From Galleycat:
AMAZON
Kindle Books Outsell Paperback Books on Amazon
By Jason Boog on January 27, 2011 4:27 PM
Amazon.com, Inc. announced its fourth quarter results today, hitting a major milestone: Kindle books are now more popular than paperback books on the bookselling website.
In addition, the company said it sold “millions of third-generation Kindles” during the quarter, keeping figures cloudy. eBookNewser has more about the company’s multibillion dollar sales last quarter.
Here’s more from CEO Jeff Bezos, from the release: “We had our first $10 billion quarter, and after selling millions of third-generation Kindles with the new Pearl e-ink display during the quarter, Kindle books have now overtaken paperback books as the most popular format on Amazon.com. Last July we announced that Kindle books had passed hardcovers and predicted that Kindle would surpass paperbacks in the second quarter of this year, so this milestone has come even sooner than we expected – and it’s on top of continued growth in paperback sales.”
And why wouldn't $3.99 Kindle books outsell 7 to 9.99 paperbacks. I'm more pleased with their announcement of increased paperback sales.
ReplyDeleteRJR
Hello Ed. This week's edition of Friday's Forgotten Books is now up at MYSTERIES in PARADISE. Thanks for participating.
ReplyDeleteIt's January 29th and I've purchased 10 kindle books so far this year(from $2.99-$11.99). I'm reading number 9 now (The Finkler Question--brilliant thus far). These numbers don't surprise me. I can't afford to buy hardbacks/paperbacks anymore and the ease of reading for me on kindle is a no brainer. When I'm canned at work, it'll be back to the library ... until then, kindle wins at casa stella.
ReplyDeleteI'm still a guy who loves hardcovers and paperbacks. Those are real books, not the Kindle edition. You can't put a Kindle book on your bookshelf, or if you lose your job and become stone broke, sell it on E-bay. It's also difficult to ask an author to sign his novel on your Kindle. Doesn't work worth a darn.
ReplyDeleteI understand about the cost of books. Believe me I'm in the poverty range of income, yet I always manage to find a few bucks to a new Piccirili novel or Joe Lansdale book. This isn't to say that I may not eventually own a Kindle in the future, but for me, it will never out place the hardcover or paperback format. And, it scares me with the way the future looks for the book market, especially with so many bookstores closing their doors and publishing houses discontinuing with paperbacks and going with e-books instead. If this is the future for humanity's reader, it's something I don't want to be a part of.
As someone who has strived to bring ebooks into reality for 10 years this makes me happy. I was quite pleasantly surprised to see a TV ad for Kindles and ebooks the other day. Who thought that would ever happen back in 2000?
ReplyDeleteGW
And the fact that they still count free kindle books as sales makes their latest publicity same old same old. Be interesting to see how much pressure the SEC will put on them to come clean about their figures.
ReplyDeleteWhat also seemed to be missed in all the latest hype was the fact that their revenues fell far short of projections and are projected to go even lower for at least the next two quarters.
I agree with Wayne. You buy a book on Kindle, then drop it and break it. No more book, right? Or the battery dies. Also, Kindle doesn't smell like a book.
ReplyDeleteCount me out.
RJR
It would be interesting to see the real sales figures (vs. free kindle books, etc.) and/or books published by legitimate authors vs. never before published by traditional means. I'm not so sure the average reader is falling for the freebee market, but I have no idea. I sure don't. The only free books I "purchased" on kindle have been a few classics (mostly to offset the original price of the thing itself). I wasn't supposed to buy anything for 3 months. I lasted about 3 weeks and I'm definitely reading more now with my kindle (books don't work in gyms the same way--commuting, etc.) Not even close to being as convenient. And storage? Again, kindle works better. I did purchase insurance for the thing ... just in case I drop/lose it. It's available.
ReplyDeleteYes, what Charlie said. Amazon regularly announces these milestones, but never gives actual figures to back it up.
ReplyDeleteJeff P.
Amazon is the one best company launch the kindle e book so Amazon is more popular is basic reason of kindle e book so this is very important and popular e book use in all the world.
ReplyDelete