2/3 of Kindle Users Over 40

sirbruce · 05-01-2009, 07:43 PM

http://kindleculture.blogspot.com/20...ographics.html

snipenekkid · 05-01-2009, 07:51 PM

it is all about price point, and of course video games in the lower side of that distribution.

whitearrow · 05-01-2009, 08:05 PM

More like 2/3 of Kindle owners *who post to the Amazon boards* are over 40. I don't think that's a statistically random sample that you can generalize to the pool of Kindle owners at large.

Sonist · 05-01-2009, 08:10 PM

Maybe all the cool people stay away from Amazon, and buy Sonys and Hanlins and iRexes....

But seriously, part of the reason might be that the Kindle is probably the easiest to use by a non-techie, and the most heavily advertised to the general population.

snipenekkid · 05-01-2009, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonist

Maybe all the cool people stay away from Amazon, and buy Sonys and Hanlins and iRexes....

But seriously, part of the reason might be that the Kindle is probably the easiest to use by a non-techie, and the most heavily advertised to the general population.

that really sounds likely. Maybe since Amazon sells so many books, they have insight into where best to spend the advertising bucks. So, seeing how they market the Kindle would be an indicator who are currently the most active readers.

In this case if they get the parents into the devices then as the platform matures the kids will have come to consider the readers like a piece of furniture or any currently ubiquitous device. Think the MP3 market went at it from the other direction based on the same sort of analysis?

sirbruce · 05-01-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitearrow

More like 2/3 of Kindle owners *who post to the Amazon boards* are over 40. I don't think that's a statistically random sample that you can generalize to the pool of Kindle owners at large.

Just because it's not a random sample doesn't mean it's useless. First, you'd have to posit a good theory why the self-selected website responses would be different from random. Then, you'd have to show how that difference would be statistically signifigant. And even then, a large difference wouldn't invalidate broad conclusions. We can be reasonably confident that it's not 80% under the age of 40, for example.

Sporadic · 05-02-2009, 04:29 AM

Yeah but it's only polling 1380 people in a place where no sane person would ever be.

How many Kindles have been sold? 400,000?

Talldog · 05-02-2009, 10:05 AM

I have no trouble believing this. It seems to me that many young people might not have enough disposable income to make spending almost $400 on a book reader seem like a good value proposition (especially in comparison to spending it on video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.), and they have more compelling options for spending their free time (like video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.). Then when you get older and more settled and start to slow down, you rediscover the joys of reading. At least that's what happened to me.

Andybaby · 05-02-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talldog

I have no trouble believing this. It seems to me that many young people might not have enough disposable income to make spending almost $400 on a book reader seem like a good value proposition (especially in comparison to spending it on video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.), and they have more compelling options for spending their free time (like video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.). Then when you get older and more settled and start to slow down, you rediscover the joys of reading. At least that's what happened to me.

Same here, hated books all my life. since i turned 19 i havent put them down

so of course the sample under 20 sucks, kids hate to read for the most part. its more of an adult passion.

also, while most of my friends read, the teenage girls are more into fanfiction than novels (though they do pick up novels once in a while)

while my brothers group of friends, none of them read at all. they are too busy getting stoned.

taosaur · 05-02-2009, 10:57 AM

I've seen this report a couple of places, and everyone mentions disposable income and free time, which are surely factors, but I suspect the larger issue affecting the value equation for older people is eyesight and eye strain. Adjustable print size and a comfortable display are the main reasons I hear for why people 1) are reading from any electronic device and 2) are using eInk rather than a more flexible LCD device like a netbook or iPhone.

CleverClothe · 05-02-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

Just because it's not a random sample doesn't mean it's useless. First, you'd have to posit a good theory why the self-selected website responses would be different from random. Then, you'd have to show how that difference would be statistically signifigant. And even then, a large difference wouldn't invalidate broad conclusions. We can be reasonably confident that it's not 80% under the age of 40, for example.

You haven't taken a statistics course have you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirbruce

First, you'd have to posit a good theory why the self-selected website responses would be different from random.

Self-selecting sites are by definition different from random. If they were the same as random, they wouldn't be self-selecting.

taosaur · 05-02-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CleverClothe

Self-selecting sites are by definition different from random. If they were the same as random, they wouldn't be self-selecting.

Self-selecting is also different from worthless. We all know this data should be taken with a grain of salt, but that doesn't mean we can make no inferences.

catsittingstill · 05-02-2009, 08:37 PM

Well, I don't know if the poll is correct or not, but the results didn't actually surprise me all that much. There's the adjustable font size and screen quality, as taosaur brings up, for starters. I never cared about things like that until I was in my 30s and suddenly discovered eyestrain.

There's also the question of being able to afford an e-book reader, as Talldog mentions. I imagine most kids just can't afford it, unless an adult will buy it for them, for a birthday or Christmas, perhaps. And a kid who does have that kind of cash may feel social pressure to spend it on a device that is perceived as cool by other kids (or tweens or whatever).

(Though personally I can't imagine anything cooler than a magic book, I can see that there are benighted, ignorant people who don't share my opinion.)

And a Kindle is specifically made to be minimally technically demanding, so it is unlikely to scare off people who didn't grow up with technology.

So I don't know if it's correct, but it wouldn't surprise me much if it were.

Alisa · 05-02-2009, 08:55 PM

Personally, I've wanted something like this since I was in university. I would've had a hard time affording it back then but I would have saved up or bought one used. Even though I still didn't have much disposable income when the first ebook readers came out, I would have bought one if the selection of books had been better.

queentess · 05-02-2009, 10:00 PM

If "young people" can afford a $400 video game system, accessories, and games, they can certainly afford a Kindle. I have one, I'm under 40, and I'm on the K2 boards off and on... but I don't visit the boards all the time because I have little use for them. And while I saw Bruce's post about it, I didn't respond because I think it's pointless to respond to questions like that.

The people who are generally on the boards are those wanting advice, and the few dispensing advice. Younger people, being more comfortable with technology, won't be on the boards as often asking questions.

So yes, I'm going to say that the sample isn't random. The types of people who are on the boards daily and responding to polls are (in my opinion as a 20-something) going to be my mom's age, 50+

05-01-2009, 07:43 PM	#1
sirbruce Provocateur Posts: 1,859 Karma: 505847 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Columbus, OH Device: Kindle Touch, Kindle 2, Kindle DX, iPhone 3GS	2/3 of Kindle Users Over 40 http://kindleculture.blogspot.com/20...ographics.html

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
UK Kindle Users Forum	awellman	Amazon Kindle	10	10-14-2010 03:42 PM
Questions for Kindle users	ncmabten	Calibre	18	08-15-2010 01:00 AM
A Tip for Kindle DX users	Daithi	Amazon Kindle	16	10-08-2009 06:53 AM
kindle users........	desertgrandma	Amazon Kindle	13	07-11-2008 03:10 PM
Attention Kindle Users	RickyMaveety	Amazon Kindle	7	06-27-2008 05:40 PM

05-01-2009, 07:51 PM	#2
snipenekkid Banned Posts: 760 Karma: 51034 Join Date: Feb 2009	it is all about price point, and of course video games in the lower side of that distribution.

05-01-2009, 08:05 PM	#3
whitearrow Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2260766 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Kindle Oasis 2	More like 2/3 of Kindle owners who post to the Amazon boards are over 40. I don't think that's a statistically random sample that you can generalize to the pool of Kindle owners at large.

05-01-2009, 08:10 PM	#4
Sonist Apeist Posts: 2,126 Karma: 381090 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The sunny part of California Device: Generic virtual reality story-experiential device	Maybe all the cool people stay away from Amazon, and buy Sonys and Hanlins and iRexes.... But seriously, part of the reason might be that the Kindle is probably the easiest to use by a non-techie, and the most heavily advertised to the general population.

05-02-2009, 04:29 AM	#7
Sporadic Banned Posts: 427 Karma: 2690 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kindle 1	Yeah but it's only polling 1380 people in a place where no sane person would ever be. How many Kindles have been sold? 400,000?

05-02-2009, 10:05 AM	#8
Talldog Addict Posts: 293 Karma: 1431716 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Connecticut Device: Kindle Paperwhite, KDX Graphite, Surface Pro	I have no trouble believing this. It seems to me that many young people might not have enough disposable income to make spending almost $400 on a book reader seem like a good value proposition (especially in comparison to spending it on video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.), and they have more compelling options for spending their free time (like video games, beer, chasing the opposite sex, etc.). Then when you get older and more settled and start to slow down, you rediscover the joys of reading. At least that's what happened to me.

05-02-2009, 10:57 AM	#10
taosaur intelligent posterior Posts: 1,562 Karma: 21295618 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohiopolis Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2, Samsung S8, Lenovo Tab 3 Pro	I've seen this report a couple of places, and everyone mentions disposable income and free time, which are surely factors, but I suspect the larger issue affecting the value equation for older people is eyesight and eye strain. Adjustable print size and a comfortable display are the main reasons I hear for why people 1) are reading from any electronic device and 2) are using eInk rather than a more flexible LCD device like a netbook or iPhone.

05-02-2009, 08:37 PM	#13
catsittingstill Guru Posts: 643 Karma: 551634 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle 1.0.8, iPod Touch, Kindle Keyboard	Well, I don't know if the poll is correct or not, but the results didn't actually surprise me all that much. There's the adjustable font size and screen quality, as taosaur brings up, for starters. I never cared about things like that until I was in my 30s and suddenly discovered eyestrain. There's also the question of being able to afford an e-book reader, as Talldog mentions. I imagine most kids just can't afford it, unless an adult will buy it for them, for a birthday or Christmas, perhaps. And a kid who does have that kind of cash may feel social pressure to spend it on a device that is perceived as cool by other kids (or tweens or whatever). (Though personally I can't imagine anything cooler than a magic book, I can see that there are benighted, ignorant people who don't share my opinion.) And a Kindle is specifically made to be minimally technically demanding, so it is unlikely to scare off people who didn't grow up with technology. So I don't know if it's correct, but it wouldn't surprise me much if it were.

05-02-2009, 08:55 PM	#14
Alisa Gadget Geek Posts: 2,324 Karma: 22221 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Paperwhite, Kindle 3 (retired), Skindle 1.2 (retired)	Personally, I've wanted something like this since I was in university. I would've had a hard time affording it back then but I would have saved up or bought one used. Even though I still didn't have much disposable income when the first ebook readers came out, I would have bought one if the selection of books had been better.

05-02-2009, 10:00 PM	#15
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	If "young people" can afford a $400 video game system, accessories, and games, they can certainly afford a Kindle. I have one, I'm under 40, and I'm on the K2 boards off and on... but I don't visit the boards all the time because I have little use for them. And while I saw Bruce's post about it, I didn't respond because I think it's pointless to respond to questions like that. The people who are generally on the boards are those wanting advice, and the few dispensing advice. Younger people, being more comfortable with technology, won't be on the boards as often asking questions. So yes, I'm going to say that the sample isn't random. The types of people who are on the boards daily and responding to polls are (in my opinion as a 20-something) going to be my mom's age, 50+