3.4.10: Publisher eBook Model Evolves
Covered, indeed over abundantly, is the debate on the viability and growing popularity of eBooks. Stepping onto the creaking boards of the bandwagon, many large publishers now offer digital literature, whether through retailers or directly via their own websites… and it appears to be paying off.
On December 26, 2009, Amazon.com announced that, for the first time ever, they sold more digital books on Christmas Day than the paper kind; the company projects even greater eBook sales for 2010.
Many publishers appear to think it’s worthwhile to update their eBook titles and formats on a regular basis, but now the delivery method, release dates, as well as the sales “food chain,” are also undergoing their own micro-revolution.
John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan Press (MP), posted a blog on the MP website on March 2, 2010, stating that they will move from the former “retail model” of selling eBooks to what he terms an “agency model.” Sargent goes on to explain how this benefits the consumer: no longer will eBook retailers be able to buy MP eBooks and then set their own price to re-sell them to consumers. MP will, instead, offer the eBooks at a set price, only allowing the retailer a commission percentage. This, in my opinion, is a smart move as it helps MP eBooks remain competitively priced while also encouraging a wide variety of prices to choose from. Sargent also announced that the “new” model will allow new titles to be released in eBook format “at the first release of the printed book.”
Even more interesting is Sargent’s remarks on which kinds of digital books are preferred by eBook consumers: the new-release titles, including those from the New York Times bestsellers list (priced at $12.99-$14.99 for eBook format) are apparently not the most popular.
“Our e-book sales over the last year clearly indicate that only about a third of our e-book business is in the digital versions of new release hardcovers. Unit sales of older books [priced below $10] far exceed our new release hardcover sales, so the $9.99 and lower prices will continue to represent the largest portion of our business.”
In the latter portion of the blog, Sargent hinted at what MP may be planning as a future genre in eBooks, “illustrated books or books for young children,” though he quantifies this plan by saying “That will be a topic for the future as the technology advances beyond e-ink screens.”
Inventor Ray Kurzweil just may have an answer for this “technology question” in the very near future. At the Consumer Electronics Association (CES) trade show in January 2010, he unveiled his latest project software he’s named Blio; it is an eReading platform (not a device) that can be used on PC, MAC, iPhone and iPod touch. Blio’s main feature appears to be the ability to view eBooks with gloriously sharp illustrations, supports animation and embedded videos, harbors a powerful text-to speech capability audio reading enjoyment and allows a reader to add notes and annotations to the books, as well as insert photos, video, and website bookmarks. On the Blio website (blioreader.com) the “coming soon” software is touted as a FREE download; eBooks for Blio will come from the sizable catalog of Baker & Taylor, a distributor of paper and digital books and entertainment.
–Meredith Greene
