> > > I always thought e-books were sold only for a limited time to create a > certain sale (demand) and to make room for other books. > > 'Limited time' can be a month, year or years. Depending on your estimated > sale goals. > > It already happens in iTunes with music, so why not with e-books? > Despite it being a 'new' channel, I doubt the sale tactics behind it are that > different. >
There are always two issues at play, the technical ability to do things and the business consequences of doing those things. Computer nerds in the 1970s couldn't understand why I had to print down manuscripts and mail them to my publisher instead of sending text files. I was at an Apple Users Group meeting at San Diego State in the early 1980s and they seemed incapable of understanding, "millions of dollars of intrenched old technology," coupled with "no clear cost benefit to going electronic yet." Sure, it happened. It just didn't happen until publishers decided it made business sense to happen. Until then I had guys sitting before type setting machines and massive presses to make books. Now, 90% of that is computers, electronic, and done by robot. I made my first ebook deal about seven, eight years ago. We agreed on a five year license and a 50/50 split on on income because we had no clue what a good business model is. We now do and have settled into what looks to be the future royalty structure and profit participation of writings in ebook sales from traditional publishing. That being said, you must be very carful comparing different media. Music, film/TV are not books. The delivery system (say iTunes) is pretty damn much the same thing, but the content is different, and behind that different content is a slew of different licensing issues and market issues. It's also one of the things that screwed up a lot of brick and mortal retail stores when they went from selling vinyl records to all things digital. Tower Records/Warehouse/Licorice Pizza/Sam Goodies, all gone (though Tower still does online). The one monster success in this has been Amazon, because they got it from day one. They were never an "online bookstore," but an order fulfillment service that picked books as its first product. In the last year I have bought computer gear, a Waterman pen, some nice summer shorts, headphones, and maybe a couple of books, from Amazon. So, in short, ya, the sales tactics can be significantly different. Best, R.E.F. ---- www.crydee.com Never attribute to malice what can satisfactorily be explained away by stupidity.
