Tor, a MacMillan imprint going DRM free

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

But would it be a step back, truly? If all the publishers got together to create a single website then it would still be one-stop shopping.

They could do that, but isn't that why we have stores like Amazon, Kobo, B&N, etc? I suspect that the costs for the publishers to get into the retail business would outweigh the benefits.

[BeccaPrice]

If the publishers start their own retail website, and offer drm-free books at a reasonable price, there's only one more thing it would take to wean me from Amazon - great customer service. but somehow, I doubt the BPHs will learn that last step from Amazon.

[whitearrow]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

If the publishers start their own retail website, and offer drm-free books at a reasonable price, there's only one more thing it would take to wean me from Amazon - great customer service. but somehow, I doubt the BPHs will learn that last step from Amazon.

There's certainly no indication of it so far.

They'll also have to take full responsibility for formatting and other errors, and actually respond to consumers. That might be worth watching just for the lulz and the eventual posts on Consumerist.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by stonetools

From their website? Also, too, there's something coming called Bookish.com which is rumored to be a publisher effort at direct sales to consumers.

My guess is that anything involving cooperation between independent publishing houses to create a "one-stop shopping" store for all of their combined titles has probably been put on hold—at least until another certain legal matter has been resolved. And lets face it; if BPHs want to act like one big happy company, they're first going to have to legally become one big happy company. Otherwise, legal eyebrows will be raised every time.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by HarryT

No, it would (for me, anyway) be a step backwards because I don't want to have to go to a different website to buy books from each different publisher. I like buying from a single bookstore which stocks books from ALL the publishers. It's a matter of convenience for the consumer.

I already go to a different site, the Baen site . But you're right as well -- if Baen were to start selling eBooks on Amazon (and there has been a LOT of pressure on them to do so), I'd probably buy at least some of my Baen books directly from Amazon, since I could do it from the Kindle, without having to go sit at a computer.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I already go to a different site, the Baen site . But you're right as well -- if Baen were to start selling eBooks on Amazon (and there has been a LOT of pressure on them to do so), I'd probably buy at least some of my Baen books directly from Amazon, since I could do it from the Kindle, without having to go sit at a computer.

Yes, Baen is my exception, too. I buy their "Webscription" (or whatever the new-fangled name for it is...) every month.

[stonetools]

Charles Stross has a detailed post explaining the publishers going DRM free strategy. Apparently the Macmillam execs are listening:

And, as we can now see from Tor's ground-breaking announcement I was only just ahead of the curve: people at executive level inside Macmillan were already asking whether dropping DRM would be a good move. Last week they asked me to explain, in detail, just why I thought abandoning DRM on ebooks was a sensible strategy for a publisher

He sets out a four-part argument that's interesting, but full of controversial points. Here's the exec summary:

1. The rapid current pace of change in the electronic publishing sector is driven by the consumer electronics and internet industry. It's impossible to make long term publishing plans (3-10 years) without understanding these other industries and the priorities of their players. It is important to note that the CE industry relies on selling consumers new gadgets every 1-3 years. And it is through their gadgets that readers experience the books we sell them. Where is the CE industry taking us?

2. Dropping DRM across all of Macmillans products will not have immediate, global, positive effects on revenue in the same way that introducing the agency model did ...

3. However, relaxing the requirement for DRM across some of Macmillans brands will have very positive public relations consequences among certain customer demographics, notably genre readers who buy large numbers of books (and who, while a minority in absolute numbers, are a disproportionate source of support for the midlist).

4. Longer term, removing the requirement for DRM will lower the barrier to entry in ebook retail, allowing smaller retailers (such as Powells) to compete effectively with the current major incumbents. This will encourage diversity in the retail sector, force the current incumbents to interoperate with other supply sources (or face an exodus of consumers), and undermine the tendency towards oligopoly. This will, in the long term, undermine the leverage the large vendors currently have in negotiating discount terms with publishers while improving the state of midlist sales.

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My guess is that anything involving cooperation between independent publishing houses to create a "one-stop shopping" store for all of their combined titles has probably been put on hold—at least until another certain legal matter has been resolved. And lets face it; if BPHs want to act like one big happy company, they're first going to have to legally become one big happy company. Otherwise, legal eyebrows will be raised every time.

You maybe right on that. The Settling 3 have such onerous compliance requirements imposed on them that they can barely take a crap without telliing the DOJ first.

[Synamon]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

My guess is that anything involving cooperation between independent publishing houses to create a "one-stop shopping" store for all of their combined titles has probably been put on hold—at least until another certain legal matter has been resolved. And lets face it; if BPHs want to act like one big happy company, they're first going to have to legally become one big happy company. Otherwise, legal eyebrows will be raised every time.

I vaguely remember seeing something in the settlement details that required any joint ventures between the publishers to be approved or monitored by the DOJ.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by HarryT

They could do that, but isn't that why we have stores like Amazon, Kobo, B&N, etc? I suspect that the costs for the publishers to get into the retail business would outweigh the benefits.

We have Amazon, kobo, etc because of the old model to sale books. Everyone says that ebooks are a new product that require a new method...and this could be a working method.

I thought that Bookish was supposed to become that 1 stop for Agency6...and the indies and smaller pubs would end up only being sold in larger stores.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Synamon

I vaguely remember seeing something in the settlement details that required any joint ventures between the publishers to be approved or monitored by the DOJ.

Has there been a settlement yet? I must have overlooked that.

[ProfCrash]

Three companies have settled but the settlement has not been approved by a Judge so it is not offical. There are people who are contesting the settlement and they have to be heard before the Judge can rule on the settlement itself.

[abookreader]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

We have Amazon, kobo, etc because of the old model to sale books. Everyone says that ebooks are a new product that require a new method...and this could be a working method.

I thought that Bookish was supposed to become that 1 stop for Agency6...and the indies and smaller pubs would end up only being sold in larger stores.

Well - it seems to work well for Harlequin. They've been selling their eBooks from their website for years now.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Well - it seems to work well for Harlequin. They've been selling their eBooks from their website for years now.

Yeah. With great deals, too.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

But would it be a step back, truly? If all the publishers got together to create a single website then it would still be one-stop shopping.

just ebooks?

no other stuff?

dead.