not-news: ebook buyers loyal to walled gardens

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by crossi

About the time their current devices start failing and they start shopping for a replacement more of them will become aware of the wall. "What do you mean all my Amazon books won't work on my new Nook?"

The likelihood of that particular scenario is declining daily.

More likely: "What do you mean my old Nook books won't open in iBooks? They're epub!"

[shanghaichica]

I'm loyal to amazon's walled garden too. They have the books that I want at the cheapest price and the reader that I want. Why would I try and climb over the wall?

[shanghaichica]

Originally Posted by crossi

About the time their current devices start failing and they start shopping for a replacement more of them will become aware of the wall. "What do you mean all my Amazon books won't work on my new Nook?"

Many of them will get another kindle if they are happy with what they've used in the past and remain oblivious to their walled garden.

[xg4bx]

Same here, I have no reason to go elsewhere. If/when they start to suck I'll go somewhere else but until then *shrug*

Originally Posted by shanghaichica

I'm loyal to amazon's walled garden too. They have the books that I want at the cheapest price and the reader that I want. Why would I try and climb over the wall?

[HansTWN]

We should thank the "walled garden" system. It is the reason that we can buy our readers so cheaply. A legitimate business model that provides real benefits for users --- including ease of use within the walled garden. And for those who really care, there is always a way to get around the restrictions or buy something else.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

The likelihood of that particular scenario is declining daily.

More likely: "What do you mean my old Nook books won't open in iBooks? They're epub!"

This seems to be a non issue with everyone I've talked to IRL. Even my mother assumed that Kindle books wouldn't work on a Sony eReader without being told (although YMMV). I expected one of those long conversations like I had when she got an mp3 player but didn't wan't to re-buy all her CD's as mp3's, just after I'd managed to convince here this wasn't necessary she immediately handed me a vinyl to put on her mp3 player .

People are used to different formats for things (e.g. pdf won't open in Word, video tapes don't work in DVD players) and either read up on them or assume it either won't work or will involve lot's of technical shenanigans.

The only company making a concerted attempt to confuse people is Waterstones (Who sell ePubs and Kindles).

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

... I expected one of those long conversations like I had when she got an mp3 player but didn't wan't to re-buy all her CD's as mp3's, just after I'd managed to convince here this wasn't necessary she immediately handed me a vinyl to put on her mp3 player .
...

And she certainly wasn't wrong in asking you to do it, I was doing it 25 years ago by just running RCA cables from my stereo to the input on my sound card, record and save as mp3. Don't argue with your mamma!

I think if they took a wider sampling of users, they would get different results too. I can't imagine being tied to purchasing from only one store in only one format, it would probably be a deal breaker for me if I even bought an ereader at that point.

But I have this truly amazing friend, Alf, so I can buy from wherever the price is best.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

And she certainly wasn't wrong in asking you to do it, I was doing it 25 years ago by just running RCA cables from my stereo to the input on my sound card, record and save as mp3. Don't argue with your mamma!

I've done that with old LPs unavailable on CD. Record, process the wav files, burn CD, Rip.
Nowadays they sell USB turntables that simplify the process.

However, most people just go buy the album again.

[jbcohen]

Has anyone seen the size of the population that was surveyed? In other words what is their N?

Let me say for the record the only reason why I have a kindle is because of Amazon's willingness to undercut their competition’s prices. Like other things in my life I have commoditized most things as I want to encourage vendors to undercut each other and lower prices as far as I can get them. I do not shave with a multi-bladed cartridge razor because there is no competition on the cartridges. I am perfectly willing to buy books from anyone as long as they are willing to sell to me for less.

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

And she certainly wasn't wrong in asking you to do it, I was doing it 25 years ago by just running RCA cables from my stereo to the input on my sound card, record and save as mp3. Don't argue with your mamma!

I got her a Record player / MP3 recorder stand alone unit, thinks tend to get. . . err, confusing, if she has to plug a cable into anything - also it turns out she got rid of the turntable attached to the stereo when she started to get cd's and needed a cd player. Yes, you would have used a cable splitter so both could be plugged in to the aux socket on the stereo, I only find out about these things after they happen, sometimes years after they happen. I still haven't got one of my laptops back since I set it up so she could convert her home movies from VCR to DVD, she will probably be finished a few years after Blu-Ray has become obsolete and everything is digitally streamed from NAS boxes.

[charmian]

The walled garden is only relevant to ereaders, the Apple store, and the Kindle Fire (unless you sideload), isn't it? The other e-retailers are available even if you switch PCs or tablets. If publishers are really bothered by the walled gardens, they should encourage the creation of a truly open e-ink reader that accepts multiple bookstores.

That said, I think ultimately the walled garden is not the real issue. The real issue is why people start to use a particular e-bookstore, and why they stay. The market leader is famous for its low prices and its customer service. I hear they also have some exclusives. What do the other bookstores offer? Mostly the same products, for the same or a higher price. Why would they even expect to increase their market share under those circumstances? If other vendors are not attractive, then loading books from them is not an advantage either.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by charmian

What do the other bookstores offer? Mostly the same products, for the same or a higher price. Why would they even expect to increase their market share under those circumstances? If other vendors are not attractive, then loading books from them is not an advantage either.

For those outside the US, the ability to borrow epubs from the local public library, and the fact that Amazon is not usually the cheapest place to buy, are good reasons to look at alternatives to the Kindle.

[soulfuldog]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

For those outside the US, the ability to borrow epubs from the local public library, and the fact that Amazon is not usually the cheapest place to buy, are good reasons to look at alternatives to the Kindle.

I've asked this before without any answer, but can anyone tell me why it is Amazon isn't quite so competitive on pricing in some countries? Is it just those without a 'local' Amazon presence or is the same true in places like France or Germany too?

Here in the UK, it is quite rare for me to find a book at a cheaper price than it is on Amazon. It does occasionally happen, but not very often.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by l_macd

I've asked this before without any answer, but can anyone tell me why it is Amazon isn't quite so competitive on pricing in some countries? Is it just those without a 'local' Amazon presence or is the same true in places like France or Germany too?

Here in the UK, it is quite rare for me to find a book at a cheaper price than it is on Amazon. It does occasionally happen, but not very often.

Kobo will almost always be cheaper than Amazon if the book is by a publisher that allows Kobo promo codes to be used. In the US none of the big publishers allow promo codes to be used, but in other countries most big publishers allow them.

Another factor I think is that in the US you can usually only buy the US edition of the book, and in the UK you can usually only buy the UK edition, but in other countries you often have the choice of buying either edition, and that means that even if the UK publisher doesn't allow promo codes you can buy it from the US publisher who does, or vice versa.

Local retailers seem to be more focused on the local market than Amazon, for example in New Zealand Kobo and other local retailers had (and still have) specials to promote Eleanor Catton's book after it won the Man Booker prize, none of which have been price matched by Amazon.

[xg4bx]

I got a $20 off a Nook Glow coupon in the mail today, I may actually start peeking over Amazon's wall . $20 off is a pretty tempting deal.