Best eBook Store

[susan_cassidy]

To me, you need to pick a reader associated with, or compatible with the store that has more of the books you want to read. Find the format, then the reader.

If you can't get what you want to read, the reader doesn't do you much good.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

To me, you need to pick a reader associated with, or compatible with the store that has more of the books you want to read. Find the format, then the reader.

If you can't get what you want to read, the reader doesn't do you much good.

Precisely. And if you wish to purchase or borrow books from multiple locations, you may need two e-readers. A result of our fragmented system.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by clintbradford

I am placing my money with the company that publicly declared they desired to offer every book in print to us as eBooks.

Google?

They have the capability to accomplish that lofty goal. And they have excellent eReader devices that the rest of the industry envies.

That company, of course, is Amazon.com.

Ah. No, they don't have the capacity to accomplish that goal, because some authors won't release their books as ebooks (Rowling), and some publishers are small enough to not care about an online presence at all, or specialize in book that don't transfer well to ebook formats. AFAIK Amazon still requires publishers to use DRM (why Baen books aren't available through Amazon). And some publishers have their own ebook stores & don't want to sell through Amazon. (SJ Games will continue to sell its gaming books through e23; its grudge against Amazon goes way back.)

Amazon may have the resources to get everything published by the Big 6 into Kindle format (but I doubt it), but there's no way they're going to get "everything in print today," for any given "today." Not even if you limit "in print" to those publications with ISBNs.

[cadele]

Hi. Sorry if this is not really on topic, but is everyone as fed up as I am with the unavailability of recently released mainstream ebooks in Australia?

Penguin Group are currently on my death list as there are 4 books that have recently come out in the U.S. etc that I can't get in Australia due to the dreaded geographical restrictions.

I would like a list of contact email addresses, snail mail addresses or fax numbers for the worst culprits so that people can express their dissatisfaction to the publishers direct.

Perhaps with enough complaints they will lift their game and release books worldwide at the same time, or at least within a reasonable period.

I intend now to complain to the publisher each and every time I can't buy a book because it is not available in Australia.

If the book doesn't become available within a reasonable time, I will advise them that I will have no compunction in buying a pirated copy elsewhere.

If they don't wish to sell a book to me - fine. I will buy it from someone who does.

As I don't feel that it is fair to the authors to take a loss, particularly as it is through no fault of their own, I will write to them to ask where I might send them the difference in the cost so that they don't lose the income.

If you have any contact details you wish to share because of similar frustrations I would appreciate it.

I will start the ball rolling with Penguin Australia: orders@au.penguingroup.com

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by cadele

Hi. Sorry if this is not really on topic, but is everyone as fed up as I am with the unavailability of recently released mainstream ebooks in Australia?

Penguin Group are currently on my death list as there are 4 books that have recently come out in the U.S. etc that I can't get in Australia due to the dreaded geographical restrictions.

I would like a list of contact email addresses, snail mail addresses or fax numbers for the worst culprits so that people can express their dissatisfaction to the publishers direct.

Perhaps with enough complaints they will lift their game and release books worldwide at the same time, or at least within a reasonable period.

It's not the publisher's fault. If they don't have Australian distribution rights for the eBook, they cannot sell it to you in Australia.

The person you should be blaming is the author for not signing a world-wide distribution contract with a single publisher.

[Jellby]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The person you should be blaming is the author for not signing a world-wide distribution contract with a single publisher.

And lawmakers for not allowing us to buy ebooks from other countries, as we can do with paper books.

[cadele]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's not the publisher's fault. If they don't have Australian distribution rights for the eBook, they cannot sell it to you in Australia.

The person you should be blaming is the author for not signing a world-wide distribution contract with a single publisher.

Actually, one of the books I am referring to has been written by an author who assures me that Penguin have worldwide rights to her books.

[HarryT]

If that is indeed the case then that's very odd. There's no reason that a publisher would NOT want to sell you a book. Perhaps the bookstore has the geographical restrictions for the book incorrectly set?

[Fbone]

Can you provide the title of the book and maybe someone could find it for you?

[Luke King]

Getting back to the original question, I think Amazon's site is by far the worst as far as appearance goes - far worse than Sony's. It is about as attractive as flotsam on a beach. There is so much irrelevant information. You have to scroll to read the book description, which is contained in a screen wide box.

I suppose they don't want to fix something that isn't broke, but really...

[taming]

Even if the publisher has international rights, there can be some negotiation--just not involving the author. For example, some US based publishers use other houses in other countries, and have to work the details out book-by-book.

Originally Posted by HarryT

If that is indeed the case then that's very odd. There's no reason that a publisher would NOT want to sell you a book. Perhaps the bookstore has the geographical restrictions for the book incorrectly set?

[SensualPoet]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

AFAIK Amazon still requires publishers to use DRM (why Baen books aren't available through Amazon). And some publishers have their own ebook stores & don't want to sell through Amazon.

Not true. I have purchased commercial works from Amazon without DRM. Having said that, virtually all publishers opt for DRM -- but it's not an Amazon requirement.

OP: Best ebook store?

Originally Posted by susan_cassidy

To me, you need to pick a reader associated with, or compatible with the store that has more of the books you want to read. Find the format, then the reader.

In Canada, amazon.com is clearly the best ebook store. It has selection, pricing, easy sales process, direct device delivery, great recommendation and user community. It's an outstanding reason to buy a Kindle 3.

However, kobobooks is pretty good. Like the Kobo, there aren't bells and whistles, and there isn't a recommendation engine (usually just a list of other titles by the same author). But pricing is generally competitive with Amazon and, once you know what you're looking for, the search engine is quick -- using a webpage or the app. Kobobooks also had a reasonable selection of titles NOT available through amazon.com in Canada, including some Canadian content like the wonderful Dundurn Press mystery imprint.

Everything else pales in comparison -- booksonboard, Sony ereader store, fictionwise, etc. Some other stores -- Whitcoulls, Waterstones and others -- sell selected titles to Canadian addresses, enhancing the ePub selection.

And, as noted, for non-commercial works, there is Mobileread, Manybooks, Project Gutenberg (including the Canadian and Australian variations which have some material not at the main US site because of different copyright rules, notably the 50 years past author death: both Raymond Chandler and George Orwell are PD in Canada).

In sum: amazon.com wins the race in Canada, but kobobooks.com is better than it might appear at first blush. If ePub is your thing, you'll be well served by the folks at Kobo.

[Elfwreck]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

Not true. I have purchased commercial works from Amazon without DRM.

Which books from publishing companies, not individuals, don't have DRM? (I'm curious about which publishers have taken advantage of the change in protocols.)

Having said that, virtually all publishers opt for DRM -- but it's not an Amazon requirement.

It used to be an Amazon requirement; several small publishers had wanted to sell their books without DRM and Amazon wouldn't allow it. This is why Baen books aren't available as Kindlebooks.

I believe this is changing; self-published books can be offered without DRM, and Amazon has agreed to let Cory Doctorow sell his books for the Kindle without DRM. I hope that more small publishers will be releasing Kindlebooks without DRM now that Amazon's changed their requirements. I'd love to see Baen start offering their books through Amazon as well as Webscriptions.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

Which books from publishing companies, not individuals, don't have DRM? (I'm curious about which publishers have taken advantage of the change in protocols.)

Baen would be the obvious example. Pan-Macmillan in the UK also sell DRM-free books.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by SensualPoet

In Canada, amazon.com is clearly the best ebook store. It has selection, pricing, easy sales process, direct device delivery, great recommendation and user community. It's an outstanding reason to buy a Kindle 3.

It's the same in the UK. "amazon.co.uk" have by far the greatest selection, and generally have the lowest price, too.