Buy an ebook in a bookshop.

igorsk · 11-04-2009, 08:34 PM

Moskva , one of the biggest book shops in Moscow, started offering ebooks on their site and in the shop. For now the procedure is a bit complicated but it's a start.
Blog post about the experience (Google translation).
Basically for now it's not much more than a PC in kiosk mode locked to the shop's ebook site, but you can top up your account directly in the shop with cash, and the personnel is there to explain and help.

zelda_pinwheel · 11-04-2009, 08:53 PM

very interesting. i am not sure that simple kiosks are the optimum solution here, but i think it is a good start. there could be a lot of really interesting ways to integrate the digital book buying with the physical store, and i think it would appeal to many people. even if i prefer reading ebooks now, i still like to browse in physical bookstores, and i know i'm not the only one. it would be great to be able to browse the bookstore and buy the ebook immediately, on site. good idea, Moskva. finally !

Madam Broshkina · 11-04-2009, 09:05 PM

I just posted a thread in which an author talks about eBook marketing and one of the things he discusses is how Harper Collins is going to to sell eBooks in book stores. They are selling 3 by 5 cards with the cover and back cover of the book with a code that you can download the book. It lets the book store set the price they want for the card and make a profit on the sale.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...983#post647983

zelda_pinwheel · 11-04-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Madam Broshkina

I just posted a thread in which an author talks about eBook marketing and one of the things he discusses is how Harper Collins is going to to sell eBooks in book stores. They are selling 3 by 5 cards with the cover and back cover of the book with a code that you can download the book. It lets the book store set the price they want for the card and make a profit on the sale.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...983#post647983

that is not a stupid idea at all. i am not convinced we need a physical remnant of these transactions however for now it is probably reassuring to have this tangible evidence, and it allows an easy way to bring digital sales into physical stores, even if a person doesn't have an account there (yet) or have their device (whatever it is) with them for immediate transfer... plus, this would allow you to buy ebooks as gifts, and have something to show them at the birthday party.

carlobee · 11-04-2009, 09:41 PM

oh. that's really interesting!

jaxx6166 · 11-04-2009, 09:49 PM

I always pictured the future of ereaders having a barcode scanner somewhere on them. You go to the bookstore and shop for your book, scanning the barcode for purchase or wishlist. Have it download while you're still in store. It works out much better than my current pen and paper method =)

Billjr13 · 11-04-2009, 10:10 PM

That would work for me. I love to go into a B&M to browse read buy a coffee and visit. I would be just as happy to buy a card for a download or get it from a kiosk; as long as it is not any harder or significantlly more expensive than getting it from an internet store

Kali Yuga · 11-04-2009, 10:49 PM

This is a completely backwards idea.

Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes?

You don't need to go to the music store to download MP3's, or to the game store to download video games, or to the video store to stream movies to your computer. I fail to see why you need to go to a physical store to download a book.

Not to mention that a store is a very expensive chunk of overhead that will become far less common (for better and for worse) as ebook sales rise. Since the physical store doesn't even generate revenue from the sale, it's clearly not a sustainable model.

jusmee · 11-04-2009, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaxx6166

I always pictured the future of ereaders having a barcode scanner somewhere on them. You go to the bookstore and shop for your book, scanning the barcode for purchase or wishlist. Have it download while you're still in store. It works out much better than my current pen and paper method =)

Why not encode the whole book into a high density "barcode", or even a microchip/usb device atached to the 3x5 card. Chips are getting so cheap, or at least, maybe they can sell collections of books this way.

HansTWN · 11-04-2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

This is a completely backwards idea.

Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes?

You don't need to go to the music store to download MP3's, or to the game store to download video games, or to the video store to stream movies to your computer. I fail to see why you need to go to a physical store to download a book.

Not to mention that a store is a very expensive chunk of overhead that will become far less common (for better and for worse) as ebook sales rise. Since the physical store doesn't even generate revenue from the sale, it's clearly not a sustainable model.

It is a desparate attempt to save the old distribution chain, like a small neighborhood grocery. I agree, this won't work. Perhaps as a small section in store selling physical books. Those who like to chat with the owner will be buying physical books, anyway.

Hellmark · 11-05-2009, 12:58 AM

There are some situations where I wouldn't mind it. My school library, for instance, is a nice gathering place, with really comfortable chairs and couches, and everything is very inviting to sit down and read. They have a basic coffee shop set up in there. People enjoy it, because it is a good place to meet up with others, and relax. Having something like that, where you can get away from the hassles that are awaiting you at home. There are reasons why coffee shops are popular. Now, if you could incorporate ebooks into that, by having an internal site offering sales, accessable via wifi. People connect to the wifi network, and first page they load is the for the ebooks.

There are ways that some physical location could be kept, but it would probably not be like book stores are now.

KarenH · 11-05-2009, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

This is a completely backwards idea.

Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes?

You don't need to go to the music store to download MP3's, or to the game store to download video games, or to the video store to stream movies to your computer. I fail to see why you need to go to a physical store to download a book.

Not to mention that a store is a very expensive chunk of overhead that will become far less common (for better and for worse) as ebook sales rise. Since the physical store doesn't even generate revenue from the sale, it's clearly not a sustainable model.

I agree that it doesn't make sense to have a store that sells exclusively ebooks, but I think having an ebook section in a regular bookstore (or even other stores that sell books) would be great. I love to browse in bookstores, and to have the ability to purchase an ebook while I'm browsing would be great. I kind of like the idea of the cards to use as gifts too.

Billjr13 · 11-05-2009, 01:32 AM

Not an ebook store just a book store that has ebooks available too. As to why would I want to go to a B&M I stated in my earlier post. I enjoy it. I was not talking about taking your ability to shop on the internet away. As if that could even be possible at this point. E-commerce is here to stay for a long time. But some people still prefer to walk into a store to look and touch and sample and buy and take their purchase home with them as opposed to ordering online.

Crowl · 11-05-2009, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

This is a completely backwards idea.

Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes?

What's wrong with the idea, its an extra option for people, as long as it doesn't it doesn't reduce the existing options then surely thats a good thing since traditional stores are not going to go away completely.

pthwaite · 11-05-2009, 08:21 AM

I'm in favour of the idea. I like wandering around bookshops as it is much easier to see titles, covers & a synopsis than on a web site. Being able to actually download them or effectively purchase them then and there for future download would be fine by me.
At presetn I still wander round and make notes of the ones I'd like,m then go home have to try to find it, then discover there are some daft regional restricitons etc etc.
Much simpler to buy as you browse in a store.

11-04-2009, 08:34 PM	#1
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Buy an ebook in a bookshop. Moskva , one of the biggest book shops in Moscow, started offering ebooks on their site and in the shop. For now the procedure is a bit complicated but it's a start. Blog post about the experience (Google translation). Basically for now it's not much more than a PC in kiosk mode locked to the shop's ebook site, but you can top up your account directly in the shop with cash, and the personnel is there to explain and help.

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11-04-2009, 08:53 PM	#2
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	very interesting. i am not sure that simple kiosks are the optimum solution here, but i think it is a good start. there could be a lot of really interesting ways to integrate the digital book buying with the physical store, and i think it would appeal to many people. even if i prefer reading ebooks now, i still like to browse in physical bookstores, and i know i'm not the only one. it would be great to be able to browse the bookstore and buy the ebook immediately, on site. good idea, Moskva. finally !

11-04-2009, 09:05 PM	#3
Madam Broshkina Manic Do Fuse Posts: 2,312 Karma: 3325462 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony 500, 505, 350, Kindle 3, DXG, nook, Irex DR800SG, iPad	I just posted a thread in which an author talks about eBook marketing and one of the things he discusses is how Harper Collins is going to to sell eBooks in book stores. They are selling 3 by 5 cards with the cover and back cover of the book with a code that you can download the book. It lets the book store set the price they want for the card and make a profit on the sale. https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...983#post647983

11-04-2009, 09:41 PM	#5
carlobee Fanatic Posts: 535 Karma: 972 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: The new iPad	oh. that's really interesting!

11-04-2009, 09:49 PM	#6
jaxx6166 Wizard Posts: 1,222 Karma: 769316 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Eternal summer Device: 350, iPad, PW	I always pictured the future of ereaders having a barcode scanner somewhere on them. You go to the bookstore and shop for your book, scanning the barcode for purchase or wishlist. Have it download while you're still in store. It works out much better than my current pen and paper method =)

11-04-2009, 10:10 PM	#7
Billjr13 Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 550002 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Device: Sony PRS 700 & 650	That would work for me. I love to go into a B&M to browse read buy a coffee and visit. I would be just as happy to buy a card for a download or get it from a kiosk; as long as it is not any harder or significantlly more expensive than getting it from an internet store

11-04-2009, 10:49 PM	#8
Kali Yuga Professional Contrarian Posts: 2,045 Karma: 3289631 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Kindle 4 No Touchie	This is a completely backwards idea. Why, exactly, would I want to get in a car, drive 20 minutes to the store, browse for 30 minutes, spend 15 minutes checking out, then another 20 going home -- when I can download a sample, read it, buy it, and have it on my device in 10 minutes? You don't need to go to the music store to download MP3's, or to the game store to download video games, or to the video store to stream movies to your computer. I fail to see why you need to go to a physical store to download a book. Not to mention that a store is a very expensive chunk of overhead that will become far less common (for better and for worse) as ebook sales rise. Since the physical store doesn't even generate revenue from the sale, it's clearly not a sustainable model.

11-05-2009, 12:58 AM	#11
Hellmark Wizard Posts: 2,549 Karma: 3799999 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: O'Fallon, Missouri, USA Device: Nokia N800, PRS-505, Nook STR Glowlight, Kindle 3	There are some situations where I wouldn't mind it. My school library, for instance, is a nice gathering place, with really comfortable chairs and couches, and everything is very inviting to sit down and read. They have a basic coffee shop set up in there. People enjoy it, because it is a good place to meet up with others, and relax. Having something like that, where you can get away from the hassles that are awaiting you at home. There are reasons why coffee shops are popular. Now, if you could incorporate ebooks into that, by having an internal site offering sales, accessable via wifi. People connect to the wifi network, and first page they load is the for the ebooks. There are ways that some physical location could be kept, but it would probably not be like book stores are now.

11-05-2009, 01:32 AM	#13
Billjr13 Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 550002 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Device: Sony PRS 700 & 650	Not an ebook store just a book store that has ebooks available too. As to why would I want to go to a B&M I stated in my earlier post. I enjoy it. I was not talking about taking your ability to shop on the internet away. As if that could even be possible at this point. E-commerce is here to stay for a long time. But some people still prefer to walk into a store to look and touch and sample and buy and take their purchase home with them as opposed to ordering online.

11-05-2009, 08:21 AM	#15
pthwaite Fanatic Posts: 597 Karma: 430 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ellesmere Port, UK Device: DR1000S Sony PRS505 iPad iPhone	I'm in favour of the idea. I like wandering around bookshops as it is much easier to see titles, covers & a synopsis than on a web site. Being able to actually download them or effectively purchase them then and there for future download would be fine by me. At presetn I still wander round and make notes of the ones I'd like,m then go home have to try to find it, then discover there are some daft regional restricitons etc etc. Much simpler to buy as you browse in a store.

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