[jackz4000]

Though the publishing world is abuzz with the debut of Bookish this fall.  What do you think of this match-up?  Will the Big Publishers be able to compete with the Big E-Tailer turned publisher?  Will the Big Pubs Turned E-Tailer make a substantial dent into Amazon's book business?  Or will Amazon's Book sales plunge into the abyss?

I think it will be a very tough job for Bookish to prevail.  The Pubs have a much steeper learning curve.  Pubs have some of the most boring websites out there so they need a total makeover and learn E-Tail.  Bookish will not even support Kindle downloads.  With a Kindle3 you can read but only connected to the internet.

Amazon has a proven dynamic website, server farms, and everything to go with it already in place.  All they need is to hire some savy Publishing people to work for them.

What do you think?

 

[Fredster]

For anyone else (like me ) whose first thought upon reading the thread title and first post was what the heck is Bookish?, here are a couple of stories about it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/07/books/publishers-plan-a-joint-one-stop-book-site.html?_r=2

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/47121-s-s-penguin-hachette-back-bookish-online-book-site.html

Maybe I just need to get out more.

 

[David 'Half-Orc' Dalglish]

Where's Jason and that pic of his of a sinking ship....

 

[Tom Junior]

Hmmm..no contest. They are apparently going to cherry-pick what books to offer from their stable of best-sellers. What makes Amazon work is that its the "wild-wild-west". The public picks what they like (and what they upload) so a wide variety of niche markets are reached. "Bookish" isn't going to be able to penetrate into the market this way.

Now if they open the floodgates and allow readers more influence on what makes a 'best-seller" they may stand an chance. But this whole "Bookish" thing looks like its made of fail.

 

[Guest]

Where's Jason and that pic of his of a sinking ship....

I'm trying to think of what's appropriate for this. A sinking ship would imply that Bookish at once was floating. Instead we might have...

On second thought, here it is!

 

[KVWitten]

I don't see how this makes any sense.

If Bookish is just an information site, why would people visit it over sites like Amazon?  And if you can actually buy books there, the publishers are setting themselves up as competitors to the bookstores which they're not going to be happy about. 

 

[Tara Shuler]

This is one example of why the book business is struggling. They can't seem to come up with anything original or exciting. 

 

[Ryne Billings]

This is one example of why the book business is struggling. They can't seem to come up with anything original or exciting.

I think they're forgetting that they make books, not sell them (to the consumer).

 

[kellymcclymer]

I think bookish can work, if publishers recognize they aren't reader experts, and they need to partner with those who already are. It seems like the chain bookstores had forgotten that (no local signings, books chosen at regional level rather than by someone in store, etc.). Do I think they see that yet? No.

 

[DianeSontag]

I was just thinking today about how we are at the mercy of these platform providers - them changing our prices, inserting ads, who knows where it will lead... a fee to publish? Rejection from an editor? Timed 'unpublishings'?  It could get nightmarish! 

I think we authors need our own platform. There is no way I have any idea about making that happen - it is just a thought.

 

[daringnovelist]

Amazon is not a retailer.  Amazon is a search company.  They may make their money off retail sales, but their primary business is connecting customers with exactly what they want to buy.

Bookish may very well succeed for those publishers, but it won't impact Amazon.  It's a different niche.  There's plenty of room.

Camille

 

[FastPop]

It'll be interesting to see how the new site works out.

 

[Terrence OBrien]

Until they tell us the details of the eReader devices and delivery method involved, there's not much basis to even guess.

 

[jackz4000]

Until they tell us the details of the eReader devices and delivery method involved, there's not much basis to even guess.

They listed the eReaders. Everything but Kindle. Only the Kindle3 can read with an internet connection, but not download. Something is afoot.

I am sure I read that they will also be selling HC's and PPBK's directly from the site in addition to Ebooks.

Anyway this looks like a mess which will not make too many people happy. Can't be all things to all people. Can't alienate all your retailers either. First and foremost the Pubs will be able to sell their own Ebooks and I think Paper books directly to consumers. They will also recommend your Local Bookstores where you can buy the HC or PPBK. I don't know if that would include Walmart, Target and other Big Box stores? I don't see how they can exclude them either. They can't cut the heavyweights out.

Will they also exclude Online Book Stores? Where do they draw the line? Do they exclude Amazon? Virtually anything they do sales wise will p*ss somebody off.

What they should create would be a site with exclusive content, like special interviews with their authors and discussions about books by readers and giving the authors a chance to interact with the readers. No direct sales. Unfortunately, I think they are greedy. They want the Golden Eggs and they're ready to slit the goose to get them.

The 3 Big Pubs who are starting it have 50 of their own imprints. Bookish will be open for all the other publishers too. No self-pubs thank you. This business model will prove to be a mess.

You would think they have more than enough to do without getting into online retail? Seems like the wrong idea at the wrong time to me no matter how I look at it. If they have reviews--do you think it would all be legit? Or would they salt them?

 

[Romi]

They want the Golden Eggs and they're ready to slit the goose to get them.

This is my favourite imagery of the day.

Which might mean I'm evil, or maybe not.

And that up there, is all I have to contribute to the Kindle Boards this weekend.

Toodle pip

 

[Guest]

Let's stretch the envelope.

The major problem with the trads has been their distribution system, which was chisled in stone when accounting was done by bookkeepers using adding machines.

It goes like this:

Book stores get their books on consignment, which means they are returnable to the publishers, sometimes within a certain period like 90 days. Once a guy in a college town figured this out, he created the mega chain B&N before anyone else came up with the idea. He could stock his stores with no outlay of cash. This meant his overhead consisted only of buying or leasing space, his payroll, licenses, and utilities. The publishers sent him the merchandise for free until sold.

To fill that space requires a lot of books. Now publishers have had to print tons of books. But in most cases, the titles didn't sell out.

Now the book stores have to make space for new books. They return slow-moving books, which also means they avoid the 90-day payment.

So the publishers tighten their belts by letting outside literary agents screen submissions. Mid-list authors are culled from the publishing list. Etc.

This is how the publishing world operates, although it is now in the computer age where the book stores know at the end of each day which books sold. If B&N has a 14-day return policy, then B&N could send the distributors or publishers their money for sold books on Day 15. Distributors or publishers could pass on author royalties on Days 16 and 17.

Surely NY has heard about PayPal.

To enforce the computer age, the publishers could tighten up distribution. If a PayPal payment doesn't come in on the 15th, then new orders are back ordered.

Does this sound far-fetched?

Amazon pays for books sold in 60 to 90 days after the month of the sale. Yet Amazon will pre-pay for books ordered (although Amazon really doesn't like to), or will pay 14 days after the day of sale, if the book is listed through its marketplace.

Publishers need to drag its out-dated distribution and payment system into the computer age.

Opening their own internet store might be a case of too little, too late.

As a side note, I don't think anyone has come up with a solid reason why it takes publishers 1 to 2 years to just publish a book.

 

[Terrence OBrien]

"Does this sound far-fetched?"

Yes. Because changing the timing of the payments will have a one-time effect on cash flow without effecting any of the underlying problems you describe.

 

[Anne Victory]

Honestly, I don't think that taking on Amazon is going to be in the Big 6's best interest.  I could be wrong, but launching a web site of the caliber and magnitude their talking about is not a cheap endeavor, and I just can't help but think there's better ways they could spend the money.

 

[daringnovelist]

They listed the eReaders. Everything but Kindle.

Oh, yeah. That'll work. Sure.

Camille

 

[HeidiHall]

I wonder if Vegas is taking wagers... I have a C-note with Amazon's name on it if so