The Death of Fictionwise :( - Page 2

Marcy · 06-15-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Fictionwise still has a lot of content not available elsewhere, and aggregates a number of publishers who aren't on the agency model. Its non-DRM'd multiformat books are still a good bargain.

However, if it's going to succeed as an ebook store on the basis of those books, it'll need to rethink its whole marketing strategy. I suspect that B&N is willing to let it die rather than find a way to capitalize on its history & broad customer base. B&N is invested in their own ebook format & device, and has no reason to promote a store whose best feature is many books that are readable on anything.

I agree. Their DRM'd books are pointless now -- they can almost all be gotten way cheaper elsewhere. They should focus on DRM-free books, no geographic restrictions, and unique content. They could be a great place for Indie publishers to go, sort of like Smashwords but with a guarantee of basic editing and completed books.

But I suspect B&N is trying to kill them. Otherwise why sell books at twice the going value, even after a so-called discount?

-Marcy

JSWolf · 06-15-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

Frankenstein: Lost Souls (Dean Koontz)
FW: $24 ($20.40 w/BW)
Amazon: $13.12
Sony: not available
Kobo: not available

Actually, Sony has this for $9.99.

JSWolf · 06-15-2010, 10:37 PM

Fictionwise was still good even after being bought by B&N. What killed Fictionwise was the Agency 5. The way Fictionwise was being run was incompatible with the way the Agency 5 wanted thing to work. So, Fictionwise got screwed.

Marcy · 06-16-2010, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Actually, Sony has this for $9.99.

That's new. It wasn't there when I searched on the 14th. It does say on their site, published 6/15 so I suspect it was added today.

-Marcy

Marcy · 06-16-2010, 02:09 AM

Fictionwise is still the best place to get magazine subscriptions to Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Analog, Isaac Asimov and a few others.

For example, on Amazon for Ellery Queen you are charged $2.99/month or $35.88/year. More than the price to subscribe to the print version!

At Fictionwise you pay $29.02/year for a 1-year subscription (same as print price -- about $1 less) and $50.97 for a 2-year subscription. I was able to get my subscriptions on a special offer with 20% Micropay rebate, but I guess that won't be happening any more. The Fictionwise magazines are all multiformat as well, which means no geo restrictions and you can read them on any device.

-Marcy

Blue Tyson · 06-16-2010, 03:16 AM

Macy, that is definitely true.

TallMomof2 · 06-16-2010, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

Fictionwise is still the best place to get magazine subscriptions to Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Analog, Isaac Asimov and a few others.

For example, on Amazon for Ellery Queen you are charged $2.99/month or $35.88/year. More than the price to subscribe to the print version!

At Fictionwise you pay $29.02/year for a 1-year subscription (same as print price -- about $1 less) and $50.97 for a 2-year subscription. I was able to get my subscriptions on a special offer with 20% Micropay rebate, but I guess that won't be happening any more. The Fictionwise magazines are all multiformat as well, which means no geo restrictions and you can read them on any device.

-Marcy

I had a lot of Micropay built up and used most on renewing my subscriptions. I can still find plenty of multiformat books so I hang around Fictionwise.

bwaldron · 06-16-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

Were they forced with a pistol next to the brains to sell themselves to the highest bidder and get rich? Was not it their conscious decision to sell themselves for good money, get rich and don't mind the consequences?

Absolutely. I don't blame them for selling, but it was a choice they made, and the consequences have been as expected.

astra · 06-16-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwaldron

Absolutely. I don't blame them for selling, but it was a choice they made, and the consequences have been as expected.

Agree.
I don't blame them too. We work for profit.
However, some people make them look like angels. They are not. They sold themselves for money with no regards to their customers. That is real life. Business is business.

Scott Nicholson · 06-16-2010, 04:27 PM

I hope they enjoy their $1.5 million because they still haven't paid me money they owe from several years ago.

Scott

Critteranne · 06-16-2010, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Fictionwise still has a lot of content not available elsewhere, and aggregates a number of publishers who aren't on the agency model. Its non-DRM'd multiformat books are still a good bargain.

During the last big sale, I started searching through the multiformat stuff and found that there's a lot of great new multiformat stuff, too. I ended up "saving" some micropay to get more multiformat stuff.

I found a collection of Barbara Roden's short supernatural fiction (I "know" her on-line because of the All Hallows YahooGroup and also because of her work with the Ghost Story Society), and the anthology Federations, both from Prime Books.

I've also been tempted with some of the magazine subscriptions because those are multiformat. However, it seems that in most cases, would be cheaper to buy them in paper format.

Then again, at least I wouldn't have to worry about the paper copies taking up space.

Marcy · 06-16-2010, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Critteranne

During the last big sale, I started searching through the multiformat stuff and found that there's a lot of great new multiformat stuff, too. I ended up "saving" some micropay to get more multiformat stuff.

I found a collection of Barbara Roden's short supernatural fiction (I "know" her on-line because of the All Hallows YahooGroup and also because of her work with the Ghost Story Society), and the anthology Federations, both from Prime Books.

I've also been tempted with some of the magazine subscriptions because those are multiformat. However, it seems that in most cases, would be cheaper to buy them in paper format.

Then again, at least I wouldn't have to worry about the paper copies taking up space.

The magazines at FW are 12% cheaper than the print price for a 1-year subscription and 15% cheaper than the print price for a 2-year subscription. Well worth it, since you can keep them forever without taking up tons of space.

I agree that there are some really interesting multiformat books. That's why I believe FW should specialize in those and promote them and give up on the books that everyone else sells cheaper.

Marcy · 06-17-2010, 03:45 PM

Well in an additional death knell FW just stopped offering magazine subscriptions. You can still buy individual issues but they are $3.99 or $3.39 with Buywise. I'm kind of peeved because I was just going to renew when I discovered this.

Clearly they are doing everything to kill of FW. Buywise means a long-term commitment, so kill it. Subscriptions make a long-term commitment, so kill them too. Bummer.

-Marcy

cfrizz · 06-17-2010, 04:45 PM

I'm starting to get a stong hate on for B & N!

Donnageddon · 06-17-2010, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcy

Well in an additional death knell FW just stopped offering magazine subscriptions.
-Marcy

I think someone from B&N must be watching this forum to glean what is still making FW customers happy... and then killing it.

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06-15-2010, 10:37 PM	#18
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Fictionwise was still good even after being bought by B&N. What killed Fictionwise was the Agency 5. The way Fictionwise was being run was incompatible with the way the Agency 5 wanted thing to work. So, Fictionwise got screwed.

06-16-2010, 02:09 AM	#20
Marcy Guru Posts: 893 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	Fictionwise is still the best place to get magazine subscriptions to Ellery Queen, Alfred Hitchcock, Analog, Isaac Asimov and a few others. For example, on Amazon for Ellery Queen you are charged $2.99/month or $35.88/year. More than the price to subscribe to the print version! At Fictionwise you pay $29.02/year for a 1-year subscription (same as print price -- about $1 less) and $50.97 for a 2-year subscription. I was able to get my subscriptions on a special offer with 20% Micropay rebate, but I guess that won't be happening any more. The Fictionwise magazines are all multiformat as well, which means no geo restrictions and you can read them on any device. -Marcy

06-16-2010, 03:16 AM	#21
Blue Tyson Blue Captain Posts: 1,595 Karma: 5000236 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Australia Device: Kindle Keyboard 3G,Huawei Ideos X3,Kobo Mini	Macy, that is definitely true.

06-16-2010, 04:27 PM	#25
Scott Nicholson Scott Nicholson, author Posts: 363 Karma: 2029337 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boone NC Device: Kindle	I hope they enjoy their $1.5 million because they still haven't paid me money they owe from several years ago. Scott

06-17-2010, 03:45 PM	#28
Marcy Guru Posts: 893 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	Well in an additional death knell FW just stopped offering magazine subscriptions. You can still buy individual issues but they are $3.99 or $3.39 with Buywise. I'm kind of peeved because I was just going to renew when I discovered this. Clearly they are doing everything to kill of FW. Buywise means a long-term commitment, so kill it. Subscriptions make a long-term commitment, so kill them too. Bummer. -Marcy

06-17-2010, 04:45 PM	#29
cfrizz Wizard Posts: 1,531 Karma: 34583358 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Quincy, MA Device: Samsung 54A, Kobo Libra H2O, Samsung S6 Lite	I'm starting to get a stong hate on for B & N!