Recorded Books is developing a new flexible library ebook lending platform that recognizes the varying requirements of today’s world: Publishers want to create their own, individual (and often elastic) models for the terms on which they will provide ebooks to libraries, rather than fit into a single model constructed by wholesalers. The Recorded Books model will give publishers title-level control over four key factors: price; limitations over the number of loans per purchase (if any); time limitation of the license (e.g. expires after one-year, etc.; again, if any); and availability of titles. Consultant Mike Shatzkin is working with Recorded Books […]
eNews
Apple News (iPad Mini Sales; Sony’s App; Smashword’s Sales) and ABA Advice to Kobo Sellers
Trying to counter reports the iPad mini has not caught fire immediately among the faithful, Apple announced somewhat ambiguously that “it has sold three million iPads in just three days since the launch of its new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad–ouble the previous first weekend milestone of 1.5 million Wi-Fi only models sold for the third generation iPad in March.” CEO Tim Cook adds that they “practically sold out of iPad minis. We’re working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.” Almost two years after Apple first rejected Sony’s ereading app over violations of the iTunes […]
eNews: Flat World to Drop Free Model; Inkling Opens Trade Store
Flat World Knowledge, the disruptive open-license textbook developer that has attracted investment from both Random House and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, is apparently changing their fundamental model as of January 1. While the site still contains their promise to students that “all of our books are available to read in their entirety, completely free online!” a post from the National Association of College Stores says that free access to browser-based textbooks is going away. Flat World CEO Jeff Shelstad tells them, “While free access goes away, our mission to be fair and affordable remains as strong as ever.” Their all […]
As In June, Trade Paperbacks and eBooks Carry the Trade
The AAP reported sales for July from the nearly 1,200 publishers they track. Overall net trade sales of $522.5 million were up 12 percent, with all of the gains and then some coming from trade paperbacks and adult–very adult–ebooks, still led by the remarkable 50 Shades trilogy. July’s trade total was $16.4 million lower than in June. Children’s sales, boosted earlier in the year by release of the first Hunger Games movies, registered $98.1 million–down 9.5 percent compared to $108.4 million a year ago. eBook sales were almost the same as in June, at $137.8 million, up 62 percent versus […]
eNews: Kobo Opens in South Africa; Brazil’s Saraiva Looks to Sell Online Division; “Patent Troll” Moves to Amazon and BN with New Suit
Kobo has partnered with South African retailer Pick n Pay to launch their devices and ebookstore there, offering books in both English and Afrikaans. There’s further news on Brazil’s leading bookseller Saraiva, whose stock jumped earlier in the month on reports that they might be in acquisition talks with Amazon. The updated Reuters account says Saraiva is looking to sell their online business only, while retaining their 102 bookstores and publishing operation. That goal would seem to fit quite well with Amazon’s continuing aspirations to launch operations, and Kindle in particular, in Brazil–though it could also appeal to other international […]
BN Faces Credit Card Suit; Readies HD Releases
The first customer lawsuit has been filed against Barnes & Noble over the comprising of customer credit card data following the PIN pad scam acknowledged by the company earlier this month. Chicago customer Elizabeth Nowak filed suit in Federal Court, seeking class action status, alleging “breach of an implied contract to protect that information and violation of Illinois consumer fraud laws.” The customer seeks unspecified damages and three years of free credit card monitoring for affected patrons. Her suit claims that “Barnes & Noble’s security failures enabled the skimmers to steal financial data from within Barnes & Noble’s stores and subsequently […]