"E-Readers" and mainstream Black Friday

pshrynk · 11-26-2009, 09:08 AM

On Good Morning America this morning, they listed the top three "hot" items for Black Friday shopping. First was boots, then "E-Readers" then smart phones. When "E-Readers" comes in second only to boots, I think the mainstream is overtaking our little community here.

Note: I put "E-Readers" in quotes because, yes, Jon, I know it is a trademark. Looks like it's going to go the way of Kleenex and Xerox, though...

zelda_pinwheel · 11-26-2009, 09:10 AM

well, i can't help but think that's a good thing ! mainstream should mean lower prices, improved tech, better selection of ebooks... soon, hopefully.

Sweetpea · 11-26-2009, 10:30 AM

Bwwaahhhhahahaaahh!

You really think those big publishers will get their heads out of the sand? By the time the next generation ereader will have arrived, publishers will maybe peek out a bit and decide that oh wait, the time has changed, let's change a bit with it...

Naturally, all small publish houses will have moved on but the big boys will still prefer paper books...

Steven Lyle Jordan · 11-26-2009, 10:56 AM

Part of me is encouraged by the mainstreaming of "reading devices" (see? It's easy when you try!). But with the ongoing problems of non-interchangeable formats from one bookstore to the other, I am still concerned that things could backfire... as in "Whadaya mean, I can't buy from (Barnes & Noble/Amazon/whoever) for my reader? They have the lowest price on the book I want!"

jasonkchapman · 11-26-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

But with the ongoing problems of non-interchangeable formats from one bookstore to the other, I am still concerned that things could backfire... as in "Whadaya mean, I can't buy from (Barnes & Noble/Amazon/whoever) for my reader? They have the lowest price on the book I want!"

That's when the market takes over. If enough consumers jump in and that particular complaint becomes common enough, the market will adjust. Publishers will try to make sure their content gets onto as many platforms as possible (as is currently happening with mobile device developers). Reading device makers will start to converge on some level of interoperability (as is sorta, kinda thinking about happening now). Consumers will settle for some "good enough" level of content availability on a device chosen for some other reason (looks, brand loyalty, the mythical "cool factor"). Other avenues of distribution will develop that focus on broad device support (in the way that Ingram and Baker & Taylor act as middlemen between publishers and bookstores).

Eventually, some combination of those variables will settle on something that the market determines is "good enough".

fugazied · 11-26-2009, 04:51 PM

2010 is going to be huge for e-reader, the amount of publicity I've been seeing on TV and twitter for them is nuts. Especially when you see well known people/journalists tweeting about how much they love their Kindle/other device, it drives sales.

kindlekitten · 11-26-2009, 06:10 PM

boots? really? wow!

GA Russell · 11-26-2009, 06:38 PM

I was in BJ's a few weeks ago, and found that on their computer the Sony prs-300 is listed as a "digital reader".

JSWolf · 11-26-2009, 06:51 PM

I have seen Amazon's TV ad and it's awful. If I didn't know about the Kindle, I'd still not know about the Kindle after seeing the advert. At least with Sony's TV advert, it was obvious what they were selling.

carlobee · 11-26-2009, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

boots? really? wow!

got the same reaction as yours.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 11-27-2009, 02:01 PM

Yesterday was the first day I'd seen the Kindle commercials on TV... not impressed. (My wife, sitting next to me, said: "What are they selling?")

TeleRead highlights a Computerworld article that gives 7 reasons why e-book devices are not a good buy this year. Mostly obvious and spurious reasons, IMO: The same 7 reasons would apply to about any piece of electronics out there, including--ahem--computers.

Still, I'm safe at home, not braving the malls, so I have no way of knowing how much of this is actually impacting buying customers.

JSWolf · 11-27-2009, 02:20 PM

The Kindle TV advert is just a mess. If you didn't know about the Kindle, you'd still not know.

The-eBook-Reader · 11-27-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Kindle TV advert is just a mess. If you didn't know about the Kindle, you'd still not know.

I couldn't agree more. That commercial does a horrible job of conveying what a Kindle is or does. I always mute commercials to prevent further brain damage, and the first couple of times I saw it--during NFL games oddly--I had no idea what the commercial was about.

Sony's isn't much better either. It always bothers me that Peyton Manning doesn't say anything in it. What's the deal with that?

daffy4u · 11-27-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The Kindle TV advert is just a mess. If you didn't know about the Kindle, you'd still not know.

The Sony ad is just as bad (in fact that whole series of ads is bad). Both companies need to hire or hire a new advertising agency.

JSWolf · 11-27-2009, 02:57 PM

But at least with the Sony ad, you do know what it is they are trying to sell.

And I agree, both Amazon & Sony need new ads that properly convey what the products actually do.

11-26-2009, 09:08 AM	#1
pshrynk Beepbeep n beebeep, yeah! Posts: 11,726 Karma: 8255450 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: La Crosse, Wisconsin, aka America's IceBox Device: iThingie, KmkII, I miss Zelda!	"E-Readers" and mainstream Black Friday On Good Morning America this morning, they listed the top three "hot" items for Black Friday shopping. First was boots, then "E-Readers" then smart phones. When "E-Readers" comes in second only to boots, I think the mainstream is overtaking our little community here. Note: I put "E-Readers" in quotes because, yes, Jon, I know it is a trademark. Looks like it's going to go the way of Kleenex and Xerox, though...

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11-26-2009, 09:10 AM	#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?	well, i can't help but think that's a good thing ! mainstream should mean lower prices, improved tech, better selection of ebooks... soon, hopefully.

11-26-2009, 10:30 AM	#3
Sweetpea Grand Sorcerer Posts: 9,707 Karma: 32763414 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Krewerd Device: Pocketbook Inkpad 4 Color; Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	Bwwaahhhhahahaaahh! You really think those big publishers will get their heads out of the sand? By the time the next generation ereader will have arrived, publishers will maybe peek out a bit and decide that oh wait, the time has changed, let's change a bit with it... Naturally, all small publish houses will have moved on but the big boys will still prefer paper books...

11-26-2009, 10:56 AM	#4
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Part of me is encouraged by the mainstreaming of "reading devices" (see? It's easy when you try!). But with the ongoing problems of non-interchangeable formats from one bookstore to the other, I am still concerned that things could backfire... as in "Whadaya mean, I can't buy from (Barnes & Noble/Amazon/whoever) for my reader? They have the lowest price on the book I want!"

11-26-2009, 04:51 PM	#6
fugazied Wizard Posts: 1,305 Karma: 1958 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: iPod Touch	2010 is going to be huge for e-reader, the amount of publicity I've been seeing on TV and twitter for them is nuts. Especially when you see well known people/journalists tweeting about how much they love their Kindle/other device, it drives sales.

11-26-2009, 06:10 PM	#7
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	boots? really? wow!

11-26-2009, 06:38 PM	#8
GA Russell Montreal wins Grey Cup! Posts: 7,583 Karma: 31484197 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I was in BJ's a few weeks ago, and found that on their computer the Sony prs-300 is listed as a "digital reader".

11-26-2009, 06:51 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,858 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I have seen Amazon's TV ad and it's awful. If I didn't know about the Kindle, I'd still not know about the Kindle after seeing the advert. At least with Sony's TV advert, it was obvious what they were selling.

11-27-2009, 02:01 PM	#11
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Yesterday was the first day I'd seen the Kindle commercials on TV... not impressed. (My wife, sitting next to me, said: "What are they selling?") TeleRead highlights a Computerworld article that gives 7 reasons why e-book devices are not a good buy this year. Mostly obvious and spurious reasons, IMO: The same 7 reasons would apply to about any piece of electronics out there, including--ahem--computers. Still, I'm safe at home, not braving the malls, so I have no way of knowing how much of this is actually impacting buying customers.

11-27-2009, 02:20 PM	#12
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,858 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The Kindle TV advert is just a mess. If you didn't know about the Kindle, you'd still not know.

11-27-2009, 02:57 PM	#15
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,858 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But at least with the Sony ad, you do know what it is they are trying to sell. And I agree, both Amazon & Sony need new ads that properly convey what the products actually do.

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