Wednesday, May 11, 2011

This Is My Shocked Face

Hot on the heels of yesterday's post about the greater e-book market, word has it that HarperCollins is attributing their drop in paperback sales to sales of e-book editions, reporting that "the mass-market paperback is the thing we're going to cannibalise most."

British spellings of "cannibalize" notwithstanding, let me just say: I'm 0% surprised by this.

I feel for you, J.E. Medrick (see yesterday's comments), but as I've said before, I just don't see how the mass market format can survive over the next five or so years.

The mass market paperback offers the following:

· Low price point;
· Relative portability;
· Higher disposability (readers are more willing to chuck a mass market paperback than a trade paperback or hardcover);
· Wide availability (book stores, grocery stores, department stores, drug stores, &c).

The e-book offers the following:

· Low (on average) price point (and getting lower);
· High portability;
· High disposability (though you wouldn't need to, since e-book files occupy no physical and very little digital space);
· Wide availability (at least in the United States).

Additionally, both formats are dominated by adult (as opposed to children's) fiction and cater to similar audiences (middle-aged women).

I think once the price of e-readers (specifically the Kindle) consistently drops below the $100 mark, mass market paperback sales will start taking a real beating. To my mind, the only barrier to the complete cannibalization of mass market paperback sales by electronic books—in the United States, anyway—is the price of the e-reading device; remove that, and there's no reason to keep the mass market around. Print runs of any real quantity will rapidly become a waste of money, and I don't think anyone would really want a POD mass market paperback when they could just as easily get a POD trade paperback.

While I do think the mass market will physically exist for longer than five years, I think that existence will be limited to personal libraries and used book stores.

What do you think, ladies and gentlebros?

18 comments:

  1. That's interesting because I would have thought differently (just based on personal preference). I love the feeling of a physical book but love the portability of an e-reader. What I've noticed lately for myself is that, with lower e-book prices, I'm much less likely to buy a hardcover when I could get the same book at a much lower price electronically. However, I might be willing to spring for a less expensive paperback to have the luxury of a physical book.

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  2. I think you're right. Mass market will go away, and that's fine, because the returns system of stripping covers and sending them back for credit is incredibly inefficient and costly. Mass markets are the only books subject to stripping for credit. That needs to stop, and ebooks are a logical replacement for mm.

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  3. While I love e-books, you'll only get my mass market paperback away from me when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

    As much as I love e-books, I don't have an e-book reader and refuse to buy one. I re-read books in my personal library a lot. The file durability for e-books is not nearly where I want it to be. You see, hardware fails, or wears out, or gets replaced with newer, spiffier versions. In Kindle's case, the e-books purchased for the older versions will not read on the newer versions. There is no legal, easy way for me to back up the standard e-book file without relying on Big Brother to do it for me. I want to be able to manage my own book files and have one book/file be readable across multiple platforms. I also don't want everyone and his dog having access to my book files.

    Data management and personal security aside, I refuse to by a dedicated gadget just for reading books. My budget won't allow it. Which is why I love used book stores. If a book in my collection fails to stand up to multiple re-reads, I can sell it or exchange it.

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  4. Indeed; the mass-market paperback is just perfect for taking along anywhere - but if e-readers become that much more affordable, I can definitely see ebooks replacing the paperback. There will always be a collector's market for hardcover and specialty books, in my opinion, as there is just something to be said for having an actual library or flipping through photographs!

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  5. ::don't think anyone would really want a POD mass market paperback when they could just as easily get a POD trade paperback::

    Not that I'm disagreeing with you on the basic point, but really? Why would someone want the bulkier, less-convenient-to-carry around Trade size?

    @patnagle: all books are subject to returns. It's not specific to the MMPB

    @V: You don't need a dedicated gadget to read eBooks. A smart phone or tablet (such as the iPad) is a multi-function device. The Nook is already transforming into a tablet. I expect the Kindle to follow suit.

    I think there are additional pressures on the MMPB, which is authors of MMPB walking away from print deals because they'll make more money ePubbing.

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  6. I agree with Mr. Medrick, as I only buy MMPB. I never buy hardcovers, not just because of price but because of their weight and bulk. I move every two to three years, so this matters to me. I can't buy an eReader either, since our overseas mail system won't allow shipment of lithium batteries.

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  7. I don't know who's doing the shopping, but I've seen the e-book prices escalate to equal the MMPB price. If I'm going to fork over $7.99 for a title I want the whole thing, Cover art, words on paper, a place for the author's autograph. . ..
    I have e-reader apps on my smartphone - and I use them! I love having something to read when I get stuck somewhere. I usually have a book stashed in the car, but not always. This is the niche the ebook fills for me.

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  8. I agree with minxlaurel - if the ebook price for book is equal to or higher than the MMPB price, I would rather buy the physical book. However, unless I go to an author signing, I don't think I will ever EVER buy a hardcover book again. I have watched the prices of hardcovers rise and rise (in bookstores, not on places like Amazon) to the point where a new HC is up to $27.99 in my local Borders. That's rape. RAPE. And it just amuses me to read so many blog posts and articles about traditional publishers panicking about how ebooks are taking over. Well, actually, I think that writers have just beat publishers at their own game. Self-published authors are rising up through the rankings on Amazon at an amazing pace - they do it all on their own and reap all the profits. As a reader (and a writer myself) I'd much rather pay a self-pubbed author knowing they will get a large royalty than pay for a book put out by a big publisher. Anyway, I digress. I don't think the MMPB will go away any time soon, and I don't think it should. If anything, I think hardcovers should be saved for library distribution and author signings and kept out of bookstores. Knowing what I know now about the publishing industry, I'm frankly insulted by seeing a price tag of $27.99 in a world where publishing options are growing limitless.

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  9. Imagine my shocked face, as well. Coincidentally, I had some time to kill in the pharmacy on Monday and perused the paperback aisle. Since when did mass-market paperbacks become so cheap-feeling? I think they're printing on tissue paper, and the covers are all cut sloppily. Since I have a Kindle, I wouldn't even think of picking up a mass-market paperback. Trade paperbacks, yes, especially when I know I'll be able to have the author sign it.

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  10. As a college-educated professional I would not be caught dead with a mass-market romance in public. Even if the writing is phenomenal, the covers are beyond embarrassing. I love my Nook -it hides ripped bodices, over-muscled men gleaming in the moonlight, and Regency beauties falling out of their gowns... need I do on?

    I know I'm not the only woman out there who doesn't want to be seen with such covers. E-readers solve the problem. In fact, I didn't even buy romances until the Nook came into my life.

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  11. I had a deer in headlights moment when I saw my name!

    My bookshelves are right next to my computer desk. They are filled with MMPB, spines lined with white breaks from many readings. I will be quite sad indeed when it becomes nigh impossible to fill them with new content.

    @V: I'm sorry I have to disagree on a number of points. I think the ebook systems work very hard to be forward-compatible. In places where they may fall through (such as converting ePub to .mobi to .azw etc) enthusiastic developers fill the niche. Places like Smashwords allow you to download the book in any format you want after purchase. Programs like Calibre let you switch between formats on your own computer. It is also perfectly legal to back up your e-book purchases! Simply put the file on a data stick. Some (most!... if no cover is included) are even small enough to fit on old floppies! When I lived in Japan I bought ebooks from Amazon. Whispernet didn't work there, so I downloaded the file to my desktop and put it on my Kindle via USB. I didn't need to keep the file around so I generally deleted it. But with Calibre, I could easily keep track of which books were on my computer at any given time. Likewise, I can use it to transmit books from the computer to my Kindle... or even delete them. I believe it's a matter of personal preference on feasibility of owning a ereading device. I also second whomever mentioned you can read books on smartphones, tablets, et cetera. Personally, my budget allows for MORE digital books than print. A single MMPB that cost me $7.99 (plus gas, currently $4.15/gallon in Ohio, sigh) is replaced by 8 $.99 ebooks or 2~3 $2.99 ebooks. Plus any range in between ;) I actually find myself shying away from the big publishers anymore, because I can get new content, better for my budget, help the author more and still have an enjoyable read. I also don't have to worry about buying a book I'll absolutely hate - my ebooks come with FREE sampling! Though, I will concede I cannot trade my old digital files in for new ones :)

    @Ted Cross: Private companies (Like UPS or FedEx) have permissions and packages allowing the shipment of lithium batteries in certain forms. As they can ship laptops overseas, you can probably ship an ereader. Many people (like myself) take ereaders (such as my Kindle) onto planes. The overseas no shipment rule is because lithium batteries ignite at high altitudes. The gram-age of ereaders should not be a concern for shipping, even by air mail. Here is one of the articles I just read because I didn't know L-ion batteries couldn't be shipped :P Also, you're the third person this month to mistake me for a man. Is my text particularly mannish? I promise I'm a woman :)

    @Minxlaurel: I recently had an interesting run-in with this! An MMPB of an author I wanted to read was $7.99. The e-book for the same thing, only digital, was $9.99!! I went back to the store and bought the hard copy ;)

    YA: Cheat, Liar
    Adult: Shackled

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  12. Wow, who would price the e-Book as more expensive than the paperback?

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  13. @Shannon: Harper Voyager Fantasy. But looks like they fixed that price disparity. (I bought Hobb's "Dragon Keeper"... and I don't recommend it. Sad to say, because I loved the Farseer and Tawny Man series!)

    YA: Cheat, Liar
    Adult: Shackled

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  14. I agree. I don't know the time frame. I hear predictions all the time. It's like Y2K all over again. Only instead of stocking up on water bottles, book lovers are rushing our for their little paperbacks. But it happens. Things change and as auteurs, we need to roll with it. Keep writing. Write better than you thought you could. Keep apprised of the changes. But don't get so panicked that it gets in the way of your writing. Just think of all those people still drinking their Y2K water!

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  15. I can dig that ebooks are good for traveling, cheap (to heck with the author making money!); and convenient on the house cluttering thing. Still find it tiring on the eyes to read ebooks for long as opposed to reading a paper (tree) book, which I can do for hours in bed, on the beach...etc. By the way, I hear vinyl records and record players are becoming popular once again. Maybe the ebooks are a greater trend (and I believe will continue to grow) but the oldie books will not disappear to only libraries and garage sales. My very humble book lover opinion.

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  16. There should always be MMPBs for sale at airports!

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  17. I'll be honest, I don't buy MMPB. I don't buy paperbacks at all unless I have no other choice. Given the flimsy quality of paperbacks, I read them to oblivion and I'm left with either a close to destroyed copy or I have to buy another copy. Depending on the book, I am more prone to get hardcovers of my favorites and ebooks of those that I'm discovering--with the cost of hardcovers, I'll read the book and if I'm that in love with it, THEN I will go get the hardcover. So, in my case, yeah, the MMPB is a thing of the past.

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  18. At some point, e-book readers will follow the Gillette razor model, as do ink jet printers, and will be given away, or virtually so, in order to sell content. Paper books of any sort will be quaint fixtures used primarily by interior decorators. There are just way to many advantages to the E-book reader and its reading experience will become the norm. And, it'll all be good.

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