In perhaps another sign of the disconnect between conference veneration of the new and shiny and the daunting challenges of building a scalable business around new uses of other people’s content, California-based Small Demons has indicated to publishers in a letter cited by the Bookseller that it will cease operations on November 25 unless a buyer emerges. Backed by approximately $2.4 million in equity funding and additional borrowings, Small Demons aims to “connect all the details of books,” extracting the people, places and things mentioned — including songs, movies, food, cars, fashion items, and more. The company says that a planned sale […]
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Amazon Courts Independent Retailers With Kindle Sales Program
Amazon’s ongoing attempt to convince independent retailers to sell Kindle devices and ebooks persisted a little bit more with the formalization of program under the name Amazon Source. The company touts Source as a way for “independent bookstores and other retailers to sell Kindle devices and accessories, and earn money while doing so” through programs tailored for small businesses. At least two bookstores in Washington state, the University of Puget Sound Campus Bookstore and JJ Books, tested out Amazon Source in a pilot program. Source presents two options to retailers: Buy Kindle devices at a 6 percent discount and earn a […]
Zola Announces More Funders; Harper Enhances with An App
Start-up Zola Books has raised another $3.9 million in financing, “to grow [their] engineering and strategic partnership initiatives.” (The $5.1 million figure you might have seen includes previous funding.) New named investors include Cablevision founder Charles Dolan, Bob Kohn, Jeff Pulver, David Placek, director Paul Saltzman (Prom Night in Mississippi); Peter Sundman, and early-stage investor fund Radcliff Group. More authors connected to Zola founder Joe Regal’s literary agency have also participated, with Gregory David Roberts (Shantaram) and Martin Clark joining previous participants including Audrey Niffenegger and Josh Bazell. Zola has acquired exclusive ebook rights for five backlist works by Joan […]
Amazon Lures More Exclusives with New Price Deals
Amazon has given authors who publish their ebooks exclusively through the site via KDP another potent merchandising weapon: the ability to offer timed price discounts. Called Kindle Countdown Deals, the new initiative lets authors and publishers create their own price promotions and promotes them via a highlighted Amazon page. Timed price deals can last from one hour up to seven days, and titles that already qualify for the 70 percent royalty rate retain that share even if the discount drops them below the standard $2.99 threshold. All it takes is giving Amazon an exclusive.
In the UK, Harper and Foyles Dabble with Pricey Bundles
Harper has launched another modest experiment in the UK, offering bundles of print and ebook editions on 8 titles, exclusively through Foyles. The ebooks are redeemed through a printed voucher shrinkwrapped with the hardcover edition. The Bookseller reports that “Foyles said the price of the bundles will be around £5 more than buying the hardback title alone.” But that seems to compare the bundle price to the paper list price, rather than Foyles’ own selling price; the effective cost of the bundles looks to be much higher. On Foyles’ site, the bundle of Amy Tan’s Valley of Amazement at £22.99 […]
Harper Launches Reader App and Direct eBook Sales, Starting with CS Lewis
HarperCollins has relaunched their CS Lewis and Narnia websites, adding for the first time a direct-sales ebookstore to both sites, selling Lewis’s work in English in ebook editions in major territories around the world. As part of that new ebook sales offer, they have launched a branded Harper Reader app on iOS and Android. A customized version of the Bluefire Reader, it displays the encrypted EPUB files that Harper is selling — along with digital “extras” that Harper is offering their direct customers. So when you download the app, it comes with an “exclusive” free copy of Beyond the Wardrobe: […]