader. I'd like to continue to be able to do that. Also, I have two children and a husband who read with me. I'd like to be able to have a family share an account and send an e-book to whichever devices you want, as with the Amazon store. I don't like how the Barnes and Noble store handles families with more than one e-reader. |
01-24-2013, 05:15 PM | #38 |
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The most important factor to me is access to multiple formats. I prefer reading PDF (formatted as the paper book) on a tablet, but read the same books in EPUB on other devices. Ebooks.com allows download in multiple formats on the same purchase and I often pay a premium (ebooks.com rarely offers discounts) for the privilege. Closely related is that the bookstore offer PDF editions; few do and I'll pay more for a PDF than for an EPUB.
The next criterion is that the seller not alter the publisher's formatting. For that reason, I won't buy from Google Play at all nor from Kobo if the book is only available as "kepub". Third is lack of DRM. I still buy DRM books, but if it's available without, I'll buy that way, even at a premium. Christianbook offers many books without DRM that others put DRM on and in that case, I'll preferentially buy from them. Finally, I don't want a "one-click" interface. Despite owning and actively using a Kindle, I stopped buying from Amazon entirely when they switched to the one-click interface for ebooks. If a book is available in EPUB only and is non-discountable (Agency), then I buy it from whomever I've "bought" the most free books from lately. For anything that doesn't fit any above categories, I buy from whichever store is cheapest (usually Kobo with discount codes). One more thing that I want to mention is that, while most people seem to think ebooks must be cheaper than pbooks, I disagree. I gladly will pay (and have paid) a premium for an ebook over a pbook. |
01-24-2013, 07:44 PM | #39 | |
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Sorry, only had a couple of moments to post the comment and succumbed to laziness. |
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01-24-2013, 07:48 PM | #40 | |
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(At first I typed "KindleBards"...now that would be a fun site just on name alone.) |
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01-24-2013, 08:15 PM | #41 |
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01-24-2013, 11:25 PM | #42 | |
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01-25-2013, 04:56 AM | #43 |
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I have the same basic wish list as danskmacabre for an ebook retailer.
I'd also like a retailer to offer ALL the books by a given author. Its really annoying to find that there's one or more title available that your preferred retailer is not offering. And a Wish List facility. I have a fixed monthly budget for buying books so its helpful if I can keep track of everything I want. |
01-25-2013, 05:16 AM | #44 |
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The biggest problem I have with most stores is the way they show and filter their books.
I can never find a book I may like unless I know the author or title. I want to be able to search by category I want to be able to see the cover, but I also want to be able to turn off the cover (so more books fit on a page) I want to be able to read a short part of the book I want to be able to manage my library within the shop Nice to haves are: Books I might like, based on books I have bought (not based on books I have looked at!) |
01-25-2013, 10:07 AM | #45 |
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I miss Fictionwise's ability to set new book alerts for authors I'm interested in. It resulted in a sale about 99% of the time so why don't they all do it?
I also miss their customized weekly new book alerts. I'm more likely to check out some new science fiction authors if I don't have to scroll past pages of horror, and mysteries, and the latest self help book. Ability to customize and sort my wishlist how I want it. My bookshelf too. Stop hiding the wishlist button. Just because I don't want to give you money right this moment doesn't mean I won't buy it later. Help me do that. |
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