Comments on: Globe Pequot and Amazon: Exclusive Is Another Word For Alienating Readers

By: Barack Obama » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain

Barack Obama » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:43:26 +0000

[...] the hard copies will be available, and that Amazon has an exclusive for its e-reader. Litblogger Booksquare points out that "the non-Kindle e-reader population vastly exceeds aggregate Kindle ownership." She [...]

By: John McCain » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain

John McCain » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:06:21 +0000

By: Joe Biden » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain

Joe Biden » Blog Archive » The book battles of Obama and McCain — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:31:33 +0000

By: Don Miles

Don Miles — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:00:09 +0000

The chain bookstores have “had it coming” for a while. Example: iUniverse publishers, partly owned by Barnes & Noble, promises potential authors that their books will be for sale in B&N stores worldwide. Sound too good to be true? It is! What they mean is that if you walk up to store clerks and provide the exact title and author, they’ll order it online for you. Don’t expect to see it stocked on their shelves. You can call that what you want. I call it “lying.”

Don Miles. Author, Cinco de Mayo: What is Everybody Celebrating?

By: Stephen Briggs

Stephen Briggs — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:38:16 +0000

Since Adobe came up with their PDF format, you’d think manufacturers (especially for e-books) would take advantage of it. I don’t own either a Kindle or a Reader yet but I know the Sony Reader can accept PDF files at least. This is drawing the e-book reading public into a ‘Mac vs PC’ type war. Do we really need that?

By: Laural Bidwell

Laural Bidwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:09:22 +0000

Well…I think most of those wasteful and opressive returns issues relate primarily to the chain stores. As a small independent bookstore – most likely to support small publishers…I find it ironic that they are the first to abandon their biggest supporters. I recognize that ebooks are here to stay – and POD delivery systems are likely to be upgraded to the point where I can offer books to my customers the moment they ask for them. It is the exclusively to AMazon (who is not paying sales taxes….to most states…a side issue) that I take issue with.

By: Kat J. Meyer

Kat J. Meyer — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:45:07 +0000

Agreed – timely titles like these are what digital does best, but exclusive deals won’t win any fans among the reading public – kindle-owning or not. Does anyone else find it slightly ironic that titles ultimately meant to support the democratic process are not being democratically distributed? Just doesn’t sit too well with me. And in a world where publishers should be doing all they can to create a positive branding experience with readers, Globe-Pequot and Chelsea Green should be thinking about the big customer service picture rather than the short spurt of sales and publicity from this kind of exclusive deal.

By: deb smith

deb smith — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 17:08:22 +0000

While I can see all sides to this issue, as a small press publisher trying to survive the wasteful and oppressive returns system demanded by booksellers I’m thrilled to see the Kindle taking off. Despite some bumpy diplomacy along the way, ebooks and POD are here to stay. Booksellers need to embrace them instead of kvetching about these exclusive deals.