Macmillan Ebook Poll

[Nate the great]

I just got an email form Macmillan with a link to a survey. Most of the questions are about ebooks. I'd really appreciate it if everyone would participate. Hopefully if they get enough of a positive response they'll finally get around to selling ebooks. Here is the link:

http://click.mail.macmillan.com/?qs=...785260f923a098

[Bilbo1967]

Done!

[zelda_pinwheel]

i've replied. i'm pretty curious to know what they have in mind ; a lot of the questions are about getting access to "several chapters" of a major book before it's official publication date, and whether i'd be willing to pay for that. i hope they don't think that selling book samples is a good / the only way to do ebooks...

[daffy4u]

I was just about to post this.

[zelda_pinwheel]

you have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat nate the great. and what with the time difference between the two of you you're at a disadvantage.

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i've replied. i'm pretty curious to know what they have in mind ; a lot of the questions are about getting access to "several chapters" of a major book before it's official publication date, and whether i'd be willing to pay for that. i hope they don't think that selling book samples is a good / the only way to do ebooks...

I noticed that too and I didn't like the vibe I got from it. There were also questions about registering to be able to read and other annoyances. If those questions are any indication of what they're going to do, they're not doing it right.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

I just got an email form Macmillan with a link to a survey. Most of the questions are about ebooks. I'd really appreciate it if everyone would participate. Hopefully if they get enough of a positive response they'll finally get around to selling ebooks. Here is the link:

http://click.mail.macmillan.com/?qs=...785260f923a098

I got the same email.......hopefully, if enough people respond, they'll understand e-book readers aren't just a fad......

[Sparrow]

Done - thanks for the heads-up Nate (and Daffy who would have if Nate hadn't )

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

i've replied. i'm pretty curious to know what they have in mind ; a lot of the questions are about getting access to "several chapters" of a major book before it's official publication date, and whether i'd be willing to pay for that. i hope they don't think that selling book samples is a good / the only way to do ebooks...

Which is why I responded "Not interested" to that question. It then followed up with the question "Would you be more interested in whole books", to which I said "YES".

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

you have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat nate the great. and what with the time difference between the two of you you're at a disadvantage.

I delayed be cause I was going to post the questions, so I was busy copying and pasting while he was posting. I didn't think about giving everyone the link to the survey.

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by Moejoe

I noticed that too and I didn't like the vibe I got from it. There were also questions about registering to be able to read and other annoyances. If those questions are any indication of what they're going to do, they're not doing it right.

I didn't get any questions about registering to be able to read. I guess it must be based on your device or answer to other questions.

[mklynds]

I have taken the poll. Hope it helps whoever it is that made it. I would be interested in a subscription service if I got the whole book in ebook format earlier than the paper release.

[poohbear_nc]

Done - let's hope publishers are FINALLY getting the message about ebooks!

No questions about DRM or formats - hmmm. I guess it's just implied by your choice of reader.

[daffy4u]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I didn't get any questions about registering to be able to read. I guess it must be based on your device or answer to other questions.

Maybe my copying and pasting will come in handy. Here are the questions I got (notice some numbers were skipped based on my responses).

1. How many books to do you READ per year?

0 - 5
6 - 10
11 - 15
20+

2. How many books do you BUY per year?

0 - 5
6 - 10
11 - 15
20+

3. Do you ever read books on a computer?

Yes
No

5. Do you own an mobile reading device (e.g., Kindle, Sony Reader, iPhone with Reader Application)?

Yes
No

6. If you own more than one of these devices, which one do you prefer?

Kindle
Sony Reader
iPhone with Reader Application
COOL-ER
Other

7. Please rate your comfort level reading book content via a mobile device:

Very comfortable
Comfortable
Not comfortable

10. Please rate your interest-level in getting books in an electronic format before their
official on-sale date:

Very interested
Interested
Indifferent
Not interested

11. Please rate your interest-level in getting early access to several chapters of major books in an electronic format prior to the official on-sale date:

Very interested
Interested
Indifferent
Not interested

12. Would you be willing to pay for this early access?

Yes
No, but I would be willing to pre-order the book for this access
Not at all

13. Would you be willing to register on the Macmillan site (e.g., give a valid email address and other pertinent personal information) to get access to this content?

Yes
No

14. How much of the book would need to be available pre-release for you to be interested?

25%
50%
100%

15. Would you be willing to register if access included a discount off the purchase of the book once it released?

Yes
No

17. What payment model would you prefer to gain early access to several chapters of these books?

Pay-Per-Title (access to one specific title’s sample chapters offered on the site)
Annual Subscription (access to all sample chapters of major release titles offered on the site)

18. How much of the book would need to be available pre-release for you to be interested?

25%
50%
100%

19. Would you be more interested if you received a discount off the purchase of the once it went on sale?

Yes
No

24. What is your preferred method of book delivery?

Print
Website
RSS feeds
Kindle
Sony Reader
iPhone
Other

25. Are you based in the United States?

Yes
No

26. Select your age group:

12 and under
13 – 18
19 – 30
30 – 40
40 – 50
50 – 65
65+
I prefer not to answer

27. Select your sex:

Male
Female
I prefer not to answer

[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967

I didn't get any questions about registering to be able to read. I guess it must be based on your device or answer to other questions.

I may have phrased it incorrectly, the question was more about giving out your email to get access to chapters or some such. In any case, I don't give out my email, not for preview chapters, not for much of anything.

EDIT: see Q13 and 15 in Daffy's post (thanks for that Daffy).