Comments on: The impact of piracy and “free” on book sales http://www.teleread.com/piracy/the-impact-of-piracy-and-free-on-book-sales/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:35:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: TheRealBillC http://www.teleread.com/piracy/the-impact-of-piracy-and-free-on-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-1066673 TheRealBillC Thu, 28 May 2009 20:13:43 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=22617#comment-1066673 The data sample is too small to make conclusions but if the 19 week window before books show up on peer to peer sites holds up, and the number of books pirated as a percentage of "major" works also holds true, then publishers just need to understand that a pirated book does not equal lost sales in a one to one relationship and/or does not equal lost paper sales either. Then we will be making real progress toward their understanding that the key to making money on ebooks is to get them out prior to the 19 week window in a place and a format accessible to as many reading devices as possible, not to tye up access with DRM, which kills sales and actually fosters piracy. No access and high prices create pirated versions. High timely access and a fair (as percieved by the buyer) price fosters sales. Personally I no longer buy paper hardcover books because I'm no longer willing to lug around that weight, so if it's not an ebook, I pass. If it's not in a format my Sony 700 can read, I pass. I got a David Moody book for free on his website. Now I'm a fan. I'll buy anything he writes now as long as I can get it as an ebook, other authors take note. I buy about 300 books per year. The data sample is too small to make conclusions but if the 19 week window before books show up on peer to peer sites holds up, and the number of books pirated as a percentage of “major” works also holds true, then publishers just need to understand that a pirated book does not equal lost sales in a one to one relationship and/or does not equal lost paper sales either. Then we will be making real progress toward their understanding that the key to making money on ebooks is to get them out prior to the 19 week window in a place and a format accessible to as many reading devices as possible, not to tye up access with DRM, which kills sales and actually fosters piracy. No access and high prices create pirated versions. High timely access and a fair (as percieved by the buyer) price fosters sales. Personally I no longer buy paper hardcover books because I’m no longer willing to lug around that weight, so if it’s not an ebook, I pass. If it’s not in a format my Sony 700 can read, I pass. I got a David Moody book for free on his website. Now I’m a fan. I’ll buy anything he writes now as long as I can get it as an ebook, other authors take note. I buy about 300 books per year.

]]> By: Mac Slocum http://www.teleread.com/piracy/the-impact-of-piracy-and-free-on-book-sales/comment-page-1/#comment-1066593 Mac Slocum Thu, 28 May 2009 17:30:55 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/?p=22617#comment-1066593 Thanks for the coverage, Paul! As you noted, it's important for more data / more publishers to contribute to this research. The initial results are interesting, but there's much more to test. Thanks for the coverage, Paul!

As you noted, it’s important for more data / more publishers to contribute to this research. The initial results are interesting, but there’s much more to test.

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