Amazon Signs Up Authors, Writing Publishers Out of Deal - Page 10

Fbone · 12-11-2011, 02:46 AM

We're up to 42,000 Prime Eligible titles.

DreamWriter · 12-11-2011, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emellaich

In reality, I expect that most of the money will go to a handful of books.

Yes, I believe that most of the money will be going to those authors who have books that were already top-sellers at Amazon before KDP Select.

I do know that some of those books weren't selling nearly as well at places like Barnes & Noble, Sony, Smashwords, etc. Because those authors had so few sales at the other venues (relatively speaking), they didn't have much to lose (and the potential for great gain) by choosing to participate in KDP Select. From a purely business (dollars and cents) standpoint, they probably made the right move.

anamardoll · 12-11-2011, 08:52 AM

Amazon has GOT to start letting us filter our results. When I'm looking through the search for free Select titles and 70% of it is erotica, it really annoys me. I've got no beef with erotica as a genre, but some kinks are not MY kinks and half of these covers are fairly graphic.

If Amazon was wanting to make self-publishing look gimmicky and poor quality, they couldn't have done a betting job.

Mel Comley · 12-11-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote from a few pages back! I should also point out that B&N has been trying new things and working harder to get books exposed to likely audiences. I think they are trying a lot harder than they were a year ago. So things can change. You never know when one retailer might take off.

* * * *
I'm pretty miffed by it all. I'm just hoping that now they've dropped the price of the KOBOs to £20 cheaper than the Kindles that those who haven't opted into the select programme benefit.

Why isn't the borrowing chart separate? We have two charts at the moment one for Free ebooks and one for actual sales, IMO the borrowed books shouldn't be included in the sales chart. ;-)

Maybe Amazon are worried about the amount of Tablets and Kobos being sold and are afraid of honest competition.

All I know is that since this started my best selling thriller has romped up the B&N rankings! ;-)

BearMountainBooks · 12-11-2011, 11:12 AM

Hi Mel,

Good to see you here. I wondered if we might see some pick-up in the other retailers. I have fairly steady sales there, but haven't noticed any particular bump. I'm running a cover poll for my next book over on my blog right now. I usually link to Amazon for the first in the series...after reading your post, it might just pay to link on that post to B&N and Kobo and so on.

I don't think the majority of readers actually notice these things (exclusivity). When it comes to the print books, I sell only slightly more on Amazon--I think readers just buy wherever it is convenient and the majority won't notice if one book or another is only available through one vendor. From that perspective, I don't think it really helps Amazon. How many "only with us" by no-names do they have to get before it makes a difference in their marketing?

Long term, I still don't think these things helps the retailer (Amazon) or the author.

Mel Comley · 12-11-2011, 11:19 AM

Thanks Maria, nice to see you too, been extremely busy writing, until this hornet's nest erupted! lol

To be honest Maria, I've been trying to pull away from Amazon for a few months now that's why I made the decision to put my three thrillers in paperbacks, which, as a greenie, I said I never would!

I know smashwords has transferred nearly 20,000 titles to Kobo in the last week or so and also know that one of the biggest book stores in the UK are pushing the KOBO. Things can only look up from now on. ;-)

Suzanna · 12-11-2011, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Comley

All I know is that since this started my best selling thriller has romped up the B&N rankings! ;-)

I do think that with so many authors granting Amazon exclusivity on their titles (where I'm sure many will get lost in the crowd) that we'll see many others at other venues (like Mel) go up in rank. This could actually work out very well for Nook authors. It should also be interesting to see what will happen when Kobo gets their self-publishing platform up.

DreamWriter · 12-11-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sao

It should also be interesting to see what will happen when Kobo gets their self-publishing platform up.

I wish that Kobo would hurry up and do that! I have an ePub file ready for them.

I'm not too fond of Smashwords' meatgrinder. I'd much rather upload a carefully formatted file.

Fbone · 12-11-2011, 02:38 PM

Now they have 44,000 titles.

This is fun

Edit: I should have looked to see how many books were available on Smashwords when this program first started to see if they are experiencing a drop in titles. Currently they have about 60,710.

stonetools · 12-13-2011, 02:16 PM

47,000 titles as of December 13.

Let's face it, regardless of authors' and readers' reservations on this forum, there are a hell of a lot of authors who think its a good idea and that they'll profit from the exposure. For KP members, it looks like a nice benefit that's getting nicer every day. Win-win.

Amazon wins again. Resistance is , if not futile, at least becoming futile.

luqmaninbmore · 12-13-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you go exclusively with Amazon, you won't get warm and fuzzy. You'll get people wanting your business to fail.

Only if they are utterly irrational or pointlessly malicious.

luqmaninbmore · 12-13-2011, 02:54 PM

I think some authors have gotten on to the trick of raising the price to an absorbitant sum ($200 for an ebook?!?) in order to come up first when you sort by price, highest to lowest.

BearMountainBooks · 12-13-2011, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

I think some authors have gotten on to the trick of raising the price to an absorbitant sum ($200 for an ebook?!?) in order to come up first when you sort by price, highest to lowest.

I saw someone else reporting that--with a big price, it looks "worth borrowing."

But seriously, people are going to resort to searching by genre because it won't make much sense otherwise. Then again, maybe I'm being too logical.

I'm also seeing reports that the lending has been flooded with erotica and some of the more "desperate titles" -- meaning those that weren't selling anyway.

No way to know. I can say my sales have taken a hit since 1. public library lending started and 2. since it became possible for indies to upload and lend via prime.

and 3. my sales hit may have nothing to do with the above and I can't actually map cause/effect and so on. Just supposition on my part!

JSWolf · 12-13-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Kaufman

but I'd hate to see the readers suffer just because they're locked into their current e-readers

Actually, it's Kindle users who are the ones locked in. It's Amazon who wants to lock in clueless authors. Basically, any author who goes exclusive with Amazon deserves to fail. It's unfair for the rest. It's not our fault Amazon wants to do things that buck the system and don't work for the majority of the world.

JSWolf · 12-13-2011, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel Comley

Thanks Maria, nice to see you too, been extremely busy writing, until this hornet's nest erupted! lol

To be honest Maria, I've been trying to pull away from Amazon for a few months now that's why I made the decision to put my three thrillers in paperbacks, which, as a greenie, I said I never would!

I know smashwords has transferred nearly 20,000 titles to Kobo in the last week or so and also know that one of the biggest book stores in the UK are pushing the KOBO. Things can only look up from now on. ;-)

And the sale Sony has going for December on the T1 is only going to help the sales of ePub.

12-11-2011, 11:06 AM	#139
Mel Comley Addict Posts: 318 Karma: 602031 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: France Device: none	Quote from a few pages back! I should also point out that B&N has been trying new things and working harder to get books exposed to likely audiences. I think they are trying a lot harder than they were a year ago. So things can change. You never know when one retailer might take off. * * * * I'm pretty miffed by it all. I'm just hoping that now they've dropped the price of the KOBOs to £20 cheaper than the Kindles that those who haven't opted into the select programme benefit. Why isn't the borrowing chart separate? We have two charts at the moment one for Free ebooks and one for actual sales, IMO the borrowed books shouldn't be included in the sales chart. ;-) Maybe Amazon are worried about the amount of Tablets and Kobos being sold and are afraid of honest competition. All I know is that since this started my best selling thriller has romped up the B&N rankings! ;-) Last edited by Mel Comley; 12-11-2011 at 11:12 AM.

12-11-2011, 02:38 PM	#144
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,296 Karma: 101697116 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	Now they have 44,000 titles. This is fun Edit: I should have looked to see how many books were available on Smashwords when this program first started to see if they are experiencing a drop in titles. Currently they have about 60,710. Last edited by Fbone; 12-11-2011 at 02:53 PM.

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12-11-2011, 02:46 AM	#136
Fbone Is that a sandwich? Posts: 8,296 Karma: 101697116 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: Nook Glowlight Plus	We're up to 42,000 Prime Eligible titles.

12-11-2011, 08:52 AM	#138
anamardoll Chasing Butterflies Posts: 3,132 Karma: 5074169 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: American Southwest Device: Uses batteries.	Amazon has GOT to start letting us filter our results. When I'm looking through the search for free Select titles and 70% of it is erotica, it really annoys me. I've got no beef with erotica as a genre, but some kinks are not MY kinks and half of these covers are fairly graphic. If Amazon was wanting to make self-publishing look gimmicky and poor quality, they couldn't have done a betting job.

12-11-2011, 11:12 AM	#140
BearMountainBooks Maria Schneider Posts: 3,746 Karma: 26439330 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Near Austin, Texas Device: 3g Kindle Keyboard	Hi Mel, Good to see you here. I wondered if we might see some pick-up in the other retailers. I have fairly steady sales there, but haven't noticed any particular bump. I'm running a cover poll for my next book over on my blog right now. I usually link to Amazon for the first in the series...after reading your post, it might just pay to link on that post to B&N and Kobo and so on. I don't think the majority of readers actually notice these things (exclusivity). When it comes to the print books, I sell only slightly more on Amazon--I think readers just buy wherever it is convenient and the majority won't notice if one book or another is only available through one vendor. From that perspective, I don't think it really helps Amazon. How many "only with us" by no-names do they have to get before it makes a difference in their marketing? Long term, I still don't think these things helps the retailer (Amazon) or the author.

12-11-2011, 11:19 AM	#141
Mel Comley Addict Posts: 318 Karma: 602031 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: France Device: none	Thanks Maria, nice to see you too, been extremely busy writing, until this hornet's nest erupted! lol To be honest Maria, I've been trying to pull away from Amazon for a few months now that's why I made the decision to put my three thrillers in paperbacks, which, as a greenie, I said I never would! I know smashwords has transferred nearly 20,000 titles to Kobo in the last week or so and also know that one of the biggest book stores in the UK are pushing the KOBO. Things can only look up from now on. ;-)

12-13-2011, 02:16 PM	#145
stonetools Wizard Posts: 2,016 Karma: 2838487 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Washington, DC Device: Ipad, IPhone	47,000 titles as of December 13. Let's face it, regardless of authors' and readers' reservations on this forum, there are a hell of a lot of authors who think its a good idea and that they'll profit from the exposure. For KP members, it looks like a nice benefit that's getting nicer every day. Win-win. Amazon wins again. Resistance is , if not futile, at least becoming futile.

12-13-2011, 02:54 PM	#147
luqmaninbmore Da'i Posts: 1,144 Karma: 1217499 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Baltimore Device: Toshiba Thrive, Kobo Touch, Kindle 1, Aluratek Libre, T-Mobile Comet	I think some authors have gotten on to the trick of raising the price to an absorbitant sum ($200 for an ebook?!?) in order to come up first when you sort by price, highest to lowest.

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