Tag: Books

You mean, you can actually know what your customers are thinking?

| May 11, 2011 | 0 Comments

While this falls into the “duh” category for most businesses, it is actually a revelation to book publishers. Their customers have traditionally been middle men – distributors, brick and mortar stores, wholesalers, etc. For the most part, their real customer (the reader) has been elusive. At least, elusive within the means of the publishing house. Pre-Internet, it was acceptable for a publisher not to have a direct relationship with the reader. But now, there’s no excuse to not know your customer – their wants, needs, desires. One only needs to look to social networking for the answer. You just might need to thicken up your skin though. Customers will tell you the truth, not to your face of course, but to others, in public, on the internet. You’ll want to monitor specific places to eavesdrop into their conversations. Don’t worry, you’re not invading anyone’s privacy. Your customers will gladly allow you to drop in on the conversation.

Stephen Palmer at Beyond the Cover gives some hints on what to do if you’re a publisher in need of customer information.

Should Text Book Publishers Fear Kindle DX?

| May 5, 2009 | 1 Comment

Well, according to the rumors, yes.

Amazon.com Inc. on Wednesday plans to unveil a new version of its Kindle e-book reader with a larger screen and other features designed to appeal to periodical and academic textbook publishers, according to people familiar with the matter.

Beginning this fall, some students at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland will be given large-screen Kindles with textbooks for chemistry, computer science and a freshman seminar already installed, said Lev Gonick, the school’s chief information officer. The university plans to compare the experiences of students who get the Kindles and those who use traditional textbooks, he said.
More

Amazon has worked out a deal with several textbook publishers to make their materials available for the device, Mr. Gonick added. The new device will also feature a more fully functional Web browser, he said. The Kindle’s current model, which debuted in February, includes a Web browser that is classified as “experimental.” (WSJ)

Are the text book publishers that are working with Amazon thinking clearly?

Amazon has already put the fear of God into trade book publishers with their heavily discounted NYT Best Seller titles for the Kindle. Who’s to say that Amazon won’t also do something similar with text books?

I can see it now. Hello student! You know that text book your professor says you have to buy? Yeah, the one in the book store that costs $150? Well, look no further. Get your Kindle edition for $39.95.

What student wouldn’t immediately jump on a deal like that? Sure, the discount isn’t likely to be that deep (is it?), but the fact that the book will be discounted is enough for the student to happily slap down dad’s credit card.

Text book publishers need a digital strategy, to be sure. Most STM publishers have been digital for years now, so models exist. If text book publishers are hoping Amazon makes their digital market, they’ll won’t be happy at the end of the day. They’ll watch their print sales drop along with the revenue they depend upon. Amazon can be a great channel partner, but no one should give them control of that channel.

MORE: Engadget has a video and details of the new Kindle DX hardware.

Next Week – London

| April 13, 2009 | 0 Comments

I’m heading to London on Friday for my annual trek to the London Book Fair. Besides the normal business meeting schedule, I’ve got plans to attend the following seminars:

I’m also looking forward to watching demos from LibreDigital and Code Mantra.

LBF is a more managable event than, say, the monster Frankfurt Book Fair. Rather than being spread across 8 buildings, LBF fits comfortably inside Earl’s Court. This years fair runs from 4/20 through 4/22.