LibraryThing? - Page 6

Fbone · 10-02-2010, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

* Abebooks acquired a minority stake in the company in May of 2006 (LibraryThing blog post/Abe press release)
* Cambridge Information Group acquired a minority stake of the company in December 2008 (LibraryThing blog post)

Amazon bought Abebooks in 2008 which has a 40% ownership stake in Library Thing making it the largest shareholder.

Here is the press release from Amazon.

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix....146&highlight=

Not saying this is a negative.

Perhaps, all subsidiaries remain independent.
Just thought it odd that Amazon would let LT charge a fee when Shelfari doesnt. The synergies between the three entities must be profitable or Amazon wouldnt have invested in it.

desertgrandma · 10-02-2010, 08:51 PM

Thanks for that.

However, the press release still says "minority stake".....so they don't really have any say in what or whether to charge, correct?

If they own Shelfari outright, and don't charge, like you said, why would they charge for Library Thing?

(Not being argumentative here, honest, just trying to clear things in my head, something no so easily done!

)

Fbone · 10-02-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Thanks for that.

However, the press release still says "minority stake".....so they don't really have any say in what or whether to charge, correct?

You may be correct. Mr Spalding (founder of LT) says that he still has control and largest stake in the company on his blog.

This press release mentions the agreement Cambridge Information Group has with LT. And all this just by having less than 9% stake.

http://newsbreaks.infotoday.com/News...ther-52416.asp

So I figured Abebooks with Amazon would offer services and share revenue with LT eliminating the $10/25 fee. Unless Mr Spalding keeps the fee thinking only serious members would join.

desertgrandma · 10-02-2010, 09:10 PM

Interesting how convoluted business partnerships can get, isn't it?

Well, $25 for a lifetime membership really isn't out of line.....as long as they don't go out of business.

Xanthe · 10-02-2010, 10:10 PM

Never heard of it before, AFAIK.

Fbone · 10-02-2010, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Interesting how convoluted business partnerships can get, isn't it?

Well, $25 for a lifetime membership really isn't out of line.....as long as they don't go out of business.

Yes, very complicated. Probably why there is always a team of lawyers to figure this out plus third party advisers.

I'm guessing Amazon gives LT referral fees for each linked purchase hopefully enough to stay in business. It would appear LT is a small run company with low overhead. Still the membership fee surprises me. Basically, Amazon pays itself back.

desertgrandma · 10-02-2010, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fbone

Yes, very complicated. Probably why there is always a team of lawyers to figure this out plus third party advisers.

I'm guessing Amazon gives LT referral fees for each linked purchase hopefully enough to stay in business. It would appear LT is a small run company with low overhead. Still the membership fee surprises me. Basically, Amazon pays itself back.

And now you know one of the secrets on why they are so successful!

MaggieScratch · 10-03-2010, 01:19 AM

I paid the $25 lifetime membership a couple of years ago. Have gotten my money's worth out of it so far. No ads, unlimited books. I also paid $15 for a nonprofit lifetime membership for my blog so we can use it as a noncommercial source for book information. I am far from rich but since I do make use of these services, it was worth the money and unbelievably cheap in my opinion.

Ea · 10-03-2010, 04:18 AM

I now remember that the first time I came across LibraryThing I thought - because of its name - that it was somehow affiliated with libraries, and that they being American libraries (since it's an American site) the site would be of little or no interest to me.

FlorenceArt · 10-03-2010, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ea

I now remember that the first time I came across LibraryThing I thought - because of its name - that it was somehow affiliated with libraries, and that they being American libraries (since it's an American site) the site would be of little or no interest to me.

Well, I have to say that for French book it is not that very useful. There aren't many French speaking people on the site, and the number of reviews is much smaller. I believe there are other similar sites more active with French users, but I was too lazy to look for them. I have trouble enough updating my readings on one site, I don't need another.

Ea · 10-03-2010, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Well, I have to say that for French book it is not that very useful. There aren't many French speaking people on the site, and the number of reviews is much smaller. I believe there are other similar sites more active with French users, but I was too lazy to look for them. I have trouble enough updating my readings on one site, I don't need another.

I haven't bothered much with Danish books either. Not that I have read much Danish fiction recently, but there's a larger number of non-fiction books I wouldn't mind being able to add.

Ea · 10-03-2010, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astra

I prefer Goodreads because it is free.

A very good reason. I use the sites primarily to keep track of the books I've read and nothing else, anyway.

thinkpad · 10-03-2010, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Well, $25 for a lifetime membership really isn't out of line

I agree, $25 for a lifetime membership is a fair price. Renting server space, bandwidth and coders doesn't come free. Nowadays it seems that most people are expecting each an every service on-line to be free. Well there's no such thing as a free lunch.

Ea · 10-03-2010, 10:17 AM

No, it's not expensive, but whether you'd be prepared to pay, I guess depends on what you use it for. I don't use it for much, and the owners get data from my work, too. And I have to admit that before this thread I'd never noticed that Goodreads has advertisements.

astra · 10-03-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

I agree, $25 for a lifetime membership is a fair price. Renting server space, bandwidth and coders doesn't come free. Nowadays it seems that most people are expecting each an every service on-line to be free. Well there's no such thing as a free lunch.

When there is a choice between free and paid services, and the former satisfies all one's needs, then why not?

I have a notebook where I keep a list of all the books I read since 1980. A couple of years ago I digitalised all its content. So, now I have Excel and Word docs in addition to the notebook.
Goodreads offered a similar service with a few bells and whistles. Because it is free, I went for it. However, it is not a necessity. I don't have to have it. I can easily do without it. So why pay money?
Besides, I am sure Goodreads are not charity. Yes, they pay for the servers, traffic, codding. I would never believe it is paid out of somebody's personal pocket who works hard every day earning barely above minimum wages

View Poll Results: Are you a member of LibraryThing?
Yes....I'm an author and its a way to get my books "out there"	3	2.24%
Yes, I like the reviews/recommendations	18	13.43%
Yes, I like the social networking aspect	9	6.72%
Yes, I like the way I can manage my books there	31	23.13%
Yes, I'm interested in what other people are reading	15	11.19%
Yes, I like to post reviews on what I've read there	8	5.97%
No, never heard of the place	69	51.49%
I prefer Goodreads because (please post reason)	25	18.66%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 134. You may not vote on this poll

10-02-2010, 08:51 PM	#77
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Thanks for that. However, the press release still says "minority stake".....so they don't really have any say in what or whether to charge, correct? If they own Shelfari outright, and don't charge, like you said, why would they charge for Library Thing? (Not being argumentative here, honest, just trying to clear things in my head, something no so easily done!)

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10-02-2010, 09:10 PM	#79
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462843 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Interesting how convoluted business partnerships can get, isn't it? Well, $25 for a lifetime membership really isn't out of line.....as long as they don't go out of business.

10-02-2010, 10:10 PM	#80
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	Never heard of it before, AFAIK.

10-03-2010, 01:19 AM	#83
MaggieScratch Has got to the black veil Posts: 542 Karma: 2144168 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania Device: Kobo Aura One, Kindle Paperwhite 2	I paid the $25 lifetime membership a couple of years ago. Have gotten my money's worth out of it so far. No ads, unlimited books. I also paid $15 for a nonprofit lifetime membership for my blog so we can use it as a noncommercial source for book information. I am far from rich but since I do make use of these services, it was worth the money and unbelievably cheap in my opinion.

10-03-2010, 04:18 AM	#84
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	I now remember that the first time I came across LibraryThing I thought - because of its name - that it was somehow affiliated with libraries, and that they being American libraries (since it's an American site) the site would be of little or no interest to me.

10-03-2010, 10:17 AM	#89
Ea Wizard Posts: 3,490 Karma: 5239563 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Device: Kindle 3\|iPad air\|iPhone 4S	No, it's not expensive, but whether you'd be prepared to pay, I guess depends on what you use it for. I don't use it for much, and the owners get data from my work, too. And I have to admit that before this thread I'd never noticed that Goodreads has advertisements.

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