I'm new to Kindle and don't read much of the e-commerce trades (which I need to change) but I remember hearing about early versions being used to market Amazon's products. Then I heard (maybe two years before I got mine) that there were ad-free versions of Kindle. So I get this device, I like it more than I predicted...but for a moment there, I could not stop buying Kindle books and apps (that I don't have to time read, of course). I realize that the library is better in some cases but I wonder if anyone has gone through this phase with a Kindle device. P.S. if you are new to Kindle, please do not use this to conduct business via email. My information is intact but I got an offer for work but could not see the full details (you have to buy MS Office separately). When I opened the email in a regular computer, there was a load of information that would have changed my mind about accepting the job. It worked itself out but that was a powerful lesson learned.
I think that is a typical phase. Everyone I know who got a kindle did that at first. Amazon actually admits that the original reason behind the kindle (and the kindle fire) is to get people to purchase more digital content from amazon. That is why the kindle and kindle fire are usually lower priced that other devices with comparable specs. Amazon barely breaks even on the sale of the devices. Their profits come from the sale of books, digital movies/tv shows, and apps. You can absolutely 'cheat' the system. You can get free mobi and pdf ebooks from a variety of locations, including many libraries and read them on your kindle reader. You can also flash the kindle fire, convert it to android, and use the google play store. You can watch videos on netflix from the fire instead of with amazon's system. My current system with my kindle is that I give myself an 'allowance' each month in amazon gift cards for digital content. I only have one debit card on my amazon account and it's a prepaid card that I don't keep money on unless I load it specifically to buy something or to cover the fee for prime.
Hmmm.... in answering your question, yes, I probably think so. I honestly have never used a Kindle and did not realize that there were ads on some of them! Unless you are getting the book for free I don't know why you should have to deal with ads? That would annoy me. I do read, but I prefer the books you can turn the pages too, smell, give to a friend, etc.
Why else would Amazon sell Kindles and ebooks through the Kindle platform? OF COURSE it's designed as a selling tool and platform for Amazon because the company makes millions of dollars from it. This is no different from what every single other company in the world does today.
I think its pretty easy to see through Amazon's marketing strategy here to be honest. We sell a lot of digital content, let's also sell something to download that content on to as well, genius idea! While I don't have a kindle myself I know a lot of people that do and they did the same when they got theirs, ended up downloading about 6000 books in the space of about 2 days, only later on to delete a 5999 of them. Its the novelty aspect when anybody gets anything new.
Funny, isn't it? It is like having to buy gas every time once you own an automobile If you asked me, the fact that there are thousands of softcopy bestseller books promted the need for a reader and Amazon was smart enough to seize the oppotunity before anyone else. They sell more books and more Kindles...talk of killing two birds with one stone..
It's certainly a great marketing strategy isn't it! Personally though, I just download ebooks to my Android device and bypass the need for a separate e-reader. There are plenty of freebies available and my local library has a great selection too.
In a way, yes, of course it was. The ebook market and the e-reader market obviously compliment themselves, so yes, Amazon getting into e-book trade is like Apple going into digital music distribution after iPods got popular.
Yes it was and then as e-books got popular, they created kindle apps so people who couldn't have a kindle could still buy books. At first the kindle was expensive and got cheaper as other companies brought out ereaders. Then as they brought out new kindles, people sold their old ones and thus bucked the market.
Those kindle apps are really great. I have one on my phone and on my tablet. Before I got my first kindle, I started buying ebooks to read on the app. Whatever I saved between the ebook price and the cost of the book in the store, I put into a jar. Once there was enough in the jar for a kindle and accessories, I bought the kindle and had a library of ebooks already. It didn't take very long because I buy a lot of books when they're released as hardcovers and the savings between an ebook and a hardcover are pretty significant.
It's certainly understandable from their perspective and I'm sure they had that in mind when they were making the thing, but really, Kindles are amazing and convenient. I often enjoy spending hours just reading from their selections. I suppose I'd rather much read on something that I can hold with my hands than on a laptop or a pc.
That's part of the marketing plan. I don't begrudge Amazon for taking this kind of path in order to boost sales and increase their overall income but it's not like they're fooling the public or forcing us to buy the gadgets they produce. We can still choose to opt out of Kindle.
It makes since for Amazon to use Kindle for sales. It is a powerhouse with great products, and if you love to read, it is a quasi heaven. Once you get the Kindle and are so impressed with it, you kind of follow the prompts they give and end up making those purchases. Still, I say do it if you love it. In your case, if you do not have the time for, snap out of it!
I wouldn't say that it was created a "selling tool" but that Amazon expected to make some money from their Kindle devices there's no debate. However since Amazon Kindle no longer is the only E-reader in the market, anyone can buy other a different E-reader get free books elsewhere on the net and they wouldn't have to spend too much money buying Kindle e-books form Amazon.
I think every new product is a selling tool for the major corporation that builds it. They hope it becomes popular, and profitable, all by itself but they know that it becomes a tool to be used with other assets and to promote the brand in general. I lost interest in Kindle when they remotely deleted some ebooks they no longer wanted people to have. If you had purchased that ebook you turned on your kindle to find it gone and the money put back into your account. I don't tolerate that type of intrusion anymore and Amazon's reputation took a hit with me because of that so companies definitely need to use their assets wisely.
I think so and I think that the reason that most businesses do things is so that they can give themselves more leverage in the market place. I do not think that there is any business out there that does things just for the sake of doing them I think that most of the things that they do are calculated to yield some type of result for the company whether this is more sales for the company or something like that.
I've seen exclusive kindle versions of e-books. I wouldn't blame Amazon for it. Every business house should devise strategies to penetrate the market that they are into. Kindle is one e-book reader that introduced e-ink technology to create less strain on eyes. It's a definite selling tool and they'll make hay while the sun still shines.
