Disruption, Aggregation, and Third Parties
Is our future defined by third-party aggregators? Or is there a business opportunity there worth fighting for?
The Editorial Fallacy
In a disruptive publishing environment, publishers cannot rely on a purely editorial strategy, as many of the issues now facing them are not editorial in nature.
Is Amazon Still Man’s Best Friend?
Peter Brantley has written an insightful piece on some of the implications of Amazon’s much-vaunted high royalty payments to authors who publish directly with them (that is, with Amazon).
E-book Sales Beat Hardcover Sales at Amazon: Tipping Point or Fluke?
Amazon’s Kindle and e-book sales take off, and the overall trend is for a huge shake-up in the retail book space.
Apple’s iPhone 4 and iOS4: What Do They Mean for Publishers?
Apple announces a new model iPhone and an updated operating system for all iPhones/iPads/iPod Touch devices. What impact will these new technologies have on publishers?
Trade Publishing and Ebooks: W(h)ither the Supply Chain?
The supply chain around trade publishing is “broken,” according to publishers. But are they what has broken?
Why Publishers’ Brands Matter
Publishers’ brands matter very much to consumers, but sometimes people are unaware of the role brands play in purchasing decisions.
Wikipedia + POD = A Flooded Amazon: The Endless Spigot at Alpha- and Betascript Publishing
Another German publisher tries to profit off printed Wikipedia entries, this time by flooding Amazon with POD compilations.
“The Big Short” Gets Singed by Inflamed e-Book Passions
When customers get angry, they’ll resort to all sorts of tricks to be heard. Is it wise for a publisher to take a hard line over the inevitable?
From Me to You: Selling Books on a Direct Basis
As more books are sold in electronic form, they will increasingly be marketed on a direct-to-consumer basis.
Platform Wars Come to the Book Business
Technological platform wars have taken control of the book business, and publishers are now collateral damage in the fight.
Why the iPad Marks the End of Price Controls for eBooks—and Why Publishers Have Won
The iPad moves electronic reading to a multi-function device, marking the end of proprietary interfaces controlling commerce for e-reading.
Two Updates: Amazon Buys to Build a SuperKindle, Google Parries Aardvark
Amazon and Google respond to competitive moves.
Who Controls Publisher Prices? Amazon Fires the First Shot, Then Forges a Bitter Truce
This weekend Amazon pulled all of MacMillan’s books, both electronic and paper, from their store due to a dispute over eBook pricing policies. Is this the first battle in the war for control of the publishing industry?
The iPad: First Impressions of Its Importance to Publishers
Initial impressions of Apple’s new iPad device — how the tech press is missing the meaning, what it might mean for publishers, and a chance to tell us what you think.