Quote:
Originally Posted by NatCh
I admit I'm flummoxed by this comment. 
Please understand: I'm not trying to suggest that there's something wrong with what you've said, just that I don't think I'm following you.
I agree that only offering the book in two formats is pretty limited, however if I were going to pick two, I'd have to say that kindle/mobipocket and ePub are arguably the most widely used at present and pretty accessible. Especially since the files are not DRMed, which makes conversion pretty easy. In the case of ePub, just changing the file extension to .ZIP will give you access to the source HTML file, which is extremely flexible.
As for the payment, I realize that this is my perspective and as such is heavily influenced by my particular circumstances and experiences, but I regard PayPal as one of the most desirable payment options. In fact, I strongly prefer it to credit cards because I don't have to give out the CC number while still using a CC, plus it's just easier to use than a CC.
He's specifically said that he's feeling his way into this whole e-commerce thing, so I assume that his limited formats and payment options may be part of that "figuring things out" process. As such, he might actually appreciate having someone suggest others, and explain why they might be worth his while to look into. From his blog posts, he seems like a fairly reasonable fellow, anyway. 
But what really has me curious is the question of which specific principles you have involved in the format and/or payment options. Is that something you'd be willing to explain further? (Or point me to an explanation if you've already shared it here somewhere?)
Again, I'm not trying to pick an argument, I'm genuinely curious as to what's motivating your view on the matter.  |
Nope, I don't take things as an argument if I can interpret them any other way. I won't do PayPal, because I feel it is a corrupt group with no safeguards. I have had them promise one thing, and when it mattered, refused to follow through with the promise. If you search PayPal on google, you will find any number of stories of PayPal problems. I refuse to do business with them on principle, I will not support them, and will advocate against them. Even on things I really want, I will go without rather than do business with them.
So no PayPal, no epub (which is my preferred format anyway).
Next, he offers on Amazon Kindle, granted that is a good chunk of the market, but by far not the majority. Again, I don't have a kindle, and I on principle do not buy a product, paying money, to have to do more work myself, when that should have been done already. I don't want the kindle reader on my PC, I have no need of it. If an author wants to sell a book on the kindle, but not other formats, then I will generally just pass on the book and read something else.
My point here was trying to show how an author, by making a few simple assumptions, will miss a lot of potential customers even when they have done all the marketing to hook them. The author may have always had good luck with PayPal, but by making the assumption it will work for everyone, they have locked out a segment of reading public. They did all the work, got the word spread, brought the customer to their door, and then lost them. All on an assumption of good enough.
Same with Kindle. He states that he wants 10,000 sales, but then limits how those sales will be made. Instead, he should be working all the sales channels, getting his book on places like smashwords, B&N, Borders, iTunes, etc. Places that will change the payment problems to non-problems, and resolve the format issues for people. If he is selling directly, he should take PayPal, google checkout, etc.
DRM only comes into play for me in that I don't by DRM'd books (I can strip it but don't need to bother). I don't need to convert them for him. This may sound harsh, but I have a stack of good TBR books, adding an author that expects me to pay him so I can do his job, is insane. If the book was free, then I may decide the format conversion was the price I was paying, but if I am trading money for a good, on principle, I am going to trade my money for a good in the format I can use.
--Carl