Revolutionary Publishing Model - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T21:50:10Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/revolutionary-publishing-model?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A200162&feed=yes&xn_auth=noJohn,
Thanks for the article…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-11:537324:Comment:2027332009-06-11T14:09:52.028ZChristopher Valenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ChristopherValen
John,<br />
Thanks for the article link regarding Blackwells. Interesting reading.
John,<br />
Thanks for the article link regarding Blackwells. Interesting reading. Not sure if you're arguing or…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-11:537324:Comment:2026492009-06-11T04:44:48.505ZminervaKhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/minervakoenig
Not sure if you're arguing or agreeing, since your point about Wal-Mart supports my own re: booksellers having no love for the device, and the fact that Jason Epstein came up with the idea goes to what I said about publishers having a vested interest...<br />
<br />
My point is, exactly, that people *don't* buy books in the same way that they get cash from ATM machines -- it's not a question of being 'afraid,' it's whether people will use the machine in the way the makers hope they will. I'll be curious to…
Not sure if you're arguing or agreeing, since your point about Wal-Mart supports my own re: booksellers having no love for the device, and the fact that Jason Epstein came up with the idea goes to what I said about publishers having a vested interest...<br />
<br />
My point is, exactly, that people *don't* buy books in the same way that they get cash from ATM machines -- it's not a question of being 'afraid,' it's whether people will use the machine in the way the makers hope they will. I'll be curious to see how they fare at Blackwell's. No bookseller in his/her righ…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-11:537324:Comment:2026272009-06-11T04:01:42.564ZJohn Dishonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
<i>No bookseller in his/her right mind is going to pay to have it in their store, undercutting their profit margin.</i><br />
<br />
Set up a kiosk in Wal-Mart. Problem solved, from the machine-maker's point of view. Who needs a bookseller in that case?<br />
<br />
<i>To me, it doesn't make sense to have the end user access the machine -- it makes more sense as a flexible inventory control device for bookstores.</i><br />
<br />
You could say the same thing about ATM machines, yet they work just fine.<br />
<br />
Also, Blackwells, a…
<i>No bookseller in his/her right mind is going to pay to have it in their store, undercutting their profit margin.</i><br />
<br />
Set up a kiosk in Wal-Mart. Problem solved, from the machine-maker's point of view. Who needs a bookseller in that case?<br />
<br />
<i>To me, it doesn't make sense to have the end user access the machine -- it makes more sense as a flexible inventory control device for bookstores.</i><br />
<br />
You could say the same thing about ATM machines, yet they work just fine.<br />
<br />
Also, Blackwells, a bookseller in the UK, is already installing them in their stores: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/24/espresso-book-machine-blackwell">http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/apr/24/espresso-book-machine-blackwell</a><br />
<br />
It should also be pointed out that the person who first thought up the idea for this machine is none other than Jason Epstein, former editor at Doubleday, creator of Anchor books, co-founder of the Library of America, and the creator of the trade paperback. So if a guy like him isn't afraid of such an idea, why should anyone else be? My $0.02:
When I go to a boo…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-11:537324:Comment:2026212009-06-11T02:34:52.846ZminervaKhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/minervakoenig
My $0.02:<br />
<br />
When I go to a bookstore, I'm rarely looking for a specific book. I usually go to browse, to get out of the house, and to sit in the corners and read stuff I don't really want to own. Occasionally I'll find something I like and buy it. When I'm looking for a specific book, the first place I go is online, to see if the library has it. If they don't, and I really really want it, I'll buy it online, or order a copy through my local independent bookseller. So this gadget, cool as it…
My $0.02:<br />
<br />
When I go to a bookstore, I'm rarely looking for a specific book. I usually go to browse, to get out of the house, and to sit in the corners and read stuff I don't really want to own. Occasionally I'll find something I like and buy it. When I'm looking for a specific book, the first place I go is online, to see if the library has it. If they don't, and I really really want it, I'll buy it online, or order a copy through my local independent bookseller. So this gadget, cool as it sounds, would be something I would probably never personally use.<br />
<br />
It seems to me that the better application of this thing would be installing it in bookstores behind the scenes. Then, when a customer comes in and asks for a book, and there's not one on the shelf, a staffer goes into the back and prints out a copy. If the customer just wants to look at it and not buy it, the bookstore is only out the (wholesale) cost of one book, which can sit out on the shelf until the next browser comes along. To me, it doesn't make sense to have the end user access the machine -- it makes more sense as a flexible inventory control device for bookstores.<br />
<br />
Also, as to the cost, surely the manufacturer isn't seriously going to try and sell a $175K machine to bookstores that are barely getting by? Since it's mostly to the benefit of the manufacturer and the publisher to have this machine in stores, they should be the ones underwriting the cost of the thing. No bookseller in his/her right mind is going to pay to have it in their store, undercutting their profit margin.<br />
<br />
MK<br />
<a href="http://www.minervakoenig.com">www.minervakoenig.com</a> Man, I pity the fool trying t…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-11:537324:Comment:2026182009-06-11T02:14:12.490ZminervaKhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/minervakoenig
Man, I pity the fool trying to make a living pirating books.
Man, I pity the fool trying to make a living pirating books. Bob,
Yikes, I think I'll wait…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-06-10:537324:Comment:2025282009-06-10T19:38:14.429ZTom Cookehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TomCooke
Bob,<br />
Yikes, I think I'll wait until they come down to the $300.00 range.<br />
<br />
As a guy who spent a career looking at the bottom line I think we are probably looking at a few years before this prototype is viable.<br />
<br />
As always, distribution of product is a problem.<br />
<br />
I wonder if this problem couldn't be solved with a dependable, inexpensive, maintenance free, home printer and a good stapler. Of course, ink cost would have to go way down.<br />
<br />
I actually wrote the above paragraph with tongue in cheek, but I…
Bob,<br />
Yikes, I think I'll wait until they come down to the $300.00 range.<br />
<br />
As a guy who spent a career looking at the bottom line I think we are probably looking at a few years before this prototype is viable.<br />
<br />
As always, distribution of product is a problem.<br />
<br />
I wonder if this problem couldn't be solved with a dependable, inexpensive, maintenance free, home printer and a good stapler. Of course, ink cost would have to go way down.<br />
<br />
I actually wrote the above paragraph with tongue in cheek, but I wonder......hummmm. If I'm not mistaken, at $175,…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-29:537324:Comment:2006472009-05-29T12:45:29.691ZBobhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Bob24
If I'm not mistaken, at $175,000 each, this machine must generate a profit of well over $1,500 a month just to pay the interest. Most independant stores do not have that type of spare capital.<br />
<br />
Smiles<br />
Bob
If I'm not mistaken, at $175,000 each, this machine must generate a profit of well over $1,500 a month just to pay the interest. Most independant stores do not have that type of spare capital.<br />
<br />
Smiles<br />
Bob The Espresso Book Machine tha…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-28:537324:Comment:2004702009-05-28T20:36:27.162ZChristopher Valenhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ChristopherValen
The Espresso Book Machine that Lightning Source is marketing is 3.8 feet wide by 2.7 feet deep by 4.5 feet high, which would allow placement of the machines in most book stores and libraries worldwide. More sites should mean more opportunities to sell books, particularly if a book is not in stock.
The Espresso Book Machine that Lightning Source is marketing is 3.8 feet wide by 2.7 feet deep by 4.5 feet high, which would allow placement of the machines in most book stores and libraries worldwide. More sites should mean more opportunities to sell books, particularly if a book is not in stock. Quite right. That should be o…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-28:537324:Comment:2004582009-05-28T19:59:59.323ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Quite right. That should be of interest to newspapers everywhere.
Quite right. That should be of interest to newspapers everywhere. I found this interesting:
ht…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-28:537324:Comment:2004392009-05-28T17:16:50.832ZEDWARD C MORGANhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ECMorgan
I found this interesting:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=164252">http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=164252</a><br />
<br />
It pertains to an experiment being done by the Denver Post, but somewhat related to the discussion.<br />
<br />
My experience with "big presses" - and mine's from news presses - is this:<br />
Pros:<br />
Generally, maintenance is nil. The things just don't break down. When they do, most problems are minor and can be handled in house, or even by a local mechanic.…
I found this interesting:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=164252">http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=131&aid=164252</a><br />
<br />
It pertains to an experiment being done by the Denver Post, but somewhat related to the discussion.<br />
<br />
My experience with "big presses" - and mine's from news presses - is this:<br />
Pros:<br />
Generally, maintenance is nil. The things just don't break down. When they do, most problems are minor and can be handled in house, or even by a local mechanic. Not too terribly difficult to run.<br />
<br />
Cons:<br />
Terribly expensive to buy. You need a large building to house it. Warehousing of paper. If you have a serious problem, expect to pay thousands an hour to get it fixed.<br />
<br />
And then you have the additional expenses of warehousing books, etc.<br />
<br />
However, the above link really is fascinating to me.