E-book of Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol outsells the hardback on Amazon - Page 3

Daithi · 09-16-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

PDF is a rather poor eBook format as most readers are 6" screens and the PDF are made for letter sized pages with way too much margin. Have you ever seen a single PDF for sale that was made properly for a 6" screen?

For 6" screens I completely agree. However, I have a larger screen, and PDFs work quite well for me. In fact I have PDF books that are simply unavailable in other ebook formats. For example, all of Charles Dickens works as originally printed with their original illustrations. Another example is Dumas' The Three Musketeers with all 250 illustrations by Maurice Leloir.

Are PDFs the optimal ebook format? By no means, but ultimately, so what?

Dave_S · 09-16-2009, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superlucky

then the profits of those sales would be eclipsed by people getting a pdf from the darknet, which in this case was available the day of the release.

I just took a quick look, and now on the second day, there is more than just a PDF of "The Lost Symbol" out there in the wild.

AnemicOak · 09-16-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

PDF is a rather poor eBook format as most readers are 6" screens and the PDF are made for letter sized pages with way too much margin. Have you ever seen a single PDF for sale that was made properly for a 6" screen?

For 6" (or 5") screens it is a poor choice, but the majority of ebook readers still read on PC's last time I checked and not on a dedicated device.

I believe someone said Samhain sold their books as PDF's formatted to fit the Sony's screen.

Olympus · 09-16-2009, 05:27 PM

I was in the process of ordering Dan Browns Lost Key only to discover that the eBook versions are only sold to people from Canada and US
What the f&*^%k is happening - they introduce DRM and now publishers want to go back in time and ignore the globalisation of sales via the Internet; I can order the HardBack copy although I live in Europe; why oh why can't I order this eBook from Europe too?

I'll get the illegal copy from Usenet: no hassle with formats, DRM and regional restrictions. Fed up with the publishers - I'll check the status of customer-attitude by publishers in another 2 years.

fugazied · 09-16-2009, 06:41 PM

No wait for delivery is something Amazon needs to promote the hell out of. Buy it now, Read it NOW, is a great selling point for anticipated new releases like this.

As for profit margins, you would think that with the e-book profits split 3 ways (publisher, Amazon, author) that there would be sufficient markup. Hardcover is split.. 5 ways or more (publisher, Amazon, author, print costs, transport to warehouse, transport from warehouse to purchaser, storage space)

desertgrandma · 09-16-2009, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olympus

I was in the process of ordering Dan Browns Lost Key only to discover that the eBook versions are only sold to people from Canada and US
What the f&*^%k is happening - they introduce DRM and now publishers want to go back in time and ignore the globalisation of sales via the Internet; I can order the HardBack copy although I live in Europe; why oh why can't I order this eBook from Europe too?

I'll get the illegal copy from Usenet: no hassle with formats, DRM and regional restrictions. Fed up with the publishers - I'll check the status of customer-attitude by publishers in another 2 years.

Did you check Waterstones? Arent' they in the UK? They were sellling the ebook for 9.99

http://www.waterstones.com/waterston...do?sku=6935637

desertgrandma · 09-16-2009, 08:58 PM

Interestingly enough, its outselling the hardback version on Watertones, also!

http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do

kennyc · 09-16-2009, 09:02 PM

Wonderful news!

ficbot · 09-16-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fugazied

No wait for delivery is something Amazon needs to promote the hell out of. Buy it now, Read it NOW, is a great selling point for anticipated new releases like this.

Seriously, think about those bookstores that had special midnight openings on the day of Harry Potter releases, and the people that lined up for hours to buy them. One day, children will laugh at that idea. That story will be on par with 'when I was your age, we had to walk TEN MILES to school in the SNOW and ICE UP TO OUR KNEES and NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT IT!!!" :P

desertgrandma · 09-16-2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ficbot

Seriously, think about those bookstores that had special midnight openings on the day of Harry Potter releases, and the people that lined up for hours to buy them. One day, children will laugh at that idea. That story will be on par with 'when I was your age, we had to walk TEN MILES to school in the SNOW and ICE UP TO OUR KNEES and NOBODY COMPLAINED ABOUT IT!!!" :P

You forgot "uphill both ways in a T-Shirt!!"

kennyc · 09-16-2009, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithi

I would define an ebook format as "a file format that can display a book on an ereader" and by that definition a PDF is most certainly an ebook format. Just my opinion of course.

PDF is not a format designed to display on/as an ebook. It was designed for displaying documents on a computer screen.....something very different than what is considered an ebook reader.

Ankh · 09-16-2009, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahi

Unless they assume X% of those eBook sales would have been far more profitable hardcover sales... if only they delayed the eBook's release.

A theory that seems eminently plausible to me. And given how much profit there can be on an overpriced hardcover... perhaps it is even a sensible one... despite being contrary to consumer interests.

The longer they wait with eBook release, the more likely is that darknet will react with the scan.

And if that happens, I am not sure what the net effect would be. I think it is fair to say that it is a double-edged sword.

jaxx6166 · 09-16-2009, 09:40 PM

I bought my version for Kindle. I'd love to have the paper hardback version of TLS to complete my collection, but not right now.

I've found paper books to become great heirloom and collectors toys now that I'm into the e-readers. I prefer the instant gratification of having it ready when I woke up this AM instead of waiting 4 days until I'm off to go to the store to buy it.

Sure, I could have pre-ordered it, but had this been my only version anticipation alone would have driven me mad. And I hate paying shipping AND sales tax.

Now that I have the K2 version, I can read and enjoy and wait to pick up my "collector's edition" (Which, consequently won't be nearly as collectible as all the other first editions of his books)

I think I read somewhere that the initial print run of this is some ludicrous amount of millions upon millions of copies...somewhere along Harry Potter numbers.

Daithi · 09-16-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

PDF is not a format designed to display on/as an ebook. It was designed for displaying documents on a computer screen.....something very different than what is considered an ebook reader.

You're right. PDFs weren't designed for dedicated eReaders, but then again MP3s weren't designed for iPods either.

SHOECHICK · 09-16-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxx6166

I think I read somewhere that the initial print run of this is some ludicrous amount of millions upon millions of copies...somewhere along Harry Potter numbers.

This is from a local news report about TLS selling over a million copies in it's first day..

"An additional 600,000 hardcover copies have been ordered, bringing the total print run to 5.6 million copies"

09-16-2009, 05:27 PM	#34
Olympus Connoisseur Posts: 72 Karma: 542 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Rocket & Bookeen CyGen 3	DRM is old; introduction of regional restrictions I was in the process of ordering Dan Browns Lost Key only to discover that the eBook versions are only sold to people from Canada and US What the f&*^%k is happening - they introduce DRM and now publishers want to go back in time and ignore the globalisation of sales via the Internet; I can order the HardBack copy although I live in Europe; why oh why can't I order this eBook from Europe too? I'll get the illegal copy from Usenet: no hassle with formats, DRM and regional restrictions. Fed up with the publishers - I'll check the status of customer-attitude by publishers in another 2 years.

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09-16-2009, 06:41 PM	#35
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	No wait for delivery is something Amazon needs to promote the hell out of. Buy it now, Read it NOW, is a great selling point for anticipated new releases like this. As for profit margins, you would think that with the e-book profits split 3 ways (publisher, Amazon, author) that there would be sufficient markup. Hardcover is split.. 5 ways or more (publisher, Amazon, author, print costs, transport to warehouse, transport from warehouse to purchaser, storage space)

09-16-2009, 08:58 PM	#37
desertgrandma Enjoying the show.... Posts: 14,270 Karma: 10462841 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Arizona Device: A K1, Kindle Paperwhite, an Ipod, IPad2, Iphone, an Ipad Mini & macAir	Interestingly enough, its outselling the hardback version on Watertones, also! http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/home.do

09-16-2009, 09:02 PM	#38
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Wonderful news!

09-16-2009, 09:40 PM	#43
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	I bought my version for Kindle. I'd love to have the paper hardback version of TLS to complete my collection, but not right now. I've found paper books to become great heirloom and collectors toys now that I'm into the e-readers. I prefer the instant gratification of having it ready when I woke up this AM instead of waiting 4 days until I'm off to go to the store to buy it. Sure, I could have pre-ordered it, but had this been my only version anticipation alone would have driven me mad. And I hate paying shipping AND sales tax. Now that I have the K2 version, I can read and enjoy and wait to pick up my "collector's edition" (Which, consequently won't be nearly as collectible as all the other first editions of his books) I think I read somewhere that the initial print run of this is some ludicrous amount of millions upon millions of copies...somewhere along Harry Potter numbers.

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