Why are people unwilling to vote with their wallets?

[haertig]

Originally Posted by Apache

Just as I stopped buying books from B&N when they removed the ability to download books, I have also done the same with Amazon.

Ditto for me. I haven't bought eBooks from either merchant after they got rid of the ability to download them.

Nowadays I just read previously downloaded books. I have more than enough for a lifetime. I also read library eBooks. But the wait time on new releases has gotten ridiculous, so I usually only borrow older eBooks from the library. If eBooks become unworkable in the future, I guess I'll just go back to my old way - buying used paperbacks from places like Abe Books. I did a lot of that back in the day when a used paperback sold for 1¢ with 99¢ shipping. Weird, but that's how they priced them.

I vote with my wallet all the time. But I have yet to find a merchant who appeared to care. They do what they want these days, and don't give a flip what the customer wants.

[nana77]

Just taking a hint, because is a thing I'd tought in the past and did not understood, also mentioned previously but a little wanting to ask clearly: how much do might cost, if "someone" can do a translation for a book, and sell it on a digital copy only?
Seriously, there are several books not translated, and I know a translator should not be "just" a person whose only did a master, but it requires some more skills...
But wondering, is that feasible?
Because if an organized site (that won't allow AI put votes randomly) may keep track of requests, may someone gain some monies by translating a book that's not yet done?
How many copies has to be sold to fullfill a request?
I know it might look a silly question, but I'm am silly .
Ps: I agree that while there is no translation available, getting used to read it in english is fine, also the sound of the original work could be different and better tought, that's why translators generally are not simply a student that has just finished school.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by nana77

Just taking a hint, because is a thing I'd tought in the past and did not understood, also mentioned previously but a little wanting to ask clearly: how much do might cost, if "someone" can do a translation for a book, and sell it on a digital copy only?

The main cost is not the translator, but purchasing the rights to publish the book in that language.

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by cfrizz

I stopped buying Amazon books about 3 years ago so it didn't impact me.

People simply get used to doing things a certain way and don't want to or think of changing.

As for authors, most stay because Amazon is where they make their money. I emailed an author I like and asked if he use any other stores and he said no it wasn't profitable for him. I told him that I wanted his last two books but I don't buy from Amazon since they no longer allow downloads to my pc. He understood where I was coming from, we wished each other well, and that was that.

Yes, it's Amazon's anti-competitive exclusivity clause that is the real problem. There is a lot of indie fiction that is only available on Amazon and can only be available on Amazon. I have seen discussions about "going wide" - not using KDP and KU with the exclusivity lock-in - in various places and it seems that it's fairly disastrous to the author's income.

It's a bit of a toxic feedback loop: the readers go there because that's where the books are; the authors go there because that's where the readers are.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

The main cost is not the translator, but purchasing the rights to publish the book in that language.

Absolutely. Same with having a human narration. You can't sell or give it* away without paying royalties, which may include up-front costs.

[* Translation, narrated or fully illustrated graphic novel using abridged text. Human or computer generated makes no difference]

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

…
I have seen discussions about "going wide" - not using KDP and KU with the exclusivity lock-in - in various places and it seems that it's fairly disastrous to the author's income.
…

I have often seen this claim repeated and occasional anecdotal evidence (i.e. a few authors). I see no proof of it. Most of the KU subscription goes to Amazon and unlike local physical libraries loaning ebooks, Amazon gets the content free. Here libraries must buy the content and there is a small per loan royalty. Even if it's borrowed and not read.

Exactly how genuine is any extra promotion by Amazon for a title in KDP Select / KU? It looks like a scam heavily promoted by Amazon. They also due to "reasons" need to implement privacy busting monitoring of page turns to decide what to pay instead of a per loan royalty. They also decide the size of "pot" to be shared for KU.

On actual regular book sales less than 1% of authors make a living wage. Even fewer make big money. You'll only hear about the successful people on KU or paid (anti) "Social Media", not the millions who make nothing or less than their costs.

OTOH I know people that have about 1/2 the sales are outside Amazon even though Amazon have over 90% of English language ebook market.

KU exclusitivity rules don't apply to big publishers. Yet. Amazon is building a monopoly.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by haertig

I vote with my wallet all the time. But I have yet to find a merchant who appeared to care. They do what they want these days, and don't give a flip what the customer wants.

Most customers don't care about things like personal backups and DRM removal. That's far too much bother for them.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Most customers don't care about things like personal backups and DRM removal. That's far too much bother for them.

You may be right about "most," but for many it's not about bother, it's about having no pressing need.

I have the requisite skills, the tools, and all the time in the world (not to mention the patience) to remove DRM and back things up. I just have zero need to remove DRM, and I don't keep anything on my computer that I couldn't easily reproduce (or live without) should catastrophe strike. I would gain nothing by taking the time to do either. I'd rather be reading.

[cellaris]

It seems quite logical to me that Kindle users, who are the best-selling e-readers in the world, would buy and download their books from Amazon. I'm not sure why they would change. I would venture to say that sideloading and DRM are anecdotal issues for most users, not only of Amazon but of any brand. I don't think most Kobo, PocketBook or Tolino users download their books, remove the DRM, edit them and reload them onto their e-reader. I think they buy them from their respective "stores" or associated bookshops, or access public libraries, download them directly to their e-reader and read them. Just like Kindle users do. For a Kindle user, it is therefore infinitely more convenient to buy their books on Amazon. And the same goes for users of other brands with their respective stores.

Why do some Kobo and other brand users continue to buy their books on Amazon? Why do some Kindle users (myself included) buy their books outside of Amazon? Some answers have been given here. I have always found it much more convenient to buy books in ePub format, remove the DRM and send the books to Kindle, than to do the opposite. That's why I hardly have any books bought on Amazon, and the few I do have, I download directly and only read them on my Kindle. If we're all doing well, why change? Perhaps I find it harder to understand the permanent dissatisfaction of some users with the places where they have voluntarily decided to buy or stop buying.

[JBaby]

I haven’t bought any books from Amazon since D&T was removed. I still have KU though. I don’t see having it as a conflict. As far as I’m concerned it’s like a streaming service. I was never someone who only ever bought books from one store. So the removal of D&T hasn’t really affected me much. Since the removal I’ve bought 285 books. I’m a big fan of book bundles. I just bought the Martha Wells Humble Bundle yesterday. I have 8 library cards. I rarely ever buy individual books these days.

I message indies to let them know why I won’t be buying their books. I do so nicely. I explain the situation and I wish them well. I keep KU because I want to still support indies. I used to buy the KU books that turned into favorites, but I no longer do that.

[Deskisamess]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Most customers don't care about things like personal backups and DRM removal. That's far too much bother for them.

Don't you see how that comment is insulting? Like people are too lazy to bother about it.

I'm not too lazy to bother. The current process meets my reading needs. If that stop being true, I'll "bother" about looking into other sources.

Adding...I have Calibre, and I know how to use it. But since we don't buy that many books now, like we did in the earlier years of Kindle, I only use it occasionally. But I do keep it updated, and it does contain 99% of my purchased books.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Deskisamess

Don't you see how that comment is insulting? Like people are too lazy to bother about it.

I'm not too lazy to bother. The current process meets my reading needs. If that stop being true, I'll "bother" about looking into other sources.

Adding...I have Calibre, and I know how to use it. But since we don't buy that many books now, like we did in the earlier years of Kindle, I only use it occasionally. But I do keep it updated, and it does contain 99% of my purchased books.

I sincerely didn't mean it as an insult. There are a lot of things that are too much bother for me, and I regulary use the phrase "I can't be bothered". It didn't even enter my mind that someone might see it as an insult. I apologize if it seemed so.

Edit: of course I don't think that people who don't remove the DRM are lazy. I mean, while I do remove it, I'm the laziest person I know and I freely admit it. Many people don't bother with DRM exactly because they're not lazy and have far more important tasks and duties than tinkering with calibre.

[kandwo]

Maybe because like other instances of voting there's really nothing to vote for. I like the idea of voting with one's wallet or otherwise, but sometimes all the options are bad, so there's really no point. I'm sure there are good publishers for English books - but I don't really care about that, as I would be pretty happy reading only out-of-copyright works in English. There's too much to read anyway.

For smaller markets it can be a bit of a problem. So what happens if I don't agree with the idea that I'm only buying a license and not a product when buying e-books? Maybe I dislike the idea of obvious watermarks in the books? Maybe I want a book without DRM? Maybe I should just buy from a source that offers all that? Only, nobody does. There are like 3 different sellers of e-books in the language I'm interested in and they all have the same business model and practices. And paper books are not an option.

So what then?

Added bonus: let's assume removing DRM is illegal in said country and that's the only way to read the book on the device that I want.

I really don't like the e-book market for many reasons, but I also won't read paper books unless I there's no alternative. And for some of the languages I'm interested in public domain books are not available. There is no company I can support with my money that would provide me with the product that I want.

[cgsmom]

Originally Posted by haertig

I guess I'll just go back to my old way - buying used paperbacks from places like Abe Books. I did a lot of that back in the day when a used paperback sold for 1¢ with 99¢ shipping. Weird, but that's how they priced them.

When I saw this I thought, yeah I wish. I was cleaning out some boxes and found a couple of paperbacks that I had not read. I thought I would read them. Even with my reading glasses there was no way that was going to work. It's either ebooks or large prints versions for me. Old age is no fun but it beats the alternative.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by JBaby

I haven’t bought any books from Amazon since D&T was removed. I still have KU though. I don’t see having it as a conflict. As far as I’m concerned it’s like a streaming service. I was never someone who only ever bought books from one store. So the removal of D&T hasn’t really affected me much. Since the removal I’ve bought 285 books. I’m a big fan of book bundles. I just bought the Martha Wells Humble Bundle yesterday. I have 8 library cards. I rarely ever buy individual books these days.

I message indies to let them know why I won’t be buying their books. I do so nicely. I explain the situation and I wish them well. I keep KU because I want to still support indies. I used to buy the KU books that turned into favorites, but I no longer do that.

KU is a streaming service and buying the books supports the Indies far better. All KU ebooks can be bought and that benefits Amazon less than a KU sub.


https://www.theguardian.com/film/202...-prime-lawsuit

Though bought Kindle titles can't be directly downloaded to PC, they are still downloaded locally to the app or kindle, unlike "buying" streaming video content, which is deceptive marketing.

I will stop buying ebooks from Amazon if they can only be read while online.

The Licence (shown on USA on book page and not in EU) is deceptive. You do have the same reading rights for a bought ebook as bought paperback that is in copyright. It's just that the digital file nature rather than a physical artefact makes transfer more difficult. Breaking Amazon's claimed licence would require them to sue you for the losses. If Amazon doesn't have the copyright they likely can do nothing more than close your account, only the copyright holder (or assigned publisher) can sue for copyright violation. Again they have to prove losses.

SO:

1. Never upload a copyright ebook to the Internet (in theory Send to Kindle – other than for PD titles – violates copyright as Amazon Kindle files can't use it and Cloud storage does too as most will scan content for AI models).
   
2. Remove the DRM
   
3. Make Backups

Without DRM removal and backups you don't really have what you paid for. Copyright, DRM and the USA's malicious DMCA are three separate entities.

DRM is incompatible with Copyright, because usually it doesn't expire.
DMCA is a sop to USA Media corporations to allow control of consumers.