People with Kindles are like robots in another world

[carld]

We are Kindle of Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.


Just in case someone hasn't made that joke yet.

[QuantumIguana]

Originally Posted by DMB

I think a lot of bookshops were being killed off by Amazon and other net stores before e-readers became very popular. I have gone seamlessly from buying most of my dt-books from Amazon to buying most of my kindle books from them.

It wasn't Amazon that hurt the independent bookstores, they were already having difficulty competing with big box bookstores.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

... I think what it boils down to is they know ereaders are hard on their business and resent them ....

Totaly agree I think that is

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

I kind of wish ebooks could be bought by going to any bookstore and scanning a code on a book and then purchasing, and whatever book store you were at would get the sale. But that isn't how they work.

My first reaction is why? But I can see your point it would be nice to be at a bookstore purchase a book at a bookstore either to support the store or to take advantage of store specials.

Gamestop is doing this very thing it is selling digital content on it's website and in it's brick and mortar store. Customers can take full advantage of any store specials with digital games as it could with physical games.

The book business could learn from this, chances are they won't

=X=

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by emilia maingu

Nice to join the mobileread forum

Welcome to the forum. Jump into the conversation.

[Jobby]

Originally Posted by =X=

Totaly agree I think that is



My first reaction is why? But I can see your point it would be nice to be at a bookstore purchase a book at a bookstore either to support the store or to take advantage of store specials.

Gamestop is doing this very thing it is selling digital content on it's website and in it's brick and mortar store. Customers can take full advantage of any store specials with digital games as it could with physical games.

The book business could learn from this, chances are they won't

=X=

If the market is changing, adapt and use it to your advantage. Complaining about and blaming consumers is going to achieve nothing but the hastening of your own demise.

Also - I own a Kindle that's full (actually can't fit everything in it) and I've bought perhaps two ebooks from Amazon.

[Bev]

"Kindles are just a phase and they won’t last. They are our enemy.’ The father of two has been selling books for 25 years with his wife Anne, 49. "

I can't help but think he's just worried about us all downloading out of copyright books that he sells for a hefty profit. Take a look at his online catalogue.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Bev

"Kindles are just a phase and they won’t last. They are our enemy.’ The father of two has been selling books for 25 years with his wife Anne, 49. "

I can't help but think he's just worried about us all downloading out of copyright books that he sells for a hefty profit. Take a look at his online catalogue.

He sounds like the father of two who will quit selling books after a total of 26 years. It is sad for a person to have to change professions after such a long time, but the same happened to the guys who sold typewriters. It is better to look for alternatives early, you can't stop the tide from coming in by holding out your arms. They are just wasting time and making everything even more difficult for themselves by playing pretend.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by =X=

Gamestop is doing this very thing it is selling digital content on it's website and in it's brick and mortar store. Customers can take full advantage of any store specials with digital games as it could with physical games.

But (in a nice parallel to the ebook world), they are only able to do this for PC downloads, because there is no single point of control for what goes on a PC.
(Just like unprotected ebooks, or to stretch the analogy a bit, Adept ePubs.)
They cannot sell DRM'd digital game downloads for the PS3, XBox 360 or Wii unless the game is already available digital on the host service, because Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo have sole control of the DRM for those devices. (Just like Amazon do with Kindles.)
And where they can sell them, all they are doing would be reselling the options provided by the manufacturers, so they have little flexibility.

What they can do is sell unlock codes for games/DLC, where that option has already been provided in the game. I'm not sure if there is a suitable analogy for books there.

[Mel]

I wonder if these cards http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=5343 would ever get popular enough to help bookstores satisfy both p- and e-book readers. I find the idea intriguing and would have loved to have given my local bookstore the money but don't know that it is enough to draw me back into the stores at this point. Some really pretty covers would be fun to have as cards. I could put them in a photo album and spray it with "moldy oldy book" scented perfume to satisfy those visitors who mourn the loss of ability to sack the bookshelf to see what I'm reading.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Mel

I wonder if these cards http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=5343 would ever get popular enough to help bookstores satisfy both p- and e-book readers. I find the idea intriguing and would have loved to have given my local bookstore the money but don't know that it is enough to draw me back into the stores at this point. Some really pretty covers would be fun to have as cards. I could put them in a photo album and spray it with "moldy oldy book" scented perfume to satisfy those visitors who mourn the loss of ability to sack the bookshelf to see what I'm reading.

Interesting idea. I like it.

[Kirtai]

Originally Posted by Mel

I wonder if these cards http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=5343 would ever get popular enough to help bookstores satisfy both p- and e-book readers. I find the idea intriguing and would have loved to have given my local bookstore the money but don't know that it is enough to draw me back into the stores at this point. Some really pretty covers would be fun to have as cards. I could put them in a photo album and spray it with "moldy oldy book" scented perfume to satisfy those visitors who mourn the loss of ability to sack the bookshelf to see what I'm reading.

Wow, those cards are a brilliant idea. I'd love that.

[twowheels]

Originally Posted by Mel

I wonder if these cards http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=5343 would ever get popular enough to help bookstores satisfy both p- and e-book readers. I find the idea intriguing and would have loved to have given my local bookstore the money but don't know that it is enough to draw me back into the stores at this point. Some really pretty covers would be fun to have as cards. I could put them in a photo album and spray it with "moldy oldy book" scented perfume to satisfy those visitors who mourn the loss of ability to sack the bookshelf to see what I'm reading.

If only "book cards" would allow for resale somehow. :-)

I do like the idea, though, for gifting books. It would be nicer to give them a nice card with the artwork of the book that you've chosen rather than just an e-mail.

[DuskyRose]

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

It wasn't Amazon that hurt the independent bookstores, they were already having difficulty competing with big box bookstores.

I'm surprised they're not more concerned with the on-line book trading sites.

I'm sure those have put a huge dent in the new and used markets. Especially since the price for media mail (which is the sender's cost to trade) can be lower than what I've seen at the UBS.

And if you don't mind waiting, you can get in a Wishlist line for any book. The more popular it is, the longer the wishlist, but the more people who break down, buy and read it, then post to trade for a credit. Now you can order new books through their site as well.

The one site I'm on has facilitated over 13 million trades of books between people in the US since it opened.

That's got to cut into the local book business'. I know I just go online and use the trade site for a lot of my books anymore. The locals don't tend to read what I want to read, so I don't see them at the UBS much. And when I do, they're actually more expensive than what I can get by paying media mail prices or less.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Interesting idea. I like it.

So does GAMESTOP. That is how they sell DLC for XBOX 360 games--on cards with download codes.
Microsoft embedded a license code system in the 360 from day one so as to allow gift cards for their digital currency and XBOX LIVE subscription fees as well as to allow retailers like GAMESTOP and AMAZON to sell digital games and other downloads for their system.
Basically you buy the code from the retailer (on a card or via email) and take delivery via the XBL Servers.

There is no reason why the same system coudn't be applied to ebooks...if retailers were interested and important enough to the platform holder. Microsoft needs GAMESTOP, WALMART, and BEST BUY so they take care of them.
Amazon, B&N, and Kobo? Not sure...

But Smashwords and other New Publishing outfits would be wise to try this.

[crossi]

I love the card idea. The one thing I miss most with ereaders is the beautiful covers some books had. The picture on the cover triggers my memory of the book better than the title alone also.