# Delaying Kindle releases



## jderouen (Jul 15, 2009)

First Stephen King did it with The Dome, and now Douglas Preston is doing it with Impact. Impact came out today in hardback, and won't be released until MAY for the Kindle! I don't know about anyone else, but this certainly makes me feel like a second class citizen. I do wonder how Amazon feels about it.


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

As said in previous posts - they are going to lose a lot of e-reader fans by doing this.  By the time it gets released, I'll be on to something else and won't remember all the hullabaloo


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## redshift1 (Jun 20, 2009)

Anju No. 469 said:


> As said in previous posts - they are going to lose a lot of e-reader fans by doing this. By the time it gets released, I'll be on to something else and won't remember all the hullabaloo


I've been following this book and the Kindle release date has changed at least 3 times. January 15th was up for a couple of days now Its back to May so who knows. Check out the Amazon reviews for Impact, Kindle owners are up in arms.


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## Saylorgirl (Mar 20, 2009)

I like to purchase my books when they are released.  If it is not available I won't purchase it several months later!!  And I will not be buying it in a DT version.  I think this will hurt the overall sales of any book that pulls this stunt.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Saylorgirl said:


> I like to purchase my books when they are released. If it is not available I won't purchase it several months later!! And I will not be buying it in a DT version. I think this will hurt the overall sales of any book that pulls this stunt.


Many Publishers are under the opinion that an ebook sale isn't the same as a real sale and that we will be in such a rush to read an author's latest that we will run out and buy the hardbound version.

I have 78 unread books in my kindle, so I can wait. I'm one that has pretty much stopped reading pbooks and will not be manipulated into buying a version of a book I don't want.


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## Melonhead (Jan 1, 2010)

They seem to be making this up as they go along. How about a plan, people

My take on it is: if you wait weeks or months before releasing it on Kindle, the impulse purchase urge is *gone*. By that time there's no waiting list at my library (where I work) so you've lost a sale.

Too bad ebook sales don't count on the bestseller's lists like NYT or PW. I suspect it's more about the glory fame for some of these guys than the actual numbers of purchasers.


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## geko29 (Dec 23, 2008)

I'm with Geoffrey.  I have close to 200 unread books on my Kindle (granted, 50 or 60 are freebies that I got in case my wife is ever interested in them, and will never read myself), so I'm never at a loss for something to read.  If a book I'm interested in isn't available in e-book form during the big release hulabaloo, I probably won't remember to check it out whenever the publisher deigns to release it, so they lose a sale.  And though I have a few books that I intend to purchase at some point on my WishList, I will NOT put any books on that list where an e-book release is delayed to try to force me to buy the hardcover.  If I stumble across it later when it's available, fine.  If not, oh well--there's plenty of other worthy books to spend my time and money on.


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## RavenclawPrefect (May 4, 2009)

Tor did this with the release of Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12)  The ebook won't be released for a year but hey, here...you can purchase the rest of the series in Kindle now.  We will release one a month until we get to Gathering Storm and by the way, we will replace the awesome cover art with crappy "special edition" covers. 

Bleh!


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

It's an odd strategy and I don't really understand what purpose they think it serves. It'd be like releasing a new CD - and making it available at iTunes for download 7 months later. For what purpose? Their reasoning has to involve increased sales (that's all they think about), but I don't see how. Do they really think people will buy a hardcover _and_ and a Kindle edition later? How many people buy a hardcover _and_ a paperback of the same book? Not many, so why do they think anyone will do that with hardcover/Kindle? And as someone pointed out, by the time they decide to release it on Kindle we might a) have borrowed a hardcover from a friend or b) it's easily available at the library or c) we forgot about the book or d) it didn't get great reviews from those who read it so we don't really care anymore.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

This is not a smart move. When a book comes out by one of my favorite authors, I want to read it NOW. I'll just get the book (for free!) at the library. By the time it comes out for Kindle I really won't care, if I even know about it.


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## Geoffrey (Jun 20, 2009)

If, as Melonhead suggests, it is a matter of epurchases not showing on best seller lists, then one would think the proper way to address that would be to lean on the NYT and others to start including them.  

But, the easier solution would be to inconvenience their customers.


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## Shadin (Dec 29, 2009)

If I cant read it on my Kindle, Im just not going to buy it.  I havent purchased a DTB since I got my Kindle(got to save the trees, so I have shade to read under).  Ive got plenty of other books to read anyways. No Loss to me.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Shadin said:


> I havent purchased a DTB since I got my Kindle(got to save the trees, so I have shade to read under).


I love your logic!


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## Malweth (Oct 18, 2009)

RavenclawPrefect said:


> Tor did this with the release of Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12) The ebook won't be released for a year but hey, here...you can purchase the rest of the series in Kindle now. We will release one a month until we get to Gathering Storm and by the way, we will replace the awesome cover art with crappy "special edition" covers.
> 
> Bleh!


At least they have a schedule. This is something new for the series, so if they want to take their time and do it right... so be it. Hopefully #13 will be released in e-book at the same time as the hardcover. If they waited a year on _that_ one I'd be pissed.


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## imon32red (Jun 15, 2009)

I'm up for a boycott.  Maybe someone can start a new post and then keep the first post updated.  That way we won't have to search a thread to find out what author's are withholding their books from us.


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Release delay isn't a slam or a condemnation on ereaders; just the opposite. Publishers now recognize e-formats are viable and not a whim, and for that reason they're going to head in the direction of staggered releases in the same manner as hardback to trade paper to mass market paper. The same people who don't buy the hardback but wait for paper are the customers they're targeting; if you want it bad enough, you'll buy the hardback; it you just don't do hardbacks, you wait for paper. Electronic books are now a part of the business model, and will probably be settled into a space between hardback and trade...and that's not a bad thing. In the long run it might translate into aggressive rights acquisitions and marketing of digital books, leaving us with far, far more options in reading material.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Maybe so, but the big publishers are missing an important point.  I really have no desire (or room in my house) to continue purchasing hardcover books unless they are very special.  If the electronic version of the book is delayed, more than likely they have lost a sale because I will have gotten the book from the library.


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## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

I think Thumper is right, but the publishing companies are still stupid for making people that are such die hard readers wait for their books.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

MAGreen said:


> the publishing companies are still stupid for making people that are such die hard readers wait for their books.


I think you're on to something there. Kindle owners tend to be much more than your average readers. Kindle owners tend to be voracious readers, with hundreds of books on our ereaders, many of them "to be read." (Is there a synonym for "read?") So holding a book back from the Kindle owners - where a sale is much more likely than from your average random consumer - is really stupid on the publishers' part. If they think staggering works - why not make it available in eformat first, and then the hardcover?


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## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

MAGreen said:


> I think Thumper is right, but the publishing companies are still stupid for making people that are such die hard readers wait for their books.


Really? It might be frustrating, but it's hardly stupid.

Hardback sales make everything else possible; without those hardback sales, especially from A-list writers, publishers don't have the cash flow that allows them to take risks on mid-list and brand new authors. From a business standpoint, you follow the cash, and the cash starts with the hardbacks. There are now enough e-book readers to put a small dent in those sales, so the course of business dictates the major publishers pursue the staggered publication schedule and create a slot for digital libraries.

Statistically, the people who will buy any given book in their preferred format still will; but the end result is that by pushing the hardbacks over digital and trade, new writers and mid-list writers have a shot at breaking into the market, thereby creating writers to choose from, and the more of those we have, the greater variety we have to choose from.

Cutting into the initial sales is in no one's best interests, because it means less overall choice in the long run.

It sucks for us because we are e-book readers. But it does make business sense, and boycotts and the like would likely wind up being counter productive.

There may come a day when digital sales outpace hardbacks, and when that happens, you can bet publishers will race to get those books out first. But they'll probably be more expensive than they are now, because they're going to to have to assume the burden of today's hardbacks.


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## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

Again, Thumper, I think you are right. I still think publishing companies are stupid for doing this. They are doing great business, but it doesn't work for me. I know that's selfish...and stupid in it's own right, but I am a customer and they often lose my sale because of it, and I am not the only one. We still are a minority, but I think we are the future! Just my opinion, and I am not a scholar, or a business guru, so it doesn't really ammount to a lot, but there it is!


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## geko29 (Dec 23, 2008)

Thumper said:


> Hardback sales make everything else possible; without those hardback sales, especially from A-list writers, publishers don't have the cash flow that allows them to take risks on mid-list and brand new authors. From a business standpoint, you follow the cash, and the cash starts with the hardbacks. There are now enough e-book readers to put a small dent in those sales, so the course of business dictates the major publishers pursue the staggered publication schedule and create a slot for digital libraries.
> 
> Statistically, the people who will buy any given book in their preferred format still will; but the end result is that by pushing the hardbacks over digital and trade, new writers and mid-list writers have a shot at breaking into the market, thereby creating writers to choose from, and the more of those we have, the greater variety we have to choose from.


That's the way it USED to work. e-books are changing all that. It's far easier now for a new author to get noticed, because nobody has to front a half-million dollars or better to get his books on the shelf. Yes, new authors will continue to be picked up by publishers willing to take a risk on them, but that's no longer the ONLY way it can happen. Witness Boyd Morrison--who couldn't get the attention of any publisher, despite huge talent and all this supposed "free money" made possible by hardcover sales. But he made a bunch of sales on the Kindle, and THAT got him picked up by Simon and Schuster. Now they have a virtually guaranteed A-lister, and nobody besides Boyd had to take the risk involved to make that happen.

The old method of publishing will continue to have its place, but to try and hold back the e-book revolution (and it is one) because "that's the way it's always worked" is just as backwards as the music and film industries used to be. They learned the very painful (and expensive) lesson of just how impossible it is to stand in the way of technology and progress, they've come to embrace what they initially resisted, and everyone is better for it.


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## Flechette (Nov 6, 2009)

The thing is - I'm not buying E-books instead of hardback--- I'm buying e-books instead of waiting for the book to become available at my library. And I'm not alone in this.

I can't help but wonder if the publishers even consider todays economy when making this Delayed release decisions  library usage is up something like 45%, I think is what I read... somewhere~ It isn't just e-books that are cutting into hardback sales. I went back to using the library heavily in 2006 and then buying paperbacks of the books I want to own- from the standpoint of space and money saved.

Then in anticipation of owning a Kindle, I joined BoMC 2 - where all books including shipping were $9.99, including new releases. This was to help us set up a budget 

My breakpoint for for a standard hardback book was $18 - I wouldn't pay more than that. And between Border's coupons, Costco, Amazon, and Wal-mart -- it was pretty easy to meet that. I'm okay with up to $14/$15 for a e-book, tho I sure prefer $10 

This gentleman has a blog, and a pricing/scheduling suggestion I wholeheartedly agree with~ 
Scan on down to 12/12/2009 --- I found this linked on another post about this subject...

http://ilmk.wordpress.com/2009/12/page/4/

I think the publishing world is about to make the same mistakes as the music industry did, and possibly make some new ones too~

I do understand that the Hardbacks earn alot of money, and actually I'm not sure the $10 ebook price is sustainable at this point, or even good for the overall cycle, but those publishers that are delaying ebooks by 4 months are missing the point of the "instant gratification" ebooks offer and I think will find they won't be making more money by doing this but will in fact earn less money - hey if I have to wait 4 months; I may as well wait for paperback and that price drop~

Ya know what would be interesting? A poll when you buy an e-book--- just for new releases---

Did you buy this E-Book instead of a hardback? Yes - No
Did you buy this E-book instead of waiting for paperback? Yes - No
Did you buy this E-Book instead of waiting for you library to carry it? Yes - No

It would certainly help get more accurate information to the publishers (hopefully more accurate)


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

I think two things will have to happen before publishers realize that eBooks are the future of reading. First, they will need to move away from licensing eBooks to a single company which uses a proprietary file format. Generally speaking, can you not buy the same book in Barnes and Noble that you buy at Books A Million? Sure you can. So why should I be able to buy a book ONLY from Amazon or B&N? DRM can be integrated into a standardized file format that could be used on multiple brands of eReaders. After all, yoou don't expect to have to buy a different CD player for each record label, do you?

The second thing that will have to happen is for eReaders to become ubiquitous (is that the word I want?) - they have to become much more widespread (and non-format competetive) such that it becomes profitable to publish them. Publishers, I think, need to change their model to more of a marketing model than a printer's model.

Personally, if I were an editor, I'd open a consulting agency for writers that would assist the author with getting their works ready for self publishing or indie publishing. All writers need an editor - no writer (really) needs a large publishing house, except for the marketing aspect.


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Here's the thing about DRM - the music industry fought for it tooth and nail.  They insisted on protecting their intellectual property by forcing digital sellers to sell only DRM encrypted music.  But clearly it wasn't working and they probably found that illegal distribution of digital music was no worse than regular CDs.  And now they're all selling their music DRM-free at iTunes, Amazon, and other online retailers.

The publishing industry's insistence of DRM is a repeat performance of what the music industry did and had to eventually abandon.  Do they think illegal copying of books will exceed illegal copying of the latest Madonna CD?  If we buy a physical book - we can give it to friends and pass it around.  Except most people probably don't - we tend to buy stuff because that's how we are built.  We like to own our own stuff.  I'm not convinced that piracy of books is a major issue.  But in the meantime DRM encryption is holding back the ebook industry.  It won't succeed in the long run.  It's just making the transition unnecessarily difficult and expensive.  The publishing industry is learning nothing from the music industry.


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## loca (Jan 3, 2010)

DYB said:


> Here's the thing about DRM - the music industry fought for it tooth and nail. They insisted on protecting their intellectual property by forcing digital sellers to sell only DRM encrypted music. But clearly it wasn't working and they probably found that illegal distribution of digital music was no worse than regular CDs. And now they're all selling their music DRM-free at iTunes, Amazon, and other online retailers.
> 
> The publishing industry's insistence of DRM is a repeat performance of what the music industry did and had to eventually abandon. Do they think illegal copying of books will exceed illegal copying of the latest Madonna CD? If we buy a physical book - we can give it to friends and pass it around. Except most people probably don't - we tend to buy stuff because that's how we are built. We like to own our own stuff. I'm not convinced that piracy of books is a major issue. But in the meantime DRM encryption is holding back the ebook industry. It won't succeed in the long run. It's just making the transition unnecessarily difficult and expensive. The publishing industry is learning nothing from the music industry.


Believe it or not, piracy of books is just as widespread as music, but the books in themselves are not as shared and not nearly of a wanted commodity as music. Still, DRM will not and does not help with overall protection and image. Those who want to get the product without paying for it, will do it anyways.


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## AmandaCN (Nov 8, 2009)

That is exactly who I was writing about in my other thread.  I fired off an e-mail to the publisher.  I think delaying it until May is just ridiculous....


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## dhajra (Jun 2, 2009)

I made this point on another thread at the amazon website.  I think publishers are cutting off their noses to spite their faces by delaying ebook publication for this reason.  Unlike a lot of people at the amazon site, I'm a big library user, so,  unless it was a book I REALLY wanted, I used to wait until the book was available at my local library.  I am lucky enough to have access to several libraries, two public libraries, as well as the library at the university where I work.  However, I strongly suspect that Kindlers, and ebook readers in general, are the very people who used to go to the bookstore every week and purchase several books.  Publishers aren't very being smart, IMO, by angering these people.  Guess they haven't learned the lesson of the music business.


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## vermontcathy (Feb 18, 2009)

Many people are comparing the ebook delay to the paperback delay. But I feel it is totally different. Kindle owners are the LAST group of readers who would be willing to buy a hardcover book simply because the ebook is delayed. It is much more likely that they will wait for the ebook, borrow it from a friend, borrow it from the library, or worst case scenario, simply decide not to read it. It's as if, when CDs came out, music publishers decided to publish on cassette, and delay the CD. Someone who bought a brand new CD player isn't going to buy a cassette just because the CD isn't available yet. They will wait, or they will get mad and not buy from that publisher or musician again.

If the publisher's goal is to make the most money possible, then they should release the ebook at the same time as the hardcover. They could say that the ebook (like the hardcover) will cost more at first than it will later (although, for better or worse, they don't have much wiggle room because Amazon has promised that NYT bestsellers will be $9.99). Several people have stated that they'd pay more (maybe $12-14) to be able to have the ebook NOW. But Amazon is stuck with it's promise. I think the solution is this: ebooks released on the same day as the hardcover, but cost more than the $9.99 promise for the first 2-4 weeks or so (but priced significantly less than the hardcover - maybe $14). Then the price drops after that time period (but the time period should be significantly less than the delay for paperback.

The problem is, this isn't currently feasible because the publishers don't seem to be able to demand a certain sales price from the online book stores. The only thing the publisher can control is release date...


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## intinst (Dec 23, 2008)

But the publishers aren't paid according to the sale price, they are paid according to the digital list price.


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## MAGreen (Jan 5, 2009)

Amazon never promised a $9.99 price on NYT bestsellers. They stated from the very beginning that MOST NYT list books would be $9.99, unless marked otherwise. Which basically means nothing. The publishers are paid their cut from the Digital list price, not the discounted Amazon price, so the $9.99 price really has nothing to do with the release. 


(Cut and paste directly from Amazon: New York Times® Best Sellers and New Releases are $9.99, unless marked otherwise)


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## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

I think the comparison to cassette vs. CD is right on. But here's the interesting historic part: record companies pushed the CDs _over_ the cassettes. At the time they realized and appreciated the new technology. CDs would contain bonus tracks because the record companies tried to force the public to make a switch. And then they lost their minds with the advent of digital music stores and tried to pretend like it didn't exist. And so we have the collapse of their entire business model to serve as an example. But publishers aren't learning from history.


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## MLPMom (Nov 27, 2009)

I think it is just crazy and I know I for one after now owning a Kindle refuse to go by a Hardback copy of a book. I would rather wait until it comes out for the Kindle or sadly I won't read it at all. 

I have found so many new authors since having my Kindle that I no longer feel like I have to wait for another book from my favorite author to come out before I have something good to read again.

Stubborn, probably but I think they are being more so. This is a rising industry and it isn't gong to just disappear overnight and go away. Proof of that is in the pictures and threads Harvey started from the CES.


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## GoldenKindle (Jan 11, 2010)

I am on the waiting list at the library for this book which I should receive by early Feb. so they have just lost one ebook sale by delaying the release of the ebook. I have not bought a hardback copy of any book in years so that is not even an option with me.

I would have bought the ebook because I love reading on the kindle but I want to read this book so I will continue to use the library along with the kindle.  The plus side of this is that now I can save the money for another book.


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## MariaESchneider (Aug 1, 2009)

I read a couple of industry rags (not reader forums like this one) -- this whole delayed release seems to be the method the publishers have decided to try (their goal, for somewhat foggy reasons is to sell hardbacks, support bookstore sales and just generally stall things along.  Some of the reason they appear to be fighting the trend is that they don't want Amazon to have any greater advantage than they do already--in other words, Amazon is currently offering books for 9.99 and they can't stop them from doing it because they don't control Amazon.)

I think the trend/attempt is...a bad thing.  They are keeping enthusiastic customers from the product that they want to buy and trying to force them into buying something different.  This never works longterm, but they seem to think it will work because of the whole hardback/paperback method.  Methinks in the long run it will cost them sales and enthusiasm.  But that's just my one opinion...


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