eReaders – This Year’s “Big Gift”
Every year, there’s a mad rush for the “hot gift” of the year. Usually, that list is focused on popular products for kids, like the Zhu Zhu Pets
Of course, adults get gifts too, and this year may be the year of the ebook reader.
According to PCWorld, Kindle, Nook and Other E-Readers to Take Off in 2010. In my research, I see people considering an ebook reader for a loved one. My unscientific, totally observational evidence? Everyone wants to borrow my Kindle.
eBooks are an inevitable reality. Print publishing has become increasingly expensive, driving up prices and down profits of traditional books. In 2009, I self-published an ebook this year, which netted me fewer than 10 sales in a year. This type of performance wouldn’t make any sense for a traditional publisher, but for me it was fine. There was no overhead associated with printing, so every sale was pure profit.
Large and small publishers are already tapping ebook channels to generate sales of their back catalog titles. This will explode in 2010 as more people start to explore ebooks.
For most people, a laptop or desktop will be a perfectly acceptable ebook reader. Even iPhones can read ebook formats. But for hardcore readers, a Kindle or Nook will become as indispensable as their BN Membership Card.
Like any new technology, ebook readers are going to be fairly pricey (starting at $199), so if people buy one, it’s going to be that “big gift” for someone very special.
Comments
Leave a Reply
Flickr Feed
