Amazon destroys the book industry again

[ProfCrash]

And yet Apple has said that they might close IBooks if the Agency Model goes away because they do not want to be a wholesaler.

I just don't see Apple pushing itself in the e-reader market (They really don't highlight the e-reader aspect of their tablets and IPods) and they have not done that much with IBooks. 10% of the market is barely making a dent. I would be surprised if it was that much. Most the people I know with an IPad are using the Kindle or Nook app to read their ebooks and do not buy from IBooks. Purely anecdotal, I know, but I have yet to find someone in my circle who has bought an e-book from IBooks.

I would say that Apple is competing in the e-book market as hard as Sony is.

[pphilipp]

I guess the real question is "does Oprah approve?"

[BearMountainBooks]

I sell the same number (approximately/usually) on a monthly basis to Apple customers as Sony customers. All my books go through Smashwords to reach either of them. I sell significantly more through Kobobooks and then again even more through B&N. From the authors I've talked to those going direct to Apple do have better sales than I do via Smash, but whether this is because they are more popular (The two authors I know do sell better overall than my books) or because they chose to upload directly, I don't know. I suspect it's just that their books are overall more popular so you can't compare apples and oranges.

There does seem to be quite a bit of buying via Kobobooks and B&N--both make efforts to sell books and have the infrastructure to do so.

Goodreads has a huge opportunity to sell ebooks, but doesn't have the infrastructure and so far hasn't pushed the opportunity. They'd need to sign on some publishers to get a bigger inventory to make a real dent, I think.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Goodreads has a huge opportunity to sell ebooks, but doesn't have the infrastructure and so far hasn't pushed the opportunity. They'd need to sign on some publishers to get a bigger inventory to make a real dent, I think.

I don't think that could happen...but it would be nice...in a strangely creepy way.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I don't think that could happen...but it would be nice...in a strangely creepy way.

Why not? They already sell ebooks, there just isn't a lot of them. And so far as I can tell, you can't sort by genre, only price and popularity (and a couple of other things.) The place is all about books. Maybe they are pursuing it. Hard to say.

[MrsJoseph]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Why not? They already sell ebooks, there just isn't a lot of them. And so far as I can tell, you can't sort by genre, only price and popularity (and a couple of other things.) The place is all about books. Maybe they are pursuing it. Hard to say.

I don't think it could happen because of your earlier point: They would need multiple publishers in contract to have a decent inventory. GR seems resistant to the type of capitulations required to get involved in those contracts.

It would be creepy because it would then become yet another mega seller with extreme detail on what someone does socially.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by MrsJoseph

I don't think it could happen because of your earlier point: They would need multiple publishers in contract to have a decent inventory. GR seems resistant to the type of capitulations required to get involved in those contracts.

It would be creepy because it would then become yet another mega seller with extreme detail on what someone does socially.

Ah, I see. Yes, GR does seem resistant, but it is a natural fit. And yes, it does get tiring having everyone keep a data sheet on me, but as an author, it's not really something I can avoid. I try to keep my personal stuff out of things like facebook and such, and if someone wants to know what I read, well, that's the least of my worries. It's probably the one thing in the world that No One cares about (except book sellers and maybe a few other readers.)

[stonetools]

Originally Posted by Ninjalawyer

Actually, you said it was naive for people to even suggest that the publishers do this. Good thing some in the publishing industry evidently share that naivete.

What I said that it was naive to believe it was EASY.

[Duiker]

Here's the line that REALLY gets me.

"New authors, building their customer base, need physical bookshops"

uhhhhhh, no. They don't. They have this new tool called THE INTERNET. Look it up!

[montalex]

Who is destroying the book industry?

US Sues Apple, Publishers Over Electronic Books
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: April 11, 2012 at 10:40 AM ET


NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. government has filed an antitrust lawsuit in New York against Apple Inc. and various major book publishers. It claims the publishers conspired with Apple to raise retail electronic-book prices to limit competition.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan. It said the effort was a response to the success Amazon had in selling e-books for just under $10.

The lawsuit said the alleged conspiracy came as Apple was preparing to launch the iPad. It said the alleged conspiracy called for Apple to be guaranteed a 30 percent commission on each e-book it sold.

Apple did not immediately respond to a comment request. ]

[sbroome]

Originally Posted by frahse

"Oh, fools, us."
"Oh, fools, us."

So what else is new? Is it "ruthless" to provide superior service at the lowest price, and keep your eyes open for new methods, for tax loopholes?

Well that depends if you admire the way Walmart operates. I hate the way they do business personally, is it okay just because a lot of people who only care about money shop there? It's a pretty complicated issue in a world where people haven't got too much extra money to spend and retirement is more and more difficult for the average person.

[sbroome]

Originally Posted by Duiker

Here's the line that REALLY gets me.

"New authors, building their customer base, need physical bookshops"

uhhhhhh, no. They don't. They have this new tool called THE INTERNET. Look it up!

How many new authors are making a living from the internet? For all the talk about democratization of publishing etc. I still just see a lot of broke people

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by sbroome

How many new authors are making a living from the internet? For all the talk about democratization of publishing etc. I still just see a lot of broke people

I know of a few. And none of them would even have been published had it not been for ebooks and self publishing. I can think of 4 authors off the top of my head who quit their day jobs (and that isn't counting Amanda Hocking since she technically is now in bookstores with at least one series). One of them is back working part time (I think. I know healthcare is an issue for all of us without insurance). And some of us might pull it off for a year, but not the next. That isn't to say we aren't broke. We'd have to define "living" as to whether that only covers the basics or whether it covers the lifestyle we're actually aspiring to...

So it definitely opened some doors and brought in income even for trad published authors who put their backlist up for e-readers. But keep in mind that being in a bookstore--well, there were still a lot of broke authors then too. So while it may have improved some things for more authors, that doesn't mean it's perfect.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by sbroome

How many new authors are making a living from the internet? For all the talk about democratization of publishing etc. I still just see a lot of broke people

How many were making a living before the internet?

Let's face it, being a professional writer (especially in the realm of fiction) is very, very hard to do. It always has been and it always will be. There are more people who are selling their books as independent authors today then there were 10 years ago. How many of those folks can retire or quit their day jobs? Very few. But some of the authors I have seen posting here and at Kindle Boards are using the money for nice vacations and helping to put their kids through school. Not too shabby.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by sbroome

Well that depends if you admire the way Walmart operates. I hate the way they do business personally, is it okay just because a lot of people who only care about money shop there? It's a pretty complicated issue in a world where people haven't got too much extra money to spend and retirement is more and more difficult for the average person.

Not that WalMart needs defending, but they made their name and still make a good chunk of their money by offering "big-city" inventory to small town residents whose only choice, before that, was expensive and limited merchandise from the mom-and-pop shops still working off a 50's playbook, or take a drive (and their money) to the nearest big city.

Pretty much as Sears Roebuck did in their catalog days and as Amazon and the other online retailers do today they brought desirable products closer to those than needed/wanted them. At desirable prices.
Good stuff, cheap, has its merits.

There is no law of nature that protects old and inefficient players from competition from the new and agile. And to the extent that that protection comes at the expense of consumers, many of us consumers would rather take our chances in a world without the oldtimers.

Those that differ are perfectly within their rights to spend their money as they see fit but I do wish they'd stop trying to pretend there is any special virtue in overpaying for stuff.