Has Sony done enough to market the Readers?

DougFNJ · 09-10-2009, 03:25 PM

Just curious what fellow enthusiasts think? I definitely feel more people know about the Kindle than the Sony Readers. I also believe if Sony did a little more advertising particularly TV Advertising, they would grab quite a bit more marketshare.

Word of Mouth gets you so far......I would think a little more marketing would get them further.

So what do you all think?

Please post in your thoughts with your votes

DixieGal · 09-10-2009, 03:44 PM

I've never seen a magazine or TV ad for any ebook reader. They should use whoever does iPhone ads, those things are on TV every 5 minutes. And why can't a group of teens on the CW network sit around trashing each other's reputations and doing their homework with an ebook reader? After all, 90210 students could easily afford a luxury device, right?

MelC · 09-10-2009, 03:44 PM

In the last week alone I have had several people independently question me as to whether my reader was a "Kindle". I told them no, that there were a wide variety of devices available (at the time I was using my Cybook) and told them that Sony had just come out with a bunch of great new readers. As far as I can see they have done nothing to advertise them.

Mel

BeccaAnn · 09-10-2009, 06:14 PM

I too, get asked if my Sony Reader is a Kindle. People just don't realize that there are other devices out there. If I see an ad for a reader, it is always the Kindle. I have never seen one for any other device. That being said, maybe now that the Sony is being offered at more brick & mortar stores (instead of only their own and Borders), the Sony Reader will gain in popularity.

mellina 52 · 09-10-2009, 06:24 PM

I saw an article in the AARP magazine over 2 years ago. It was that article that helped me make my decision about the Sony PRS 505. I have had mine for 2 years now and it still works fine. I love it.

elazullizard · 09-10-2009, 09:25 PM

Same with me. Well, once, somebody came up to me and asked if "that was an i-reader". I would have laughed if the situation wasn't so grim. Anyway, there's always a bunch of advertising for the 505 in my local target ads. I have yet to see it on a target commercial, though.

lilac_jive · 09-10-2009, 09:32 PM

I think they've done a good job. I get the feeling they can't spend a ton of money on marketing, so it's much more targeted. Which, if you think about it, is a good idea, since they'll want to tap into a specific audience. I've seen them do promos on romance blogs (big readers), and I've seen ads in major cities (hello, commuters!). They get their name in the tech blogs. I think they're also relying on word of mouth (my Reader came with little cards to pass to people).

Boston · 09-10-2009, 10:12 PM

I received a nice direct mail brochure about the new Sony readers in the mail yesterday.

Not sure how they targeted folks as I've never bought anything from them directly. (Haven't even bothered to register my ebook reader since I bought it used).

RCR · 09-11-2009, 08:04 AM

Yes, I'm getting annoyed by folk asking "Is that a Kindle?"

I've taken to explaining that: "No, it's a Sony. It's much better than a Kindle."

Wario · 09-11-2009, 08:20 AM

Sony only done a press conference in the US and UK. Which was a small help with market. (but people who know about the ebook readers already knew).

But if Sony want a larger share of the market (and new consumers) they really need to invest in marketing.

rhadin · 09-11-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DixieGal

I've never seen a magazine or TV ad for any ebook reader.

I can't comment about TV as I don't watch it, but I have seen several Sony ads in magazines/newspapers over the months. Just not a well-designed, well-crafted effort.

Lady Blue · 09-11-2009, 10:25 AM

I wasn't even aware that dedicated ebook readers existed until about 6 months before the Sony 505 came out. I knew about ebooks, but only to the extent that they could be read on a computer screen or a PDA. Neither option appealed to me.

I lost a lot of ebook reading time before I found out about the Sony 500, and I blame the lack of advertising for that. I was totally in the dark about how far the technology had gone.

Yes, I think Sony needs to do some advertising. Yes, yes, yes.

sahmad88 · 09-11-2009, 10:36 AM

I also just had the, "No, I prefer this over the Kindle" discussion with someone this week. I agree that now that the Sony readers are available at a larger variety of stores, this will help.

But the 505 has been at Target stores for quite a while, and no one seems to know about it. When I had my 505, I would get asked about it. I would mention it was available at Target. People would then ask if it was new. But it had been available for over a year.

I think if Sony wants a larger market share, then they do need to advertise more. Better product placement in the stores, better signage in the stores, and one or two well placed TV ads would probably broaden their base. I would love to see them overtake the Kindle.

Grandma Aubbie · 09-11-2009, 11:30 AM

I did not even know about the Sony until a friend recommended the mobileread forum. Just the Kindle - since no one who buys from Amazon can miss it - they advertise on every single page.

I'm into marketing and I know two things:
1) You have to have it in stock in order to sell it
2) People don't buy things unless they know they exist.

Me, I'm now a convert. Speak up Sony!

toomanybooks · 09-11-2009, 11:53 AM

They need to hire a Don Draper to advertise the readers. They are spending money on advertising, but its lousy marketing.

View Poll Results: Should Sony do more marketing on the Sony Reader Line?
Yes, lets get the word out and increase the marketshare.	51	91.07%
No, there is no need to, they are doing fine with what they have done so far.	5	8.93%
Voters: 56. You may not vote on this poll

09-10-2009, 03:25 PM	#1
DougFNJ Avid Reader Posts: 273 Karma: 1332 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Jersey Device: Kindle Paperwhite Signature, 2TB iPad Pro 11”	Has Sony done enough to market the Readers? Just curious what fellow enthusiasts think? I definitely feel more people know about the Kindle than the Sony Readers. I also believe if Sony did a little more advertising particularly TV Advertising, they would grab quite a bit more marketshare. Word of Mouth gets you so far......I would think a little more marketing would get them further. So what do you all think? Please post in your thoughts with your votes

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09-10-2009, 03:44 PM	#2
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I've never seen a magazine or TV ad for any ebook reader. They should use whoever does iPhone ads, those things are on TV every 5 minutes. And why can't a group of teens on the CW network sit around trashing each other's reputations and doing their homework with an ebook reader? After all, 90210 students could easily afford a luxury device, right?

09-10-2009, 03:44 PM	#3
MelC Evangelist Posts: 410 Karma: 2081 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Device: Cybook Gen3, PRS600	In the last week alone I have had several people independently question me as to whether my reader was a "Kindle". I told them no, that there were a wide variety of devices available (at the time I was using my Cybook) and told them that Sony had just come out with a bunch of great new readers. As far as I can see they have done nothing to advertise them. Mel

09-10-2009, 06:14 PM	#4
BeccaAnn Groupie Posts: 188 Karma: 660 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Spearfish, SD, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	I too, get asked if my Sony Reader is a Kindle. People just don't realize that there are other devices out there. If I see an ad for a reader, it is always the Kindle. I have never seen one for any other device. That being said, maybe now that the Sony is being offered at more brick & mortar stores (instead of only their own and Borders), the Sony Reader will gain in popularity.

09-10-2009, 06:24 PM	#5
mellina 52 Enthusiast Posts: 33 Karma: 320201 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Southeast Virginia Device: Sony PRS-505. IPAD	I saw an article in the AARP magazine over 2 years ago. It was that article that helped me make my decision about the Sony PRS 505. I have had mine for 2 years now and it still works fine. I love it.

09-10-2009, 09:25 PM	#6
elazullizard Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Sony Reader PRS 505	Same with me. Well, once, somebody came up to me and asked if "that was an i-reader". I would have laughed if the situation wasn't so grim. Anyway, there's always a bunch of advertising for the 505 in my local target ads. I have yet to see it on a target commercial, though.

09-10-2009, 09:32 PM	#7
lilac_jive Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,870 Karma: 27376 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Device: PRS-505	I think they've done a good job. I get the feeling they can't spend a ton of money on marketing, so it's much more targeted. Which, if you think about it, is a good idea, since they'll want to tap into a specific audience. I've seen them do promos on romance blogs (big readers), and I've seen ads in major cities (hello, commuters!). They get their name in the tech blogs. I think they're also relying on word of mouth (my Reader came with little cards to pass to people).

09-10-2009, 10:12 PM	#8
Boston Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 40032 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston :) Device: Kindle, Kobo Aura H20, Pixel XL	I received a nice direct mail brochure about the new Sony readers in the mail yesterday. Not sure how they targeted folks as I've never bought anything from them directly. (Haven't even bothered to register my ebook reader since I bought it used).

09-11-2009, 08:04 AM	#9
RCR Addict Posts: 334 Karma: 992487 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: 2 x Sony 505, iPad, Samsung 7 Tablet, ASUS Transformer, Nexus 7	Yes, I'm getting annoyed by folk asking "Is that a Kindle?" I've taken to explaining that: "No, it's a Sony. It's much better than a Kindle."

09-11-2009, 08:20 AM	#10
Wario Connoisseur Posts: 59 Karma: 11 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: UK Device: Sony PRS-505	Sony only done a press conference in the US and UK. Which was a small help with market. (but people who know about the ebook readers already knew). But if Sony want a larger share of the market (and new consumers) they really need to invest in marketing.

09-11-2009, 10:25 AM	#12
Lady Blue the snarky blue one Posts: 6,001 Karma: 3877825 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: deep in the heart Device: PRS500, 505 & 600, PRST1 & T2, Kindle PW, Moto Razr, Galaxy Tab 2-10"	I wasn't even aware that dedicated ebook readers existed until about 6 months before the Sony 505 came out. I knew about ebooks, but only to the extent that they could be read on a computer screen or a PDA. Neither option appealed to me. I lost a lot of ebook reading time before I found out about the Sony 500, and I blame the lack of advertising for that. I was totally in the dark about how far the technology had gone. Yes, I think Sony needs to do some advertising. Yes, yes, yes.

Advert

Advert

09-11-2009, 10:36 AM	#13
sahmad88 Zealot Posts: 120 Karma: 567 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: nook color	I also just had the, "No, I prefer this over the Kindle" discussion with someone this week. I agree that now that the Sony readers are available at a larger variety of stores, this will help. But the 505 has been at Target stores for quite a while, and no one seems to know about it. When I had my 505, I would get asked about it. I would mention it was available at Target. People would then ask if it was new. But it had been available for over a year. I think if Sony wants a larger market share, then they do need to advertise more. Better product placement in the stores, better signage in the stores, and one or two well placed TV ads would probably broaden their base. I would love to see them overtake the Kindle.

09-11-2009, 11:30 AM	#14
Grandma Aubbie Grandma Aubbie Posts: 79 Karma: 229 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Southwest Kansas Device: sony 600	I did not even know about the Sony until a friend recommended the mobileread forum. Just the Kindle - since no one who buys from Amazon can miss it - they advertise on every single page. I'm into marketing and I know two things: 1) You have to have it in stock in order to sell it 2) People don't buy things unless they know they exist. Me, I'm now a convert. Speak up Sony!

09-11-2009, 11:53 AM	#15
toomanybooks Addict Posts: 302 Karma: 1039424 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Ipad, Ipod Touch, KIndle Fire	They need to hire a Don Draper to advertise the readers. They are spending money on advertising, but its lousy marketing.