IDC came with some numbers: Amazon still leading the e-reader market

[jocampo]

Just read on Engadget that as per IDC, Amazon is still leading the e-readers market. It is, by surprise of many, followed by Pandigital and not B&N.

Apple is still leading the tablet market but shares went down from 90% to about 73% (with no doubt because the introduce of many new tablets like Galaxy Tab or Xoom)

[faithbw]

Can you provide a link please? I just want to read the whole story.

I'm surprised Pandigital is in second as well.

[Ken401]

I'll go out on a limb and say this is the OP's source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/i...ipped-in-2010/

[Kali Yuga]

Article Link: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/i...ipped-in-2010/

Looks like they are mostly talking devices, not ebooks.

• ebook readers up 325% since 2009
• Amazon had a 48% share for ebook readers in 2010
• B&N and Pandigital are apparently neck and neck for 2nd

[kjk]

Curious how IDC is getting their Kindle sales numbers. Apple and Samsung released shipping/sales numbers, but B&N and Amazon never have.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by Ken401

I'll go out on a limb and say this is the OP's source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/i...ipped-in-2010/

Thanks Ken,

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by kjk

Curious how IDC is getting their Kindle sales numbers. Apple and Samsung released shipping/sales numbers, but B&N and Amazon never have.

Speculating here, but I'm assuming those are retail companies numbers.

[faithbw]

Originally Posted by Ken401

I'll go out on a limb and say this is the OP's source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/i...ipped-in-2010/

Originally Posted by Kali Yuga

Article Link: http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/10/i...ipped-in-2010/

Looks like they are mostly talking devices, not ebooks.

• ebook readers up 325% since 2009
• Amazon had a 48% share for ebook readers in 2010
• B&N and Pandigital are apparently neck and neck for 2nd

[SensualPoet]

So, worldwide: e-readers shipped 12.8 million units, of which abt 6.1 were Kindles, 800,000 were Sony brand (in 5th place), which roughly implies abt 1-2 million each for B&N, Pandigital and Hanvon, and in that order. Kobo, presumably, is 6th or further upstream, implying max 700,000 units. (Pandigital, however, use Kobo software in some (all?) cases.)

Given Kobo's aggressive positioning as a feature / app on other devices (tablets, phones, PCs), an international bookstore presence, and a launch in the US as recently as late June, its power in the marketplace is somewhat shrouded by these stats. That's a remarkable achievement in such a short time. It also has to be said, Kindle has held on to a commanding lead: virtually 50% of the market vs a fragmented cluster of competing devices using a platform (epub) with enough inconsistencies to make leadership within the pack problematic.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by jocampo

Just read on Engadget that as per IDC, Amazon is still leading the e-readers market. It is, by surprise of many, followed by Pandigital and not B&N.

B&N don't offer a product in most of the world.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

B&N don't offer a product in most of the world.

So? ... if I'm not mistaken, the article is not referencing USA market only. Even though, that does not stop some people from buying via relatives and then shipping to foreign countries. That would still count as a "sold unit", no?

But you are correct, Nook is not not an International product itself and probably why Amazon is still a leader and strong contender.

[abookreader]

I'm wondering how much this reflects the power of the traditional Brick and Mortar product placement.

Everybody I know here that owns a PanDigital picked it up, almost on impulse, while shopping at places at Bed Bath Beyond or Kohls etc. Then they got it home and realized it "isn't a Kindle, but it works." For most of them, who read probably a book or month or so, it works just fine.

I just went to the PanDigital Website and they have a banner there claiming they are in 33,000 retail locations.

[jocampo]

Originally Posted by abookreader

I'm wondering how much this reflects the power of the traditional Brick and Mortar product placement.

Everybody I know here that owns a PanDigital picked it up, almost on impulse, while shopping at places at Bed Bath Beyond or Kohls etc. Then they got it home and realized it "isn't a Kindle, but it works." For most of them, who read probably a book or month or so, it works just fine.

I just went to the PanDigital Website and they have a banner there claiming they are in 33,000 retail locations.

Great point!

And actually, I am reading: Web 2.0: A Strategy Guide. That is a great book, not too technical and easy to read, which explains the new wave and marketing success of Web 2.0 website around the globe.

I don't think brick stores are going to disappear but you are just starting to see more and more online impulse buyers or people who don't even visit a brick store and order products online only. This is why B&N and other bookstores are struggling. You need to get a bigger profit and/or sell more, when you have to pay lease, electricity, water and more employees, than just couple of folks who pack merchandise and keep an eye on the Apache web-server and database behind the website.

The downside of buying an ereader online or taking such decision via website, is that the customer cannot feel or play with the product. Amazon and Apple know that very well and that's why they use Target, Best Buy, Walmart, as brick stores, in order to provide that human interaction and real time customer's experience.

[murraypaul]

Originally Posted by murraypaul

B&N don't offer a product in most of the world.

Originally Posted by jocampo

So? ...

So it shouldn't be a surprise that they are a relatively small player globally, and that Pandigital, which many Americans might not have heard about, but which sells products in many countries, would have sold more than them.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by abookreader

Everybody I know here that owns a PanDigital picked it up, almost on impulse, while shopping at places at Bed Bath Beyond or Kohls etc. Then they got it home and realized it "isn't a Kindle, but it works." For most of them, who read probably a book or month or so, it works just fine.

Something else that may have helped the Pandigital sales is the QVC TV shopping channel. They offered a Pandigital as one of their "today's special values" (lower pricing for one day only) in the Christmas shopping season. That gave it a lot of exposure on that day, plus they also included it in a lot of their electronics shows before Christmas, with numerous demonstrations.