MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - How can we convince Amazon to sell ePub format?

ProfCrash · 12-31-2010, 04:06 PM

Catlady I agree with most of your post. I am not worried about the format wars because I know I can remove the DRM and convert my Mobi files to EPub. One of my to do items this weekend is to teach myself how to strip the DRM and start backing up my books on my hard drive. Not because I am worried but because it doesn't hurt to do it so why not start?

Amazon lost some of its market share to Nook and Kobo and IBooks but the share of the market did not seem to drop that much. Here is why I don't think they lost that much ground. When the IPad was released, e-book sales at Amazon picked up. Why? Because IPad users were using Kindle for IPad. There are already reports in the media that sales of magazines have dropped for the IPad because they are too expensive. One of the major publishers is not sold in IBooks because they didn't buy into the Agency Pricing. So IBooks is short on books and not competitive with Amazon, BN, and Kobo, heck maybe not even Sony. People reading on their IPads are reading using Apps and Amazon is getting a lot of that business.

One of the first things people who rooted their Nook Colors reported doing was downloading Kindle for Android. Why? Because they wanted to use Amazons store.

I would think that Amazons percentage of the market has gone down but since the market is growing it's ebook profit. I don't think Amazon is concerned with knocking out its competitors. The Nook has spurred Amazon to add some features but it seems to me that Amazon has targeted the IPad as its major competitor in the market. Amazon has done a bang up job of getting its apps out and advertising them. Non e-reader owners can find them easily and buy books from Amazon easily enough.

I think the very reason that people want Amazon to sell books in EPub and Mobi is because they cannot find books at the EPub book stores. I have read topics started by folks who bought a Kindle because they were having difficulty finding books for the Nook or Sony or Kobo. I have no idea what books they are looking at but it does seem to be something that is posted about frequently enough that it makes me raise an eyebrow. I would guess that the popular fiction and non fiction books are available at all the stores. I would think that the books people are having trouble finding are more niche books that Amazon has.

As the Kindle continues to build an international customer base I expect to see more bookstores over seas offering books in Mobi because they want to be able to sell to Kindle users.

I understand why people want access to Amazon. I just find the argument that Amazon is anti-free market or taking away peoples freedom to shop where they want or that people should boycott Amazon because they don't sell books in EPub to be a bit silly. As you said, you choose your device knowing about the format issues, and you are happy with your choice. I just wish others would adopt that same attitude.

12-31-2010, 04:06 PM	#242
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	Catlady I agree with most of your post. I am not worried about the format wars because I know I can remove the DRM and convert my Mobi files to EPub. One of my to do items this weekend is to teach myself how to strip the DRM and start backing up my books on my hard drive. Not because I am worried but because it doesn't hurt to do it so why not start? Amazon lost some of its market share to Nook and Kobo and IBooks but the share of the market did not seem to drop that much. Here is why I don't think they lost that much ground. When the IPad was released, e-book sales at Amazon picked up. Why? Because IPad users were using Kindle for IPad. There are already reports in the media that sales of magazines have dropped for the IPad because they are too expensive. One of the major publishers is not sold in IBooks because they didn't buy into the Agency Pricing. So IBooks is short on books and not competitive with Amazon, BN, and Kobo, heck maybe not even Sony. People reading on their IPads are reading using Apps and Amazon is getting a lot of that business. One of the first things people who rooted their Nook Colors reported doing was downloading Kindle for Android. Why? Because they wanted to use Amazons store. I would think that Amazons percentage of the market has gone down but since the market is growing it's ebook profit. I don't think Amazon is concerned with knocking out its competitors. The Nook has spurred Amazon to add some features but it seems to me that Amazon has targeted the IPad as its major competitor in the market. Amazon has done a bang up job of getting its apps out and advertising them. Non e-reader owners can find them easily and buy books from Amazon easily enough. I think the very reason that people want Amazon to sell books in EPub and Mobi is because they cannot find books at the EPub book stores. I have read topics started by folks who bought a Kindle because they were having difficulty finding books for the Nook or Sony or Kobo. I have no idea what books they are looking at but it does seem to be something that is posted about frequently enough that it makes me raise an eyebrow. I would guess that the popular fiction and non fiction books are available at all the stores. I would think that the books people are having trouble finding are more niche books that Amazon has. As the Kindle continues to build an international customer base I expect to see more bookstores over seas offering books in Mobi because they want to be able to sell to Kindle users. I understand why people want access to Amazon. I just find the argument that Amazon is anti-free market or taking away peoples freedom to shop where they want or that people should boycott Amazon because they don't sell books in EPub to be a bit silly. As you said, you choose your device knowing about the format issues, and you are happy with your choice. I just wish others would adopt that same attitude.