Amazon is testing “Kindle Unlimited,” an ebook subscription service for $9.99/month

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Able to read it simultaneously on my Kindle 4, Nexus 7, and Fire HD7.

Thanks.
I want to make sure I don't pass on bum info to my friend.

[Synamon]

I was tempted by Scribd, but being able to read on my e-ink Kindle puts this miles ahead. I just started reading Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series and I'll have to buy some of them since my library only has the first 4, up they popped in my recommended section on the Kindle Unlimited page. As long as I can find a couple of books a month here to read this is a great deal, especially with the 3 free months of Audible bundled with it. I'll sign up for sure.

[Top100EbooksRank]

Amazon doesn't want to be like Itunes.

The biggest loser with the rise of streaming is the dominant incumbent: Apple Itunes

Look how fast streaming is rising.

2012 RIAA #:

Streaming Revenue: $1.0328 billion USD (up 59%)
Singles Download Revenue: $1.623.6 billion USD (up 6.7%)
Album Download Revenue: $1.205 billion USD-----------------combined downloads at $2.829 billion
CD (physical): $2.4856 billion USD

2013 RIAA#:

Streaming Revenue: $1.439 billion USD (up 39.3%)
Singles Download Revenue: $1.569 billion USD (down 3.4%)
Album Download Revenue: $1.234 billion USD (up 2.4%) ----combined downloads is at $2.803 billion
CD (physical): $2.1235 (down 14.6%)


Soundscan 2014 first half report is out. Streaming is up 42% and download is down 13%

2014 prediction:

Streaming Revenue: $2.015 billion (up 40%)
Download combined: $2.450 billion

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Thanks.
I want to make sure I don't pass on bum info to my friend.

It also syncs to furthest page read.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by Synamon

I was tempted by Scribd, but being able to read on my e-ink Kindle puts this miles ahead. I just started reading Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series and I'll have to buy some of them since my library only has the first 4, up they popped in my recommended section on the Kindle Unlimited page. As long as I can find a couple of books a month here to read this is a great deal, especially with the 3 free months of Audible bundled with it. I'll sign up for sure.

Those a good ones!!

[Top100EbooksRank]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

BTW, the inevitable "Amazon is destroying literature" reactions have begun:
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/...717-zu0g4.html

Anybody surprised?

I don't think Amazon want an ebook subscription service to happen....

Its hand was forced after the Big Publishers go ahead with Oyster/Scribd. If Oyster and Scribd didn't happen, I doubt Amazon would launch Kindle Unlimited.

Amazon is reacting. And the sooner the better before Oyster or Scribd become the Spotify/Netflix of ebook.

Apple wished it could react much sooner to Spotify/Pandora.

A dominant incumbent never launch a service that would disintermediate itself. It can only react.

[sirmaru]

I only spent $ 111 for eBooks in the last 12 months and could choose whatever I wanted. This new plan would cost $ 120 per year and I'd be limited to what is available under the plan.

Thus, for me the plan is not economical.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Top100EbooksRank

A dominant incumbent never launch a service that would disintermediate itself. It can only react.

Not always.
In this case Amazon has been pushing for a subscription service as a *complement* to sales for years.

http://techland.time.com/2011/09/12/...lix-for-books/

The mistake many in publishing are making is thinking a successful subscription service is a net loss because it will inevitably lead to lower sales. That is not only not a guarantee, it isn't even likely. There's a whole bunch of ways KU can deliver consumer (and publisher) value without reducing book sales.

Books aren't music.

[Shane R]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

The mistake many in publishing are making is thinking a successful subscription service is a net loss because it will inevitably lead to lower sales.

I'm pretty sure I'd consume more with this service than I do now.

[sirmaru]

I also haven't figured out how to search for specific books in Kindle Unlimited. I can only get lists by subject matter.

I only read eBooks over 600 pages long on history and biography of famous political and military leaders. I don't see any way to search by those criteria.

[nynaevelan]

Originally Posted by sirmaru

I only spent $ 111 for eBooks in the last 12 months and could choose whatever I wanted. This new plan would cost $ 120 per year and I'd be limited to what is available under the plan.

Thus, for me the plan is not economical.

I am not going to mention how much I spend on books because I might give myself a coronary. But this plan will be perfect for me because I need to cut my spending down. Especially on new and indie authors. So I am going to give this a try to see if it works for me. I have a couple of library cards but unfortunately the books never seem to be available when I am ready to read them, so I need something I have more control over. And $9.99 a month, if I only get two books a month from the service I have already saved money. Heck if they have enough Audibles that I like, I may even reduce my membership down to 1 credit a month.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Subscription services, if done right, are supplements to sales channels, not replacements. On both the music and video sides there are restrictions, windows, and limits designed to prevent cannibalization while still offering value to consumers. In general, the video guys have done a better job of carving out a revenue-enhancing niche alongside the older distribution systems than the music guys but they also have an easier job; they started with a stable well-structured system and hadn't sat still for two decades milking one format.

There's a major difference between the video and music industry on the one hand and publishing on the other. Authors have only book sales as a source of income. Movies generate cash in theaters and through licensing to TV networks. Bands can earn cash by touring or selling merchandise. What I constantly hear from indie bands is they no longer make any money through album sales. And I don't mean dudes jamming in their garage.

Seeing the plummeting of album sales over the last decade, it's hard for me not to make a correlation with free music being now widely available on YT and Spotify.

Originally Posted by fjtorres

I'll be wanting to see what terms Amazon cooks up on both ends of the service to balance out both reader and publisher interests but the second thing that caught my eye in the promo video is the exploration/discovery angle.

As opposed to a subscription models like Oyster which pays publishers a fair 60% of the list price after the first 10% read, Amazon opted for the peanuts they draw from Select's pooled funds. So there you go.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Shane R

I'm pretty sure I'd consume more with this service than I do now.

Right.
And if you find a new author you like and not all the books are in KU...?

All the whining about "discovery" and when Amszon comes up with an alternative to free and $0.99 sales, the kneejerk reaction is the usual.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by Ken.Hagdal

Amazon opted for the peanuts they draw from Select's pooled funds.

1- The Select pool is growing significantly.
2- Tradpub titles in the Prime library aren't part of the pool
3- Quite a few authors report comparable or even better-than-sale per copy revenue from the Prime library.

[Ken.Hagdal]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

1- The Select pool is growing significantly.

At what pace relative to the increase in subscribers and book count?

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Quite a few authors report comparable or even better-than-sale per copy revenue from the Prime library.

As in author pricing their ebooks $0.99? And how much more would they have earned if Amazon had adopted Oyster's compensation model?