Comments on: Amazon, BookSurge and the Future of POD

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:01:12 +0000

Thanks Cheryl… I sometimes wonder if I’ll live long enough to see how some of this works out… ever changing… I still want a really good ebook reader! That would once again turn pod on its head.

By: Cheryl Pickett

Cheryl Pickett — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:03:22 +0000

It’s definitely going to be interesting to see how things change. A lot of POD authors have relied heavily on Amazon, and the new program asks them to give up a greater percentage. Also, the fees to use Booksurge, from what I’ve read at Writer’s Weekly etc. appear to be significantly higher than other POD services.

If Amazon fulfills their promise of better everything, then maybe there’ll be an upside. Downside will be people who really want to sell through major online sites, will likely have to set up with Booksurge and a Lightning Source participating program.

Maybe this will also finally increase the availability and popularity of ebooks/info products as mentioned above. That is one way Amazon is no concern at all.

Cheryl Pickett
http://www.publishinganswers.com

By: Anne Wayman

Anne Wayman — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:46:49 +0000

thanks for the clarification, Michael

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:11:50 +0000

Amazon first defended its policy saying that other POD publishers can still sell on the site via consignment – you and I know that link as leading to a whole variety of unknown sellers.

Actually, the consignment policy that Amazon recommended (Amazon Advantage) would have Amazon listed as the seller. You’re conflating it with Amazon’s Marketplace, which lists other people and businesses as the sellers.

By: Is The Future Of Self Publishing In Doubt?

Is The Future Of Self Publishing In Doubt? — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:46:29 +0000

[...] Anne Wayman at The Golden Pencil highlights what looks like Amazon’s drive towards dominance of the self publishing [...]

By: Authors Guild Says Amazon’s After The Long Tail

Authors Guild Says Amazon’s After The Long Tail — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:28:23 +0000

[...] after the long tail profits and says why they suspect any statement that tries to spin their move to insist people print with their BookSurge to anything like customer service or energy savings, [...]

By: Amazon Defends Itself

Amazon Defends Itself — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:21:17 +0000

[...] posted a letter to “all interested parties” on its website to explain why they were changing their rules re Print On [...]

By: Fisk Gawsen

Fisk Gawsen — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:17:04 +0000

It’s very difficult for me to let anyone handcuff my abilities to sell my products. Face it, we’ll never win against the big guys but there are many other ways to get your own products out to the market.

Personally, I create my info products based on what I learned with the InfoProdCreation.com course and I’m not running to Amazon or eBay with the product to sell it.

Regardless of that, I am for the people so I will go ahead and sign that petition:-)

Fisk Gawsen