The Price of Exclusivity

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i'm a long time veteran of the video game wars so exclusivity is old hat to me and really no big deal.

imo this is childish as hell of b&n. they took their toys and went home so their customers get nothing now. feel how you want about amazon but the b&n response was utterly juvenile, especially over a deal with an expiration date.

maybe i'm just a weirdo, i refuse to hate amazon. they're successful because they're smart businessmen and broker deals to benefit their customers and brand. any one of us would be cutting the same deals in their position. they're a business, not a charity. i don't know why people are so eager to tear down one of the last american companies that does right by their customers and isn't involved in shenanigans.

I may not have worded it quite as strongly/sternly, but I do agree. I think B&N is doing their customers a disservice and biting off their nose to spit their face.
If I were looking for a DC comic I certainly would have looked there with the expectation of buying something, unless, of course, I was looking for a very specific title. In that case, I would expect to have to search numerous places. With this move, however they would be ensuring not only the loss of that sale, but the loss of every other comic sale (DC, Marvel, or other) becuase I would no longer see them as a viable or reliable source.

[BrowseTheStacks]

Originally Posted by teh603

Agreed, I wasn't planning on putting anything up there either since I don't like the Kindle's DRM "features"- particularly the one that can shut off its text-to-speech chip. This is just going to be another nail in the coffin.

Be mad at the publishers not at Amazon. Amazon lets you publish 100% DRM-free. It is the Agency 6 and others who lock the books down.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by xg4bx

i'm a long time veteran of the video game wars so exclusivity is old hat to me and really no big deal.

imo this is childish as hell of b&n. they took their toys and went home so their customers get nothing now. feel how you want about amazon but the b&n response was utterly juvenile, especially over a deal with an expiration date.

maybe i'm just a weirdo, i refuse to hate amazon. they're successful because they're smart businessmen and broker deals to benefit their customers and brand. any one of us would be cutting the same deals in their position. they're a business, not a charity. i don't know why people are so eager to tear down one of the last american companies that does right by their customers and isn't involved in shenanigans.

They are very good to me.
A good friend indeed.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by BrowseTheStacks

Be mad at the publishers not at Amazon. Amazon lets you publish 100% DRM-free. It is the Agency 6 and others who lock the books down.

Many just don't listen to common sense. Their senseless rage against Amazon is boundless. They blame Amazon for copyrighting. They blame Amazon for bowing to the Publishers demands for high prices.

The real problem with the Agency model isn't a monopoly as we normally think of it, but of trying to control the book after it has been sold.
I suppose next the Publishers will try to control the physical book when you and I try to sell it second hand.

Oh wait, they have already tried to get a cut of the second hand market and the third and so on.

And yet some here are so blinded with rage that they kick the shins of the person feeding them.

[JeremyR]

Do comic book fans even buy comics from B&N? Every time I go in there, there's always a few reading them, but I've never see one actually buy them.

That's the trouble with a medium that can be read in 15 minutes

[JSWolf]

I find Amazon's tactics to be bad for consumers. Exclusivity is bad for consumers who do not buy from Amazon. And those that do buy exclusive content from Amazon just adds fuel to the fire. It's not good overall to buy anything from Amazon that Amazon has exclusive.

[vaughnmr]

Originally Posted by teh603

Agreed, I wasn't planning on putting anything up there either since I don't like the Kindle's DRM "features"- particularly the one that can shut off its text-to-speech chip. This is just going to be another nail in the coffin.

You should know it's the publishers who insist on drm, limits to TTS, and limit or deny loaning, not to mention limits to library lending. If you are an author, how can you be so misinformed?

[Ken Maltby]

Hmm... It's the publishers not Amazon? Who else besides Amazon is using Topaz?
Why do they have their own Format AND their own DRM? Why are they trying to
lock down certain authors, with exclusive contracts? Their whole approach to ebooks
and their own eReading device has been to limit/constrain the consumer, ala Apple.
Why is there not a common format and DRM employed by the publisher, that you would
see at all the retailers, if it is the publisher who insist on DRM?

Luck;
Ken

[L.J. Sellers]

I love Amazon. I pay all my bills with the royalty payments I get from the company. But I still think exclusive deals are not customer friendly, at least from the author's perspective. I don't know what I'd do if Amazon offered me such a contract. The money and exposure would be tempting! I should be so lucky as to have that problem.
L.J.
[Promotional link deleted - MODERATOR]

[NightBird]

5.6 DRM and Geofiltering Technology. We may, but are not obligated, to provide you the option to apply DRM technology in connection with the distribution of your Digital Books. If we provide you the option to apply DRM technology, you acknowledge that we make no representations as to the efficacy of the DRM and will not be responsible for any failure of the DRM. We also may, but are not obligated, to use geofiltering technology as a way of determining which customers are entitled to purchase Digital Books, for example, where you indicate that you do not have worldwide distribution rights to a Digital Book through the procedure we provide to you for that purpose. If we use geofiltering technology when distributing your Digital Books, distribution will be deemed to have taken place within the permitted distribution territories for the Digital Books, even though customers may, in fact, be located outside those territories.

Kindle Direct Publishing Terms and Conditions

Are all Kindle titles eligible for lending through the Kindle Book Lending program? Yes, all books are eligible. However, publishers may choose to opt their books out of the lending program if they have chosen 35% royalty option and have not made the same book eligible for lending in other retailer programs.

Lending for Kindle

2-4. Are there any other requirements for participation in the 70 percent royalty option?
Yes, additional requirements include:
• Titles must be made available for sale in all geographies for which the author or publisher has rights.
• The title will be included in a broad set of features in the Kindle Store, such as text-to-speech. This list of features will grow over time as Amazon continues to add more functionality to Kindle and the Kindle Store.

Sales and Royalties FAQ

[frahse]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Hmm... It's the publishers not Amazon? Who else besides Amazon is using Topaz?
Why do they have their own Format AND their own DRM? Why are they trying to
lock down certain authors, with exclusive contracts? Their whole approach to ebooks
and their own eReading device has been to limit/constrain the consumer, ala Apple.
Why is there not a common format and DRM employed by the publisher, that you would
see at all the retailers, if it is the publisher who insist on DRM?

Luck;
Ken

So, since Amazon doesn't have a ineffective DRM they are the consumer's enemy?
If B&N and Amazon both want to sell my books, do I want them to have half baked DRM. Should I choose the weakest DRM and go with the Seller who uses that. Should I choose the weakest company in general who will make mistakes in advertising, presenting, shipping, and billing, with all these mistakes eventually trickling down to my small share of the profit. No.
An Author and a Publisher will choose the best Company, and if he/she doesn't want copy protection he/she will choose "no copy protection."

Don't fault Amazon because it is a competent business.

Don't fault a bank because it chooses to have a good vault, and the best security. I am sure you won't if it has your money.

Do we see the authors that are badmouthing Amazon and claiming to be one with the consumers putting their books online for downloading for say, one half the going price, with a honor system where you can send them payment by PayPal or Credit card, or pay them later when you get the cash?

[frahse]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I find Amazon's tactics to be bad for consumers. Exclusivity is bad for consumers who do not buy from Amazon. And those that do buy exclusive content from Amazon just adds fuel to the fire. It's not good overall to buy anything from Amazon that Amazon has exclusive.

Exclusivity allows Amazon or B&N to spend more money on advertising and promoting a book. It will provide more money to the authors who will eventually put out more books for the consumer.

If the authors can't make it, they will go elsewhere to make a living.

[frahse]

Originally Posted by JeremyR

Do comic book fans even buy comics from B&N? Every time I go in there, there's always a few reading them, but I've never see one actually buy them.

That's the trouble with a medium that can be read in 15 minutes

I've often thought that the Sellers should only put out a new comic on the rack every other month, or every 3 months. Then the reader/buyer might have more initiative to buy the others which are held behind the counter. Sometimes they enclose the issues with a secure plastic sleeve. I don't know which is more effective.

[Suzanna]

It's no more childish than Amazon removing the buy buttons from all Macmillan books in early 2010. Given how Amazon blinked and caved when the publisher held firm on wanting to institute agency pricing, I'm surprised that B&N decided, essentially, to use the same tactic. I wouldn't be surprised if they changed their minds soon.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by frahse

Exclusivity allows Amazon or B&N to spend more money on advertising and promoting a book. It will provide more money to the authors who will eventually put out more books for the consumer.

If the authors can't make it, they will go elsewhere to make a living.

I don't care if they go beg for money on the street instead of write books. If they want to make exclusive deals that are not good for the customer, they don't deserve to sell. Anyone who signs an exclusive deal is not doing so for the good of customers. Amazon is the worst one for this. If B&N is also doing it, then that's just as bad. But really, when is exclusive good for everyone who reads? It's not. Not ever.