Kindle Unlimited 2.0 - early assessments

[darryl]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Just what I have heard from readers in other parts of the world.
Mostly Germany and Australia.

I have not come across any actual figures for here in Australia. Based on my observations, I would certainly not say Kindles are dominant. It sounds like Amazon has not put in the effort here that it appears to have done in the US and even the UK. The Voyage only became available here in April through one chain store, Dick Smith.

[dickloraine]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Just what I have heard from readers in other parts of the world.
Mostly Germany and Australia.

Only anecdotal from germany: I see mostly kindles in the trains etc. The second most is tolino (a german brand, baked by big companies). Kobos (even if I have one) are very rare. There are even some more brands available (like poketbook etc). Tolino seems so far to be the only big competition. The eBook market here is in no way as big or established as in the US or UK.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by darryl

Fortunately Amazon has been very smart about KENPC. My understanding is that KENPC is formulated so as to prevent the types of tricks that you mention.

Authors have been reformatting their books testing to see which layout increases their KENPC the most. Apparently some have been able to gain 200 KENPC by using the suggestions an author posted elsewhere which I posted above.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Authors have been reformatting their books testing to see which layout increases their KENPC the most. Apparently some have been able to gain 200 KENPC by using the suggestions an author posted elsewhere which I posted above.

And Amazon has been tweaking the KENPC estimator to account for those tricks.
Cat-n-mouse.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by darryl

If an author publishes a 500 page book which is so boring that readers don't get past the first 10 pages, then the author only gets paid for those 10 pages. Some writers of literary fiction should be afraid. Very afraid.

They are.
We've seen a lot of whining and carping about it from authors who *aren't* in KU.

Biggest problem is they can't seem to grasp the difference between a sale and a rental.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

They are.
We've seen a lot of whining and carping about it from authors who *aren't* in KU.

Biggest problem is they can't seem to grasp the difference between a sale and a rental.

How so? Are they afraid that those better books in KU become so popular that they over power those books that are not in KU? Or you think that the regular sales have to step up and write books many people finish as readers won't tolerate crap any more (starting in KU)?

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

How so? Are they afraid that those better books in KU become so popular that they over power those books that are not in KU? Or you think that the regular sales have to step up and write books many people finish as readers won't tolerate crap any more (starting in KU)?

Your guess is as good as mine.

In one particular genre author's case I've come to suspect he fears that if enough authors go indie/ebook, the value of bookstores (where his front table placement butters his bread) will vanish. Which is a real threat since his genre is one of the few where ebooks are already over 50% of sales.

Others openly admit they want to be paid in full for books that aren't read so they fear that pay per page will be applied to ebook sales and not just rentals.

Others seem to whine simply because it's Amazon.

None are honest enough to admit their own self interest like Konrath and Howey do. It's as if they think people are too blind to see through their smokescreens.

[DuckieTigger]

The thing is, I kind of agree with Howey. He should get the benefit of getting more sales simply because he was nice enough to give the books away for a flat fee to read. But then if it wasn't for KU, I would have not bought (and I won't need to as long as I can find them in KU) any of his books. So he gets money from me that he would have never seen before. If it was KU 2.0 already when I read Sand and Silo[ he would have made more money. I really dislike those finnicky short stories and to piece together a book. So even under KU 1.0 I would go for the omnibus edition rather than singles.

[ottdmk]

My problem with Amazon (in the ebooks market) is two-fold:

1) I don't like lock-in. Given that ebooks are glorified text files there is no reason for them to be locked to a particular platform. The whole thing came about because publishers were idiots and played into Amazon's hands. I prefer an approach like Kobo's. Although I'd prefer no DRM or social DRM at least all my Kobo books are compatible with any device that buys into Adobe's tech.

2) Amazon doesn't care about the Canadian market. We still don't have the Voyage, for example. They won't bother work with Overdrive to get library loans working here. Etc.

So Howey's tale irritates me. I understand his reasoning. But it means that should I want to read his work in my preferred format (e-ink) I need to do business with a company that created an ecosystem I don't like and which doesn't care about me as a consumer. And then I need to covert the files myself, when at the supplier side that's a task that can be done once for everyone and exist for eternity.

[fjtorres]

What jumps out to me is Howey's point about serving his readers: he has his mythical "1000 true fans" and he wants to keep them. So his point about customer service, rarely mentioned by authors, is worth considering. All outlets aren't created equal; some *are* more effective at moving product and providing a better experience for buyers *and* authors.

If a reader can't find a book even when they know it's listed, why list it there at all?

And that is a dangerous question for authors to be asking retailers. Dangerous for the retailer.

[Josieb1]

I know an author who posts regularly on Facebook about KU and she is doing okay, she got less under the new KU than she would have under the first but as she said she's getting nothing from Nook, Kobo or ibooks so she needs Amazon and at least with KU she gets something.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

2) Amazon doesn't care about the Canadian market. We still don't have the Voyage, for example. They won't bother work with Overdrive to get library loans working here. Etc.

.

Uh, have you seen this:

http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...a-good-reason/

Most people are pointing the finger (sometimes the middle one) directly at Amazon, saying they are the reason behind the big Kindle Voyage snub.

But that’s not the case. It’s actually the Canadian government that’s blocking the release of the Kindle Voyage in Canada.

As it stands currently, the reason the Kindle Voyage isn’t being sold in Canada is because the Canadian Intellectual Property Office has not approved the patent for the Voyage’s use of haptic feedback.

The Kindle Voyage is the first and only Kindle to use haptic feedback, which gives off a slight vibration when you activate the page button senors, one of the main features that separates the Voyage from other devices.

The interesting thing is that Amazon has had this idea under development for a long time. The original filing date for the haptic feedback patent dates back to 2010. Amazon then issued an examination request the first of January 2015, but Canada has yet to approve it.

Wouldn't surprise me if a similar issue applied elsewhere.

As for the Canadian book market in general, well, it is long standing knowledge that Indigo is very very influential in government circles. They blocked B&N from expanding north, they blocked Amazon from setting up shop in Canada and even when they arrived they were forced to buy the pbooks from them...

Lots of things go into protecting Canadian culture from the US.
(Lots of money in it, too.)

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Can you post some references, please. You posted it as a definite fact, so presumably you have some evidence to support your claim?

This was on another forum that I absolutely refuse to link too. I didn't realize it came across as a definite fact especially in light of the post I was referring too.

I will whisper it but I will not give them any public acknowledgement.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by ottdmk

My problem with Amazon (in the ebooks market) is two-fold:

1) I don't like lock-in. Given that ebooks are glorified text files there is no reason for them to be locked to a particular platform. The whole thing came about because publishers were idiots and played into Amazon's hands. I prefer an approach like Kobo's. Although I'd prefer no DRM or social DRM at least all my Kobo books are compatible with any device that buys into Adobe's tech.

2) Amazon doesn't care about the Canadian market. We still don't have the Voyage, for example. They won't bother work with Overdrive to get library loans working here. Etc.

So Howey's tale irritates me. I understand his reasoning. But it means that should I want to read his work in my preferred format (e-ink) I need to do business with a company that created an ecosystem I don't like and which doesn't care about me as a consumer. And then I need to covert the files myself, when at the supplier side that's a task that can be done once for everyone and exist for eternity.

Did you know that "lock-in" is only for 90 day periods? Then the author can choose to go for another 90 or not.

Agreeing with fjtorres about people not understanding the difference between a buy and a rental. Some of these same people couldn't understand that not every customer subscribes to KU.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

This was on another forum that I absolutely refuse to link too. I didn't realize it came across as a definite fact especially in light of the post I was referring too.

I will whisper it but I will not give them any public acknowledgement.

Kobo is relatively big in some places but it is in places where ebooks aren't a particularly big business. In the more mature markets where ebooks don't just sell to hobbyists and techies like us round these parts, Kobo isn't quite that...noticeable.