I’m in the middle of preparing two conference presentations on two different subjects (left brain, meet right brain, you two have more to talk about than you think). In both, however, a common thread has emerged: it’s all about the reader. You’d think this would be a no-brainer.
When it was announced that Sarah Palin’s book would go on sale on November 17, her publisher, HarperCollins, made the clear statement that they were withholding the ebook release until December 26 in order to maximize hardcover sales. The Ted Kennedy autobiography was withheld from the ebook market for similar reasons*. My point then and now is that this burns the reader.
In a private debate, it was suggested that this decision was made, in part, to “punish” Amazon. No, I said, this only works if Amazon is a bookseller. Books are a component of Amazon’s business, not the primary business. I think it’s an important distinction — that Amazon is more akin to a modern Sears Roebuck — often missed by publishing people. They see Amazon very differently, despite the fact that many in publishing use Amazon as a lower priced, free shipping, wide range of products alternative to local stores…just like the rest of us!
So while the lack availability of these books might be perceived by Amazon as a bruise — not even a black eye! — the real victims are readers. And retailers like Sony and Barnes & Noble (does Borders sell ebooks? I see Sony Readers, but no actual books). Oh, and wait, there’s one more: the publisher.
Like many, I grew interested in The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins due to word-of-mouth. The ARC for Catching Fire was a BEA must-have, and word-of-mouth from early readers fueled additional interest in The Hunger Games — and it wasn’t long before frustration bubbled to the surface. No ebook edition.
Or rather, no legal ebook. There are plenty of pirated versions of this and any other book. Withholding the digital edition does nothing to prevent piracy. It continues to boggle my mind that publishers allow the number one search result for their books to be illegal versions. To not even offer a legitimate alternative is like inviting piracy.
Trade publishers, traditionally, have not viewed the reader as the customer. This makes perfect sense. Bookstores sell to readers. Publishers (generally) sell to other entities. Since ebook sales are still a blip, a rapidly increasing blip, on the P&L, few publishers have put a lot of thought into the impact their ebooks decisions have on readers.
The problem is that readers have put a lot of thought into ebooks. I was lucky that I just happened to see, via Twitter, that The Hunger Games had finally been released as an ebook. I wasn’t going to keep checking with Amazon. I’d already written off this book as “want to read, but not worth the effort” — for reasons great and small, I am not buying print books unless my need for that format for that book trumps all else.
If readers don’t find what they want, be it format or price, they move on. There are very few books that we have to have. The Palin and Kennedy books are case in point. There are many readers who want these books in print, but let’s break it down further. We know there are readers who simply won’t buy hardcover — and vice versa, readers who only buy hardcover. Will these books stand up to news and word-of-mouth, ultimately delivering a paperback customer a year or so from now?
What about the audiobook customer? I know more than a few people who only read audiobooks. There are complaints and sighs about the fact that people “don’t read anymore”, something that’s not even kind of true. People read all the time, but the definition of reading is flexible and needs to include all the ways people consume information. (Side note: I find it intriguing that publishers withhold the ebook to protect hardcover sales, but don’t view audiobooks in the same manner.)
No, readers aren’t the traditional customer for publishers. But what if every decision a publisher made included this thought: how does it impact the reader? I learned a long time ago that good customer service leads to loyalty and positive reviews. Imagine a world where news about the new Lisa Kleypas book was greeted with “I just downloaded and started reading” instead of “Can you believe they’re trying to charge more for the ebook than the mass market paperback?”**
Well, let’s just say that I spend a good deal more money on the publishers that do think about me than the publishers who don’t…
* – A colleague has suggested that a secondary reason for delaying the Kennedy book was due to the large number of images that would not render well on readers like the Kindle. My response to that idea is the richness of all the media surrounding a public person like Kennedy was opportunity to do what publishers swear they want to: go beyond the book to tell a fuller story. If the $9.99 price point is becoming the de facto amount for linear text, then offering something bigger and better is a fantastic way to introduce higher prices — and better experience — to readers.
** Interesting: earlier this week, the Kleypas book was priced higher, even at the Amazon discounted price, that the mass market. Amazon has discounted the ebook to match the paperback.
No related posts.
I wanted to buy Sherilynn Kenyon’s new release of Born on Night. This book was originally published in 1996 and has been revised and released.
The paperback is 7.99. Amazon is selling the kindle version for 9.99. WHY?
This is ridiculous. I only want eBooks. In the last 10 months I have only bought 3 paper books.
The consumer is being penalized, because publishing wants to feel in control. Um.. don’t they realized that people have been scanning paper books and uploading them? They can still do that now with better technology.
The software, music and movie industry have not overcome piracy, why does publishing link they can be different.
I don’t personally read ebooks (spending all day at a computer for a day job makes any sort of electronics a little less appealing…)
That said, I think it’s a growing market that should be respected and nurtured.
The first thing I want to know is this: why in the name of the gods do they want to protect hardcover sales? Are they going out of their way to sabotage every possible effort to save trees? Do they hate trees?
The second thing I want to know is this: why are people who went to the trouble and considerable expense of getting an e-reader being penalised for it?
My mind absolutely boggles to try and understand the logic behind this. “Hey, this person loves books so much s/he invested in a Kindle. Let’s screw them over as much as we can!”
I simply cannot understand it, and I cannot find words to express my exasperation.
The first thing I want to know is this: why in the name of the gods do they want to protect hardcover sales? Are they going out of their way to sabotage every possible effort to save trees? Do they hate trees?
From what I understand, hardcovers are more profitable per unit than trade or mass-market paperbacks. With luck, someone who knows more about publishing will let me know.
Heh, when you sell ebooks at or slightly below print prices, I’d think ebooks would be the most profitable. Why not protect them?
…why are people who went to the trouble and considerable expense of getting an e-reader being penalised for it?
I think part of that is because the publishers aren’t the ones making the readers. They don’t really have any vested interest in keeping customers who’ve shelled out for an ereader happy because they didn’t see any of the profits from it.
It’s the book retailers like Sony and Amazon who also sell the devices that have something obvious to lose too. The publishers have something to lose, but it’s not as apparent to them at this point, otherwise they wouldn’t pull crap like this.
I completely agree that delaying or overcharging for eBooks promotes (and, for some upset readers, justifies) illegal copying.
A publisher delaying an eBook release does not, unfortunately, delay an eBook release. It delays the LEGAL eBook release and, by doing that, reduces royalties paid to the author.
The big money in pirating is getting a book FIRST or offering a cheap alternative to a high priced book. You want to eliminate pirating? Pull an iTunes and offer $1 downloads. Most pirates will switch to another product.
And don’t even bother with DRM (which only adds to production costs).
IIRC, when iTunes did the social DRM experiment with watermarked files, they found most of the illegal copies in circulation were derived from their 99-cent DRMed files, not the $1.29 non-DRMed ones. Because pirates would rather spend, oh….twenty seconds stripping the DRM than pay that extra thirty cents.
>>>(does Borders sell ebooks? I see Sony Readers, but no actual books).
http://ebooks.bordersstores.com/content/borders/index.shtml
Pricing an ebook higher than a paper back is piracy even if it’s legally downloaded. There is on paper cost, no shipping and virtually no production costs. How do they justify such greed?
Exactly. I mean, how stupid so they think we are?
Editing costs, cover art, blurb copy, retailer discount, all that crap=same for ebook vs print (and shared over the two).
But for the ebook: No print/paper/binding? Hmm. No shipping? No returns? No warehouse costs? Hmmm. No mass pulping of unsold copies (at a staggering loss) in the first months, only to have to do another, larger print run when the book takes off? Hmmmmmmm. The ability to rake in 100% of the profit selling direct from the publisher site–without even having to pay someone to package and ship the order? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm….
Yup. That’s the way to sell books. Tell your customers you think they’re stupid.
But there IS a legitimate alternative. You can always buy a legitimate print book instead.
Justifying piracy because you don’t like the formats being offered for sale is ridiculous. It’s not like we’re discussing a case where no legit copy is available at all — print, digital or otherwise.
If people want to download illegal copies, they should just say they want to steal and don’t give a damn about anybody but themselves. I’m really sick of people trying to justify stealing by blaming other people.
Nadia — I am going to disagree here. I do not engage in nor endorse piracy. Ever. I’m not your problem. However, piracy exists. It’s not going away. It’s been around since the dawn of humanity. Publishers can’t “stop” piracy, but they can manage it. The key is to understand why people go this route. Shouting that piracy is bad makes for good headlines, but neglects to address the core issues.
There are a few things wrong with your statement. First, you are making the assumption that the book is available for everyone, around the world. Not always the case, especially when the book is released by a traditional publisher in print format. A legitimate digital version would go a long way to providing access for international readers.
Second, you’re assuming (or I’m assuming you’re assuming) that every download is a lost sale. There is no evidence this is true. Many people who download illegal books never read them…nor were they ever intending to buy them in the first place.
(You are also assuming that everyone who downloads from an illegal source understands they are engaged in wrong. There are, hard to believe, people who do not know this. I can’t explain why.)
Finally, recent legitimate studies have shown that having books available through illegal channels has a *positive* impact on sales for some books. This study was limited in scope, but showed that some publishers could effectively use these channels to improve the performance of specific books. It will, obviously, require a lot more study to determine the impact.
I am of the opinion that the best way to combat piracy (or, more accurately, illegal downloading as there isn’t always a profit motive) is make it the least attractive option. Telling me that it’s my problem is lousy customer service on the part of publishers. Because I will just as happily purchase another book from another publisher if I can’t get the format, price, and flexibility I want. I would fear the lost sales more than I’d fear the pirates.
Actually, print books are more accessible than e-books for the international reader, at least at the moment.
At the moment, the Kindle and the respective downloads are only sold via Amazon US. None of the other international Amazons carry it yet. Other e-book readers are available in Western countries. I’m not sure about the range of titles available for these devices. However, should I want to read an e-only book, I usually have to go with PDF format, which isn’t all that user-friendly.
However, in countries which either have Amazon or a local equivalent, pretty much every print book is available in a reasonable time at reasonable prices. The only print books I’ve ever had problems procuring via Amazon Germany were books from very small presses. And those I could usually order either directly from the publisher or via the university bookstore, which will get you anything.
Readers in developing countries tend to have more problems getting foreign print books, because many online retailers will not ship to those countries or the shipping costs are prohibitively high. However, at the moment, e-book readers are not available in developing countries either.
In the future, e-books may indeed be easier to procure for the international reader. But at the moment, they’re actually more of a hassle.
First, you are making the assumption that the book is available for everyone, around the world. Not always the case, especially when the book is released by a traditional publisher in print format. A legitimate digital version would go a long way to providing access for international readers.
You are making the assumption that ebooks are available to international readers. People who aren’t in the States have a lot of difficulty buying digital books from places such as Amazon Kindle store, Fictionwise, etc.
OTOH, I’ve never had a problem getting a print copy from online bookstores. (FYI – I don’t live in the States right now, so I know what it’s like.)
So it is NOT the legitimate digital version that provides easy access for international readers. It is actually legitimate print version that provides easy access for international readers.
Second, you’re assuming (or I’m assuming you’re assuming) that every download is a lost sale. There is no evidence this is true. Many people who download illegal books never read them…nor were they ever intending to buy them in the first place.
So what is your point? I didn’t indicate that every download is a lost sale. But if you download a pirated copy, you are stealing. That is my point.
I can’t claim that I haven’t stolen anything by taking a car without paying for it, just because I’ve never planned to buy it or use it. If you take something without permission of the owner and/or paying for it, you stole it. The end of discussion. It doesn’t matter how you justify it.
Finally, recent legitimate studies have shown that having books available through illegal channels has a *positive* impact on sales for some books. This study was limited in scope, but showed that some publishers could effectively use these channels to improve the performance of specific books. It will, obviously, require a lot more study to determine the impact.
I’d like to see the study because I see so many with flawed methodologies and analysis.
Telling me that it’s my problem is lousy customer service on the part of publishers. Because I will just as happily purchase another book from another publisher if I can’t get the format, price, and flexibility I want. I would fear the lost sales more than I’d fear the pirates.
It’s not lousy customer service that the publishers don’t want to offer or delay a certion edition (in this case, digital). In no other industry, manufacturers are required to provide this many varieties, etc. You certainly don’t call Ralph Lauren bad for not making dresses in colors and style and in price ranges you prefer.
Publishers make decisions based on what they think is most financially viable. Authors like JKR don’t have to offer e-edition if they don’t want to, so long as they offer other legal and legitimate alternatives.
Nadia — you are correct that ebooks are not universally available. That’s a legacy problem where rights are acquired on a territorial basis, and not every publisher is granted worldwide digital rights by the authors (I think it’s a shame that this still exists, but it’s also changing). However, print books are subject to the same piecemeal licensing problems as digital books, with the added problem of increased cost to produce on a local basis (translation–an issue for e as well– and printing, shipping, etc). And, yes, you can buy and ship books anywhere in the world if they are not available locally, but then, for some, shipping is expensive.
The most recent study was done by Brian O’Leary on behalf of two publishers. Here is additional information including the links to material (http://medialoper.com/podcast-assessing-the-impact-of-piracy-and-free-content-on-book-sales/). I believe the work is ongoing. It’s fascinating to me, and I hope other publishers engage in this type of research.
It’s not an excuse for piracy. I’m not excusing it, but I am understanding the underlying reasons. Piracy is not a new thing nor will it be “stopped”. It has to be managed, and the first, best line of defense is making it the least attractive option. Yes, there are serious hardcore people who will never, ever pay, no matter what, but they are lost to you anyway. There are far more people who will happily hand over money, if they can get what they want.
Those are the customers the publishing industry needs to court (the music business, finally, is addressing this). Saying piracy is stealing is fine, but it does nothing to address the problem.
Nobody has to offer an ebook. Nope. But, yes it is lousy customer service. And I respond to lousy customer service by taking my business elsewhere. If, to use the Ralph Lauren example, enough customers feel the look and sizing of a clothing line don’t work, then that manufacturer suffers. Of course, in the case of Ralph Lauren, or anything clothing company, they make a wide variety of items in a wide range of sizes (it won’t fit everyone) to make sure they can sell to the largest number of people.
So it’s the still the same problem: withholding the ebook does nothing to prevent the release of an illegal copy into the world. All that happens is there is no legal alternative. To me, that’s a bad thing because we’ve already watched this movie, and it didn’t work out well for the industry.
Well, I almost hate to comment but I work for a publishing company that publishes scientific and medical books/journals and I would have to say that yes, hardcover books is where the largest markup takes place. In defense of the publishing industry they do have to make a profit because they are the one’s taking the risk in publishing the work, which may or may not catch the public’s eye. There is a huge investment in printing something and marketing it, especially in the marketing. I love to read and it does get expensive to buy books all of the time but it’s a choice just like anything else. I haven’t bought an EReader yet, hope to get one this Holiday season, but I would never pirate a book in any form because you’re not just cheating the publisher, you’re also cheating the writer out of royalties that they depend on as income.