eBooks Survey at Waterstone's

alex@waterstones · 06-05-2009, 01:25 PM

Hello, I hope you don't mind me linking this myself but we've launched a survey on eBooks today and I'd love to get responses from the members of mobileread. The survey is here, and should take around ten minutes to complete. Our aim is to gather as much feedback as possible to help shape our future plans and ensure that our offer matches what you want.

If anyone would like to raise any issues with me that are not included in the survey or for which they require a direct response then please by all means send me a private message.

Also, if you have any particular authors, titles or series that you wish to see in eBook but cannot currently find do please let us know on our eBooks suggestion page.

Thanks,
Alex Ingram
eBooks Buyer
Waterstones.com

Moejoe · 06-05-2009, 01:31 PM

Done

Curly · 06-05-2009, 01:39 PM

Thanks for letting us know Alex!

mklynds · 06-05-2009, 01:40 PM

Finished

Cabe · 06-05-2009, 02:07 PM

Finally!

Someone who works for a company that....

A) Actually seems to care about the people who buy their products
B) Is up front about it, I really love it when companies don't "Astroturf"

Commendable.

Completed the survey BTW....

columbus · 06-05-2009, 02:53 PM

Done.

Thanks Alex,
it is good to see that Waterstones are finally coming to see that customers views are of value to them.

Now, how about some freebies as the Sony USA site!!!!!

Xenophon · 06-05-2009, 03:49 PM

Done.

pdurrant · 06-05-2009, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex@waterstones

f anyone would like to raise any issues with me that are not included in the survey or for which they require a direct response then please by all means send me a private message.

Lovely to see a Waterstones representative here at Mobileread. I've filled in the survey, and added a few comments at the "any other comments" at the end.

I forgot to mention a couple of things that you might find directly relevant to Waterstones, or anyone else setting up an ebook store.

(1) You must have a good search system for just the ebooks. I have no interest in searching through 100 results for the five ebooks hidden in the list.
(2) You must have a reliable order history/re-download system.

You don't currently have (1). I've tried the advanced search, and when I didn't get an error from the search, I always got all formats, not the ebooks I selected in the formats popup.

I searched for the last couple of books I bought from fictionwise.

I couldn't find Heinlein's Stranger in as Strange land in ebook format.
I did find The Alchemyst by Michael Scott.

At Fictionwise that cost me $7.64, with a rebate of $3.06, taking the net cost to $4.58. Checking Paypal, that was £4.39, net £2.63. Granted, this was in a sale, so my current cost would be $7.26 or £4.17.

Now, you have to charge VAT. So I could see paying £4.80 for the book. Your price? £5.51.

You know - I'm surprised. That's actually not too far off, assuming you occasionally do sales too. Because it is, after all, over twice what I actually paid for the book.

One thing that would definitely attract me to a UK store would be if there was some indication that the text wasn't the same as the US version. For instance, if the Harry Potter books ever make it to ebook form, there's no way I'll be buying the US versions.

bathos · 06-05-2009, 05:17 PM

Another survey completed. Great to see someone finally asking what the readers want.

I'm another one who would love a simple search function for ebooks.

The prices are also ridiculous. I look at the prices at Watersones, laugh, and go and buy them somewhere else. I've bought 200+ ebooks lately and not one of them has been from Watersones.

zerospinboson · 06-05-2009, 08:02 PM

fairly comprehensive question list, too.

lemon lime · 06-05-2009, 08:59 PM

I answered the survey and clicked on "Done" five minutes ago ... "Waiting for www.rhgdigital3.co.uk..."

It wasn't a very time-consuming survey, but it's irritating to think I did that for nothing.

Clicked "Stop loading" then "Done" again. Same result.

NormHart · 06-05-2009, 09:03 PM

Yup, mine's hung too. Not sure if it's going to take the survey or not.

Ehh, I'll leave the tab open until I'm off the internet tonight.

tech_au · 06-06-2009, 12:38 AM

I'd probably have only 2 comments for them. Make your ebooks prices competitive and make the Search engine suck alot less. Go and have a look at Sony's and Wh Smiths search engines if you have to.

JSWolf · 06-06-2009, 01:07 AM

Why is it that your eBooks are not part of the 50% sale?

AlexBell · 06-06-2009, 02:58 AM

I've done the survey, and complained bitterly that some publishers will only allow ebooks in one format - e.g. Penguin and ADE

Regards, Alex

06-05-2009, 01:25 PM	#1
alex@waterstones Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2009 Location: London Device: Sony PRS-505	eBooks Survey at Waterstone's Hello, I hope you don't mind me linking this myself but we've launched a survey on eBooks today and I'd love to get responses from the members of mobileread. The survey is here, and should take around ten minutes to complete. Our aim is to gather as much feedback as possible to help shape our future plans and ensure that our offer matches what you want. If anyone would like to raise any issues with me that are not included in the survey or for which they require a direct response then please by all means send me a private message. Also, if you have any particular authors, titles or series that you wish to see in eBook but cannot currently find do please let us know on our eBooks suggestion page. Thanks, Alex Ingram eBooks Buyer Waterstones.com

06-05-2009, 02:07 PM	#5
Cabe Connoisseur Posts: 99 Karma: 403 Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Portsmouth, UK Device: Sony PRS-505, iPhone	Finally! Someone who works for a company that.... A) Actually seems to care about the people who buy their products B) Is up front about it, I really love it when companies don't "Astroturf" Commendable. Completed the survey BTW.... Last edited by Cabe; 06-05-2009 at 02:21 PM.

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06-05-2009, 01:31 PM	#2
Moejoe Banned Posts: 5,100 Karma: 72193 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South of the Border Device: Coffin	Done

06-05-2009, 01:39 PM	#3
Curly I need a holiday! Posts: 1,227 Karma: 4622 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Scotland Device: PRS-505, ipod touch	Thanks for letting us know Alex!

06-05-2009, 01:40 PM	#4
mklynds That guy, no not that guy Posts: 337 Karma: 2846 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Alberta, Canada Device: PRS600 Red	Finished

06-05-2009, 02:53 PM	#6
columbus Wizard Posts: 999 Karma: 5487540 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: In my own imagination. Device: Sony Prs 650, 505	Done. Thanks Alex, it is good to see that Waterstones are finally coming to see that customers views are of value to them. Now, how about some freebies as the Sony USA site!!!!!

06-05-2009, 03:49 PM	#7
Xenophon curmudgeon Posts: 1,481 Karma: 5748190 Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Redwood City, CA USA Device: Kobo Aura HD, (ex)nook, (ex)PRS-700, (ex)PRS-500	Done.

06-05-2009, 05:17 PM	#9
bathos Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 727000 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: UK Device: iPhone XS, iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, kindle Oasis	Another survey completed. Great to see someone finally asking what the readers want. I'm another one who would love a simple search function for ebooks. The prices are also ridiculous. I look at the prices at Watersones, laugh, and go and buy them somewhere else. I've bought 200+ ebooks lately and not one of them has been from Watersones.

06-05-2009, 08:02 PM	#10
zerospinboson "Assume a can opener..." Posts: 755 Karma: 1942109 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Local Cluster Device: iLiad v2, DR1000	fairly comprehensive question list, too.

06-05-2009, 08:59 PM	#11
lemon lime Enthusiast Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: Bebook, iPod touch	I answered the survey and clicked on "Done" five minutes ago ... "Waiting for www.rhgdigital3.co.uk..." It wasn't a very time-consuming survey, but it's irritating to think I did that for nothing. Clicked "Stop loading" then "Done" again. Same result.

06-05-2009, 09:03 PM	#12
NormHart Semper Carpe Bufo Posts: 537 Karma: 21676 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Napa Valley, California Device: Kindle2 & Kindle3	Yup, mine's hung too. Not sure if it's going to take the survey or not. Ehh, I'll leave the tab open until I'm off the internet tonight.

06-06-2009, 12:38 AM	#13
tech_au Oz Bookworm Posts: 516 Karma: 4056 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Australia Device: Sony PRS 505,PRS 650	I'd probably have only 2 comments for them. Make your ebooks prices competitive and make the Search engine suck alot less. Go and have a look at Sony's and Wh Smiths search engines if you have to.

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06-06-2009, 01:07 AM	#14
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Why is it that your eBooks are not part of the 50% sale?

06-06-2009, 02:58 AM	#15
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	I've done the survey, and complained bitterly that some publishers will only allow ebooks in one format - e.g. Penguin and ADE Regards, Alex