Kindle Lending Library? Part 2

Here's a response to my blog about Amazon's Kindle Lending library idea. I chose to respond here so I could see the comment in front of me as I respond. ;D


I see your point, Sue, but I'm not sure it is a black and white as you present it.

When I purchase a print book, it's mine to do with as I please. I can lend it to anyone I want, for as long as I want. When money has been tight, friends and I have taken turns buying the next in a series we wanted to read and loaning the books to each other.

How is what Amazon is offering any different? The book will not be readable by the original purchaser during the loan period.

Granted, I'm sure there are issues and unintended results to consider, learn from and avoid, but this is inevitable as we transition from print publishing to digital publishing.

I'm not sure the problem is what Amazon is doing, but rather the possibility that those using it will use it unethically and immorally. Unfortunately, that is also inevitable. But that is a societal issue, not a business one. Although, business-wise, the digital market probably needs to develop the equivalent of those impossible to open blister packs or bulky attachments created to deter thieves.

Just a few of my random thoughts on the issue. It would be an interesting discussion if anyone is interested.

Loaning a book to a friend to save money is one thing. For a distributor of e-books, in this case Amazon's Kindle, to start a lending program without first consulting publishers is another.

Some publishers may actually see an advantage to the program but heaven help you if you don't. The two-week lending period is unbelievable. Most books can be read in two to three days. The chance that the borrower will decide to buy a book they've finished is slim. Very SLIM! If Amazon shortened the borrowing period it might make more since or make the lending program less suspect. As it is it screams only one thing: Amazon wants to sell more Kindle Readers not kindle e-books.

The logic that if there are more readers there will be more kindle e-books sold is slightly skewed. Why would anyone buy a Kindle e-book when they can read it for free? And why debate whether it makes since or not because if you're the publisher of a Kindle e-book your stuck with the program whether you like or not. Very few are allowed to opt-out and from what I've heard, the link to opt-out doesn't even work. And the window of opportunity is short. In most cases that window has passed and the link still doesn't work.

Bottom line is publisher's of a Kindle should have a choice and they don't. I can only guess it's because Amazon knows what will happen if they give publisher's a choice.

As far as loaning books to save money, Kindle's sell most of the time for less than five dollars. They don't cost as much as physical books.

*******added 02/10/11******************

Also, if your gauging your feelings around the Amazon's forced Kindle Lending Library based on how larger publishers react, you might consider this. Larger publishers are treated differently by Amazon. They have the ability to actually hurt Amazon and they use that leverage regularly.

The Kindle Lending library idea probably doesn't bother them all that much because they already fought and won the major battle to control the pricing of Kindle books. Their kindle books sell pretty close to the price of a physical copy, something Amazon wasn't going to allow at first. But of course, money talks.

If Amazon had been able to force larger publishers to sell their kindle books at a more reasonable price then larger publishers would be screaming too. Except part of their threat for not getting their way was to pull their books from Amazon listings (something small press can't do even if they wanted to at least not easily) if Amazon didn't do what they said. So I guess they wouldn't be screaming because if they hadn't gotten their way on pricing, they'd be gone. So big dog publishers win again. Small press sits by and watches the fall out.

Kindle Lending Library?

Supporting roles:
Amazon = Brain
Pinky = Well, everybody has to have a side-kick.

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Pinky - Whacha doing Brain?

Brain - What's it look like I'm doing? I'm making it so all the Kindle books on our site are available to the public.

Pinky - How're you going to do that Brain?

Brain - I'm going to make it so that anyone who purchases a Kindle book will get points for loaning it out for free for two weeks. That way folks will buy more KINDLES and we can make more money and take over the WORLD!

Pinky - For free? Won't that make publishers of Kindle books unhappy?

Brain - Of course not! They'll get more publicity than they've ever had. They're books will be everywhere.

Pinky - So they'll make more money.

Brain - No! They'll make nothing unless the borrower of said book decides after two-weeks of reading they wish to purchase it.

Pinky - Two weeks is a long time to have a book to just review. I read One-Fish, Two-Fish in one night and that was written by a Doctor! I don't know if folks who've published through Kindle will appreciate that.

Brain - If they don't like things they can opt out.

Pinky - Well that's awfully nice of you Brain!

Brain - Nice! HA! The window of opportunity to opt-out will be very short. And of course due to the fact that the program is so new, I'm quite certain the link to opt out won't be working before it's TOO LATE!!!!! And I'll be well on my way to TAKING OVER THE WORLD! MUHAHAHAHAHAHA

Pinky - Does that mean I don't have to pay for that doctor's book now? Because I'd much rather buy a cookie with that money.

**********************************************************************

Stay tuned for another riveting adventure coming soon as I'm sure Amazon will keep me well supplied with fodder. So happy I took all my books off Amazon's Kindle. Happy indeed! Y'all have fun selling those Kindles. Want to publish in Kindle format, go with Smashwords.

Added today: Here's the actual e-mail going out to folks who have e-books on Amazon's Kindle:

Dear Publisher,

We are excited to announce Kindle book lending. The Kindle Book Lending feature allows users to lend digital books they have purchased through the Kindle Store to their friends and family. Each book may be lent once for a duration of 14 days and will not be readable by the lender during the loan period.

All DTP titles are enrolled in lending by default. For titles in the 35% royalty option, you may choose to opt out of lending by deselecting the checkbox under "Kindle Book Lending," in the "Rights and Pricing" section of the title upload/edit process. You may not choose to opt out a title if it is included in the lending program of another sales or distribution channel. For more details, see section 5.2.2 of the Term and Conditions.

For more info on how Kindle Book Lending works, see our FAQ here: http://forums.digitaltextplatform.com/dtpforums/entry.

Sincerely,
Amazon Digital Text Platform

Isn't it nice to know that Amazon considered YOU the publisher and even asked YOU the publisher what you thought about them taking YOUR work and giving it away for FREE! Oh but Kindle owners will just love this and isn't that what it's all about? How many KINDLES Amazon can sell at the PUBLISHERS expense. Gotta love it!

This is an absolute JOKE!!! IMO. So happy not to have a dog in this hunt. BTW, the publisher who got this letter attempted to opt out several times during that short period of time when they could do so and the link never worked. Now their book is been LENDED for free, without their permission. Go AMAZON! You so RAWK!