Sony Withdrawing from eBook Reader Market Entirely in US

[GeoffR]

In many countries outside the US Sony have a big advantage over other brands: they have the only e-ink reader that can download Adobe DRM epubs directly from the public library system. They seem to sell quite well in New Zealand despite the Sony ebook store not being available here, and despite being near the top of the price range for ereaders. I suspect the ease of borrowing public library books is a big factor in that.

Edit: So for business reasons it might make sense not to bother competing in a market where they have no advantage to support the higher margins they can attract elsewhere.

[FanciFreez]

Sony made the right choice from a business standpoint.. not their forte in the U.S. market..

[xendula]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

In many countries outside the US Sony have a big advantage over other brands: they have the only e-ink reader that can download Adobe DRM epubs directly from the public library system. They seem to sell quite well in New Zealand despite the Sony ebook store not being available here, and despite being near the top of the price range for ereaders. I suspect the ease of borrowing public library books is a big factor in that.

Edit: So for business reasons it might make sense not to bother competing in a market where they have no advantage to support the higher margins they can attract elsewhere.

There was a page on the US site that was geared towards librarians. It was linked off of the regular ereader pages, so my guess is that that one, too, has been removed. If my memory serves me well, it contained information for librarians and info about kiosks that could be ordered to promote their readers in libraries.

[Marcy]

My Sony reader had the best file system of any ereader I've owned, and I've owned a lot. I still miss it, as it would sort by author, title, date, collections and tags. If they ever make a front-lit reader with the same filesystem I'm getting it no matter where I have to import it from.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Ask your typical US reader who makes ereaders: they'll say Kindle, Nook, and Kobo (maybe). Techies and enthusiasts know Sony makes readers, mainstresm buyers don't. Come shopping time, Sony isn't on their minds.
You can't sell to people who don't know you're selling.

Ahh. Never heard the term. I think Sony readers are reasonably well known in Canada.

[charmian]

If true, it's unsurprising. Won't have much of an impact on the US market though.

Only Amazon and B&N are major players in the US, IIRC. Kobo also plays a minor role. I'm hoping that Kobo can become more popular in the US, to create more competition, since B&N doesn't seem to be very active in that lately.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by charmian

If true, it's unsurprising. Won't have much of an impact on the US market though.

Only Amazon and B&N are major players in the US, IIRC. Kobo also plays a minor role. I'm hoping that Kobo can become more popular in the US, to create more competition, since B&N doesn't seem to be very active in that lately.

Kobo at least is trying, despite their regular missteps; their deals with indie bookstores at least puts their readers somewhere ordinary readers might run into them. Sony just hasn't done much since the release of the T1. No ads, no widespread B&M presence... All they've done is cater to the faithful.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

To start with, their ereader distribution in the US has for years consisted of their Sony stores and mall kiosks and a handful of listings with online electronics vendors. You only found them if you went actively looking for them. And few did.

It was with the introduction of the T2 last year (Autumn 2012) that Sony did not market to mainstream stores. Before that you could find them easily enough in Target, Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, Walmart, etc.

[carpetmojo]

I totally agree that Sony should ditch the Sony Store - from my own experience, and of other Reader users, you bought the device, and never bothered with the Store !
Prices and availability offered no great advantages to a number of other sources, and Calibre made the "management system" , to be polite, look like
a Model T Ford .............
A lot of energy and dosh (that's £'s & $'s) were, in my opinion, wasted - Sony could never hope to get up there with the big player suppliers, Kindle in particular, but should have concentrated on the physical Reader.
Perhaps recommending Calibre ?!

And being a bit more realistic about their pricing policy, too.


However, it's a bit late now - the fact they have, it would seem, left the US to the others is a move which does not bode well for those of us who simply like the Reader ...... wherever we live, 'cos I can't see Sony making enough from the rest of the market, and it is extremely unlikely that they'll be back with a "game-changer".

I'm afraid I think they had their chance, took it .... and then blew it .

[tubemonkey]

First the came for the Sonys, and I didn't care because I owned a Kindle.
Then they came for the Nooks, and I didn't care because I owned a Kindle.
Then they came for the Kobos, and I didn't care because I owned a Kindle.
Then they came for the Kindles, and I didn't care because there's always audiobooks

[Lynx-lynx]

Gee willickers .... the US isn't the beginning and end of ebook sellers nor ebook stores!!

Haven't got a clue what Sony's reasons are re the US, but hey didn't they offer the T3 into Germany first so that ought to tell us where they think their market/s are, eh.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

I totally agree that Sony should ditch the Sony Store - from my own experience, and of other Reader users, you bought the device, and never bothered with the Store !
Prices and availability offered no great advantages to a number of other sources, and Calibre made the "management system" , to be polite, look like
a Model T Ford .............
A lot of energy and dosh (that's £'s & $'s) were, in my opinion, wasted - Sony could never hope to get up there with the big player suppliers, Kindle in particular, but should have concentrated on the physical Reader.
Perhaps recommending Calibre ?!

And being a bit more realistic about their pricing policy, too.


However, it's a bit late now - the fact they have, it would seem, left the US to the others is a move which does not bode well for those of us who simply like the Reader ...... wherever we live, 'cos I can't see Sony making enough from the rest of the market, and it is extremely unlikely that they'll be back with a "game-changer".

I'm afraid I think they had their chance, took it .... and then blew it .

I tend to think of Sony as a big player. Not necessarily in the ebook market, but a significant company overall.

I am starting to agree with those that think they are abandoning the market. Can't say I blame them if they are not making money in this area.

Disappointing for me, as I consider any Sony reader I have used to be miles ahead. Just my opinion. The only reason I don't have a T3 is I am hoping that they will bundle it with the lighted cover eventually. And I am fine with my T1 and don't hate the Kobo mini. I do hate the Aura HD for a variety of reasons. A bit unbalanced of me I know to detest an inanimate object

Helen

[mikaelalind]

FYI, Shop E-readers sells Sony PRS T3. No idea how good they are when it comes to customer service, though.

[John F]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Kobo at least is trying, despite their regular missteps; their deals with indie bookstores at least puts their readers somewhere ordinary readers might run into them. Sony just hasn't done much since the release of the T1. No ads, no widespread B&M presence... All they've done is cater to the faithful.

I have to wonder if Kobo is still pursuing the U.S. Going the "indie bookstore" route, they make it very hard to obtain their ereaders. I'm still not seeing the Aura (or Aura HD) on the websites for my local indie bookstores.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by John F

I have to wonder if Kobo is still pursuing the U.S. Going the "indie bookstore" route, they make it very hard to obtain their ereaders. I'm still not seeing the Aura (or Aura HD) on the websites for my local indie bookstores.

Not only that, but when I inquired at a local indie about device pricing, they said they wouldn't honor national sales. They said devices were sold based upon cost and they wouldn't take a loss.