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Conversation of the Week: Amazon, For Better or for Worse?
Powered by Twitter, our Conversation of the Week allows inReaders to add their thoughts to an ongoing conversation about a variety of topics.
Amazon has played a major role in changing the way we read and has made self-publishing easier, less expensive, and more accessible than anyone would have imagined. Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing program lets indie authors sell their e-books on their very own Amazon pages. And Amazon is a power player among book sellers, offering deep discounts on new and backlist books. But has the company gotten too rich and too powerful in the process, while other players in book publishing are trying to figure out how to stay afloat in a tough climate for the book business?
Our piece published this morning about whether Amazon short-changes authors got our community talking and even feeling a bit heated. So now we want your perspective.
What do you know about Amazon’s business practices?
Do you think Amazon played a role in Borders’ bankruptcy?
Are Amazon’s royalties to indie e-book authors (70% for books $2.99+ and 35% for books $.99 and under) too low? Should e-book authors see a larger percentage of their book’s price?
Amazon’s discounts get passed along to shoppers, which is why the company is popular and their quarterly revenues are consistently outstanding. Would readers be willing to pay more for products from Amazon if it meant the publishing industry was healthier?
Join the conversation by tweeting your thoughts or by entering them below.
Twitter hashtag: #amazon4betterorworse.
We look forward to chatting with you!
juny bayard posted on September 6, 2011
I love Amazon, always will, always the best prices without the hassle (no coupons, going to the mall at certain times, etc). I rarely walked into Borders, the prices for CDs were outrageous, Borders killed itself, and lastly, all those crying over BOrders demise, where were you when Borders killed so many mom and pop indies book stores?
Gia Manry posted on September 12, 2011
By and large, I think Amazon makes it easier for product producers (including authors!) to reach consumers…and I think it makes it a bit harder for them to make a lot of profit. But I won’t pretend to be enough of a business expert to know how that’s going to play out!
As for Borders, I’m sad for the store’s employees. I also have a certain nostalgia for the store; Borders (and then-buyer Kurt Hassler) are widely credited with bringing manga (Japanese comics) to mass audiences, which I have benefited from greatly over the years! I remember being what is now known as a “hobotaku” (a kid who sits in the store reading the manga, usually on the floor) before there was such a term, in my local Borders almost every Saturday.
I’m sad the chain is effectively gone, but I think that it made some poor business choices in a tough market, and I don’t feel that the company has been unfairly manhandled or anything, either.
Daniel Beyfuss posted on September 12, 2011
I think the publishing world is going down the same path as the music industry. More and more writers are embracing the DIY work ethic, realizing how incredibly difficult it is to ‘get published’ by a big house and taking matters into their own hands. Amazon is giving these writers the tools they need to get their work out there and I think that will ensure continued success. Those writers who work hard, promote their work and take advantage of new technologies will be successful. But it’s going to take some time.
Gia Manry posted on September 13, 2011
Daniel, that leads me to wonder…if it becomes easier and cheaper for writers to step around traditional publishing, the role of bloggers and sites like inReads will certainly become considerably more important in terms of helping people sort through the garbage to find the gems, as it were!
Not that traditional publishers have done a *flawless* job of holding back the floodgates, but considering how big most publishers’ “slush piles” get, you have to wonder what will happen to the state of literature if those books’ authors self-publish them, often without the benefit of so much as an editor (to make things cheaper)!
…Actually I guess that’s sort of what the “fanfiction” world is like. Sure, there are some well-written stories out there based on other authors’ works, but there’s so much poorly-written junk!
Jen C posted on September 13, 2011
I don’t know much about the book business, per se. However, I think Amazon has been fantastic for students. It’s really broken up the textbook market. I saved so much money in grad school by buying my books on amazon – both new and used.
As for the ebook market as I’m something of a traditionalist myself. I like feeling the book in my hand, writing in the margins, tabbing up the pages etc. Maybe you can do similar things with an ebook now?
As for Borders, you have to keep up with the big boys. Barnes and Noble came out with an ereader, as much as I am not inclined to buy one, Borders should have done the same.
Gia Manry posted on September 14, 2011
I will say that by and large Amazon has been great for the sheer volume of stuff I read! I went through a couple of years where I hardly read any books for fun, mostly just graphic novels or re-reading past favorites. Then I got a Kindle
Daniel Beyfuss posted on September 14, 2011
Gia – yeah, with quantity you lose quality, I agree with that, but sometimes you find gold amongst the trash. If it weren’t for the ability to buck the system, to say to hell with the established means for creating artistic success, we might never have had the Ramones.
Gia Manry posted on September 14, 2011
Dan, good point!
Donna posted on September 19, 2011
I’m a bit of a traditionalist myself; having said that Amazon is wonderful way to order those books I have on my list. But, almost weekly I still head to my local indie bookstore to walk around, explore, talk with the staff and hear about their picks and see what authors are coming to town… it’s a treat for me and my daugther! Amazon, as great as they are with pricing and delivery, can’t provide that kind of experience!
Damir posted on March 5, 2012
Amazon has a tremendous meinatrkg operation based on excellent service and a valuable service: reader reviews. Oh, there is the occasional inaccurate review, but Amazon reviewers are rabid about letting a potential buyer know the real story. I look for a lot of stars, but I read very carefully the lower star reviews. This gives me tremendous confidence when I plunk down my hard earned money on a book or a product. Not sure if e-books get reviewed the same way.AstroGremlin recently posted..