Why ereaders succeeded in the US but not Japan

[Lady Stardust]

I just found this article from September last year. Apart from insightful information into the government-imposed resale price maintenance system for books, newspapers and magazines, it also reports that in the first month of introduction of KU on Amazon Japan, there were much more subscribers than Amazon hoped for.
I guess that means that there is bigger ebook market than estimated and possible phones as main platform.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/201.../#.WOhpEm996Uk

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

I just found this article from September last year. Apart from insightful information into the government-imposed resale price maintenance system for books, newspapers and magazines, it also reports that in the first month of introduction of KU on Amazon Japan, there were much more subscribers than Amazon hoped for.
I guess that means that there is bigger ebook market than estimated and possible phones as main platform.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/201.../#.WOhpEm996Uk

Or maybe they buy Chinese electronics more than stuff from the U.S. I mean there are the big companies like HP and Dell that are associated more with the west and then there are the Chinese designed models of similar products.

[Lady Stardust]

Originally Posted by crich70

Or maybe they buy Chinese electronics more than stuff from the U.S. I mean there are the big companies like HP and Dell that are associated more with the west and then there are the Chinese designed models of similar products.

You might be right, of course.
But living in Japan and coming here for the last 20 years, my experience is that they regard Chinese made goods as not so good quality wise. Majority of people I met or saw at shops are ready to pay even double the price if it is written "made in Japan" and you can find similar comments in media and elsewhere.
Even the Chinese tourists who come in millions to Japan prefer made in Japan.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by Lady Stardust

You might be right, of course.
But living in Japan and coming here for the last 20 years, my experience is that they regard Chinese made goods as not so good quality wise. Majority of people I met or saw at shops are ready to pay even double the price if it is written "made in Japan" and you can find similar comments in media and elsewhere.
Even the Chinese tourists who come in millions to Japan prefer made in Japan.

Which markets the average Japanese consumer favors might still be a partial explanation though I'd guess. Kindles are put together in China so maybe they get some bad press as a result in Japan. I don't think in the end that there is any one answer that explains everything.