Quote:
Originally Posted by Robertb
Dear Sara:
In the past, a few retailers have noted that they would like to see devices that could be primarily targeted to women. Mostly it was just lip service and went no further. Now we have been approached by publishers that sell ONLY to women and have the customer base to make something like this more a reality.
This is NOT a case of Robert B with dollar signs in his eyes looking at a new and lucrative market. This is about two publishers who have openly stated that the Big Two eBook reader manufacturers have not listened to them and just maybe Astak will listen.
MobileRead Forum already should know of me as one that likes to listen and react truthfully to end users and possible end users. Same goes with these two publishers. I am searching for ideas and just maybe we all will get products that do find a real hidden opportunity. Astak is NOT exploiting anyone or pulling their attention away from males or going off in a new direction. We are trying to get ideas that perhaps do lend themselves more towards women.
And, in so doing, maybe all (males and females) will profit as we come out with better devices.
I feel naturally (or I would not be in the business) that our Mentor and EZ Reader lines are at least as good and in many ways better than the competition. Why would anybody want to build a second or third class machine? BUT, despite how good our machines may be, large publishers do not even know we exist. Just maybe something like this can show that we are what I think we are (a terrific value) and on a level or slightly advanced footing with the Big Two.
|
Oh, dear. I am very sorry, Robert! If that is how you took my comments, then I did a poor job of writing in an attempt for a little humor. Or you had a really long day or some of both.
You are correct that most attempts to market items toward women get mostly lip service and if something is done it is indeed generally laughable. The comment (thank you Griffonwing, but I was trying for Engadet's description of Dell's first attempt at Della, not the current version) is a prime example of the worst version of "shrink & pink" idea that you mentioned. A successfull item directed to women is the Honda CRV where actual research was done to see what women wanted in a small sport utility vehicle - like a really light lift gate and good storage in the back. Many guys like it too because Honda did a good job without going overboard . No, I don't have one, but it made my top choices back when I was choosing.
And yes, you do listen. That is much of why I participate on this forum and no other that I visit. Just many of the ideas coming up have been said before and will be again because they are good. But maybe now that those companies that sell books mostly to women have made their point that boss you are taking the waterproof reader idea to may be more ready to listen to all the good stuff you have? If he/she is like my prior bosses he/she will want freshly gathered ideas though - not what you have on file even though only the date changes. That was the point I wanted to make. And who knows, maybe somebody did say something new?
At this point I would rather see a really good e-book reader product and then see about directing towards a gender specific market. Many of the really good ideas right now have nothing to do with gender. I would really rather see Astak established with a couple more solid devices before worrying about a specific market segment. After market things like cases and skins can do that for now rather than the hardware itself.
I firmly believe that no company that makes a really good product that has what people want for a good price ever has to go after a market with dollar signs in its eyes because it doesn't have to. Now if I can only find one that makes a good small technical backpack with real padded straps weighing less than a pound. I have one in black and love it, but some spring time I really wish I could buy one in a light color and have looked for 3 years. And I'm still looking for some company to figure out that this part of the market is being ignored <sigh>. Most likely I think that is the type of market you are looking to make happy?
