The Wall Street Journal ran a piece last week about what the ebook retailers know about how we are all reading. In fact, all the ebook retailers who manage ecosystems that include apps for using their platform on multi-function devices can see every move their consumers make. We all have the sense that they know […]
A baker’s dozen predictions for 2010
It is customary for those of us who do crystal-ball gazing to make some calls about the year ahead at around the time the celebrants head for Times Square. I am not a man to flout custom. Here are some of the things I expect we’ll see in 2010. 1. At least one major book […]
Debut pricing: my idea, great idea, unfortunately can’t work
In the words of Emily Litella, the Saturday Night Live character of the 1970s invented by Gilda Radner, “never mind.” I’m referring to my post about “debut pricing” from earlier this week. It can’t be done; at least not easily and at least not immediately. The challenges we face require a continuing conversation and crowds […]
Ebook growth explosive; serious disruptions around the corner
The news about trade ebook sales growth continues apace. The IDPF has just said that sales in June 2009 were up 136% over June a year ago. Calendar year sales to date are up about 150% over 2008. Anecdotal information from big trade houses suggests that ebook sales are approaching 3% of total sales. But […]
A context in which to evaluate ebook strategies
This post is part of a growing set initiated by the Sourcebooks experiment holding back an ebook from simultaneous publication with an upcoming hardcover. It is the second (link to the first below) and will be followed by at least one more, as the conclusion of this post makes clear. To talk sensibly about the […]