[BillSmithBooks]

Does anyone know why most of the major ebook retailers (Amazon, Sony, Kobo, B&N, Feedbooks retail) require you to log into your account to read an ebook sample...if a sample is offered at all?

The fact that this policy is so common suggests to me that this is a requirement on the part of publishers (another sign of "duh, they just don't get it"?). Does anyone know for sure?

This doesn't make much sense to me...especially since you can listen to MP3 samples on many sites without logging in. It would seem to me that decent, no strings or hassles attached sampling would encourage sales. Personally, I don't want to take the time to log into a site just to check out something I am only casually browsing.

Kudos to Smashwords, Baen/Webscriptions and the widely maligned Google bookstore for allowing generous sampling, by the way.