Quote:
Originally Posted by stonetools
I think it likely that you'll see a BUNCH of different subscription models thrown at you over the next few years, from an all-you-can read model featuring only books on the deep back list to a premium model that would include bestsellers. The good thing about the Internet is that eventually you'll see everything, if there is a demand for all that model.
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Well...maybe. I mean, I hope so. But as Elfwreck has very intelligently pointed out, it's more complicated than that. In terms of "back list" items, I'm having a hard enough time buying what I want to read now (because of abandonware issues). And in terms of bestsellers, good luck finding Rowling at the local elibrary, eh?
Over the next few years, it's unclear whether the authors and publishers will FINALLY drag themselves into this century, or if they're going to keep kicking and screaming and whining about their buggy-whip formats. And if the books we would want to subscribe to read aren't available in ebook format, they're not going to be available in subscription format.
A subscription campaign for reading that offers a selection comparable to, say, the Free Library of Philadelphia is going to have to offer their selection at or less than said FLoP. And that's not a very profitable model.
And a subscription campaign for buying is going to have to offer a discount beyond what Amazon, B&N, Kobo, etc. offers, and at least for Agency books, I don't reckon that's possible.
In short, it's a good idea, but FAR from a foregone conclusion, I think.