Amazon.com to Acquire Goodreads - Page 5

BearMountainBooks · 03-29-2013, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jersysman

FictFact is somehow tied into Amazon as well. I mean they are the only advertisements that I see on that site.

The site is an amazon associate (meaning they get a cut of anything you buy from Amazon after clicking through), but I don't believe Amazon invests in them in any way. The associate connection is the only one I know of--that doesn't mean there isn't another one that I don't know about. \

It's my understanding that before the tiff, GR used to be an amazon associate as well.

SallyElliot · 03-29-2013, 01:03 PM

This is quite a news. Amazon is amazing. They are good at whatever they do. First took over the publishing industry and now this....

Yolina · 03-29-2013, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by usuallee

if had started GR, and Amazon slid a scrap of paper across the table, as it were, that had a number with a lot of zeros after it, I'd probably sell out too. It is disappointing though.

Bloomberg seem to think that the little payment was close to $1 billion...

I don't use GR, don't read or write reviews and pay no attention whatsoever to Amazon recommendations so it doesn't really affect me, but I am getting increasingly annoyed with Amazon trying to take over everything and sticking their fingers in all the pies. I used to absolutely love them when they started up in the UK and only sold books, then they started selling music and that was still ok but I have become increasingly weary of their non-stop expansion over the years and now pretty much the only thing I buy from them is my Kindle books - everything else I try as much as possible to buy from other places, particularly small independents when I can but that's unfortunately getting more difficult...

taustin · 03-29-2013, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yolina

Bloomberg seem to think that the little payment was close to $1 billion...

I don't use GR, don't read or write reviews and pay no attention whatsoever to Amazon recommendations so it doesn't really affect me, but I am getting increasingly annoyed with Amazon trying to take over everything and sticking their fingers in all the pies. I used to absolutely love them when they started up in the UK and only sold books, then they started selling music and that was still ok but I have become increasingly weary of their non-stop expansion over the years and now pretty much the only thing I buy from them is my Kindle books - everything else I try as much as possible to buy from other places, particularly small independents when I can but that's unfortunately getting more difficult...

There was a point where Amazon stopped being "the other guy" you went to in order to avoid a giant company everybody loves to hate, and became the reason people look for "the other guy."

hughes · 03-29-2013, 03:13 PM

Kara Swisher is reporting that Amazon paid around $150 Million for Goodreads.

Loosheesh · 03-29-2013, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughes

Kara Swisher is reporting that Amazon paid around $150 Million for Goodreads.

1 billion, $150 million? Oh well, that's close enough

Yolina · 03-29-2013, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hughes

Kara Swisher is reporting that Amazon paid around $150 Million for Goodreads.

That would be far more sensible (all relative of course!) than what Bloomberg were touting.

faithbw · 03-29-2013, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

Although I'm predominantly an Amazon customer and a pretty heavy user of GR, I'm not overwhelmed with joy.

I can see some potential clever integrations between the two being handy (at least for me), but bottom line - I would have preferred GR to remain a neutral book-lovers' site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Time to leave Goodreads I guess :-( What is the next best site that is still neutral?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prestidigitweeze

It isn't a question of liking or disliking Amazon. It's a question of preferring multiple sources of information to one.

All of the above. I'm rather disappointed by this news. I'm looking at some of the alternatives but none of them look as good as GR.

cromag · 03-29-2013, 05:46 PM

I don't intend to leave Goodreads just because Amazon bought them ... but I'm uneasy about the future and leave that option open.

On the other hand, I am editing my Goodreads reviews. I tend to put some work into them because I was reviewing for people who might want to read, not a corporation wanting to sell.

On a recent review I noted that the ebook file was in bad shape, but, since I got it from Smashwords, and it was DRM-free, I was able to run it through Calibre and fix it. It'll be interesting to see if that stays up.

On a side note, the Goodreads acquisition was just the subject of a report on NPR's All Things Considered. The audio should be up on their site by tomorrow.

alanHd · 03-29-2013, 07:27 PM

i use Goodreads for honest reviews by people who love books, i hope i am wrong but i can see it becoming all about selling books.

I can see me leaving if it does.

NickyWithNook · 03-29-2013, 07:28 PM

I have two main thoughts:

1. I've never had much confidence in reviews at Amazon, so I've used Goodreads to read reviews if I was interested in a book. I'm worried the quality of the reviews will suffer, though the same people will hopefully be leaving reviews so that might be an unnecessary worry.

2. If you are interested in a book, Goodreads allows you to set which bookstore you want to have come up under "Get a copy" on the main page for the book. I'm not sure how well I'm describing that, but I imagine in the future it will only link to Amazon. That isn't a huge deal, but will slow me down a bit if I want to buy from B&N.

I will probably get a lot more spam from Amazon, and it will be well researched spam, as they know what all my favorite books are, and what books I'm planning to read. I don't really care about that too much.

I wish it would remain independent, but I don't think it'll make a huge difference. Just little things I won't like much.

tomsem · 03-29-2013, 07:50 PM

I have had a Goodreads account for awhile, and have played with it a little (including today for the first time in months).

So far, I can't say it offers much value for me. If it were integrated with my Kindle account, perhaps. I always have plenty of interesting books to read that I've already purchased, my wish list is heavily populated, so I have plenty of things to choose from as soon as I can finish reading something and am ready to start something new. My friends, for the most part, don't read much, or don't share reading interests, or don't do 'online', so there is no point in adding them to my GR network.

I don't think in terms of genres, there are things that interest me and things that don't, and while there are some patterns, I like variety, so I try to be far ranging rather than trying to find another book that is similar to one I've just read and liked. Just because I enjoyed a particular vampire book one time does not predict whether I would like another vampire book, even one from the same author. Recommendation engines seem to be totally based on identifying such patterns and while that can be somewhat useful, I don't rely on them much.

As it is I don't feel it is a good use of my time to add books to my GR shelves, update reading status, and fine tune recommendations (which nevertheless fail to hit the mark). I could be reading a book! (or writing one...) Yet apparently that is not true of everyone.

It will be interesting to see how things work out with Amazon, though. I think we are unlikely to see any changes for some months. For those who find value in Goodreads now, I don't think they'll do anything but improve the service.

djulian · 03-29-2013, 08:16 PM

I happily paid the lifetime membership fee for LibraryThing. It was something like $20 at the time that I paid. I don't know what it is now. In either case, it's been more than repaid in my own case.

andreabc · 03-29-2013, 09:20 PM

In case anyone is interested:

Librarything is giving free membership for one year if you sign up through the end of Sunday

Xanthe · 03-30-2013, 01:07 AM

The hell with it. I just went into Goodreads and deleted all of my book listings and turned off most of the social aspects; I never used Goodreads for much anyway. Amazon already has enough info on me with the name I use on their site. I don't need them data-mining the rest of them. I can find more than enough book recommendations on my own.

03-29-2013, 03:13 PM	#65
hughes Addict Posts: 223 Karma: 1006020 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Akron, OH USA Device: Kindle PW, Galaxy Nexus, iPad 1	Goodreads purchase price Kara Swisher is reporting that Amazon paid around $150 Million for Goodreads.

03-29-2013, 07:50 PM	#72
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,007 Karma: 27060353 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I have had a Goodreads account for awhile, and have played with it a little (including today for the first time in months). So far, I can't say it offers much value for me. If it were integrated with my Kindle account, perhaps. I always have plenty of interesting books to read that I've already purchased, my wish list is heavily populated, so I have plenty of things to choose from as soon as I can finish reading something and am ready to start something new. My friends, for the most part, don't read much, or don't share reading interests, or don't do 'online', so there is no point in adding them to my GR network. I don't think in terms of genres, there are things that interest me and things that don't, and while there are some patterns, I like variety, so I try to be far ranging rather than trying to find another book that is similar to one I've just read and liked. Just because I enjoyed a particular vampire book one time does not predict whether I would like another vampire book, even one from the same author. Recommendation engines seem to be totally based on identifying such patterns and while that can be somewhat useful, I don't rely on them much. As it is I don't feel it is a good use of my time to add books to my GR shelves, update reading status, and fine tune recommendations (which nevertheless fail to hit the mark). I could be reading a book! (or writing one...) Yet apparently that is not true of everyone. It will be interesting to see how things work out with Amazon, though. I think we are unlikely to see any changes for some months. For those who find value in Goodreads now, I don't think they'll do anything but improve the service. Last edited by tomsem; 03-29-2013 at 07:58 PM.

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03-29-2013, 01:03 PM	#62
SallyElliot Banned Posts: 9 Karma: 37954 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: none	This is quite a news. Amazon is amazing. They are good at whatever they do. First took over the publishing industry and now this....

03-29-2013, 05:46 PM	#69
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 26,744 Karma: 459765791 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	I don't intend to leave Goodreads just because Amazon bought them ... but I'm uneasy about the future and leave that option open. On the other hand, I am editing my Goodreads reviews. I tend to put some work into them because I was reviewing for people who might want to read, not a corporation wanting to sell. On a recent review I noted that the ebook file was in bad shape, but, since I got it from Smashwords, and it was DRM-free, I was able to run it through Calibre and fix it. It'll be interesting to see if that stays up. On a side note, the Goodreads acquisition was just the subject of a report on NPR's All Things Considered. The audio should be up on their site by tomorrow.

03-29-2013, 07:27 PM	#70
alanHd Addict Posts: 374 Karma: 1408579 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, Ipod Touch, Ipad Air	i use Goodreads for honest reviews by people who love books, i hope i am wrong but i can see it becoming all about selling books. I can see me leaving if it does.

03-29-2013, 07:28 PM	#71
NickyWithNook Guru Posts: 750 Karma: 3942770 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: American living in Australia Device: Kobo Libra Colour, Kindle Fire, Kindle Pwhite (Don't use Nook anymore)	I have two main thoughts: 1. I've never had much confidence in reviews at Amazon, so I've used Goodreads to read reviews if I was interested in a book. I'm worried the quality of the reviews will suffer, though the same people will hopefully be leaving reviews so that might be an unnecessary worry. 2. If you are interested in a book, Goodreads allows you to set which bookstore you want to have come up under "Get a copy" on the main page for the book. I'm not sure how well I'm describing that, but I imagine in the future it will only link to Amazon. That isn't a huge deal, but will slow me down a bit if I want to buy from B&N. I will probably get a lot more spam from Amazon, and it will be well researched spam, as they know what all my favorite books are, and what books I'm planning to read. I don't really care about that too much. I wish it would remain independent, but I don't think it'll make a huge difference. Just little things I won't like much.

03-29-2013, 08:16 PM	#73
djulian Evangelist Posts: 408 Karma: 1786912 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle Voyage	I happily paid the lifetime membership fee for LibraryThing. It was something like $20 at the time that I paid. I don't know what it is now. In either case, it's been more than repaid in my own case.

03-29-2013, 09:20 PM	#74
andreabc Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 1226339 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Kindle (4th gen)	In case anyone is interested: Librarything is giving free membership for one year if you sign up through the end of Sunday

03-30-2013, 01:07 AM	#75
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	The hell with it. I just went into Goodreads and deleted all of my book listings and turned off most of the social aspects; I never used Goodreads for much anyway. Amazon already has enough info on me with the name I use on their site. I don't need them data-mining the rest of them. I can find more than enough book recommendations on my own.