Save $! Kindle Fire -30, Sue Grafton $1.99 each, $1 books

Save $! Kindle Fire -30, Sue Grafton $1.99 each, $1 books

Well, here’s a day you can save some money!

Let’s start out with a couple of Amazon Local deals.

This first one is for a $30 off coupon for the Kindle Fire:

http://local.amazon.com/national/B00DERIGE8

This is on the

Kindle Fire 7″, LCD Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB – Includes Special Offers

That’s not the HD model, but it is the 2nd generation.

First claim the coupon code, then wait for an e-mail.

This brings the price of the Kindle Fire down from either $159 with Special Offers down to $129 (after applying the code) or from $174 (without Special Offers) down to $144.

This is a good deal and yes, might suggest that something new is coming.

AmazonLocal also has a deal today on e-books:

Up to 30 e-books from a specific list for $1 each

Again, you have to first claim the code before you can get them. If you don’t have an AmazonLocal account, I think you’d have to set one up…but those are free.

Among the books is an Ian Fleming travel book, Thrilling Cities. I’m always on the lookout for small gifts, and that might be a good one at the holidays for a James Bond fan (who likely won’t have read it). It’s nonfiction, but might be interesting.

“Now how much would you pay? But wait, there’s more!” 😉

One of the Kindle Daily Deals today is up to 15 of the first Sue Grafton “Alphabet Series” of Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone mysteries (“A is for Alibi”, and so on), for $1.99 each.

My Significant Other wasn’t crazy about them, but I’ve never read them (although I sold  lot when I managed a bookstore), so I’ll probably buy the first one.

Thinking about gifts again? You could get somebody the first ten books for $19.99…that’s a bargain! You can delay delivery to whenever you want.

This deal won’t get you the whole series…there have been 22 so far, with the 23rd (W is for Wasted (KINSEY MILLHONE MYSTERY) coming in September.

One more Kindle Daily Deal I’ll highlight:

Who Goes There? (RosettaBooks into Film)

That’s the short work by John W. Campbell that inspired both The Thing (from Another World), the classic Howard Hawks sci-fi movie, and the John Carpenter movie (and more, but those two are very different and both worth seeing).

One thing I hadn’t known: apparently, John W. Campbell’s mother and aunt were identical twins, and would switch on the young future author as a game. That certainly created some issues of identity!

There are seven stories all together here, but it is still short, just so you know.

Enjoy!

Note: these deals may not be available in your country. As always, check the price and read the rules for the special offers before clicking or tapping that Buy button.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Is Amazon reducing its discounts?

Is Amazon reducing its discounts?

This

New York Times article by David Streitfeld

is clearly getting people’s attention.

I’ve had a reader alert me to it in a private e-mail, and regular reader and commenter Lady Galaxy also linked me to it (thanks to both!).

The flashpoint summary: has Amazon started to reduce the discounts it offers on books?

The question requires a couple of responses.

First, is it true?

Second, what does it mean?

Let’s first clarify a bit about what the article says.

It is not talking about e-book prices…it’s talking about p-book (paperbook) prices.

Second, it cites “… scholarly and small-press books”, not the bestsellers.

Before we look at the evidence, let’s look at the big picture…that always makes the data points easier to understand.

Amazon has three core principles: price, selection, and service.

If anybody suggests something at Amazon, it has to support one or more of these…preferably all three.

That sounds simple, but very few companies have boiled it down so completely. Jeff Bezos has said that those three points are the same the world over…nobody in China says, “Can’t you charge me more for that, have fewer choices, and take longer getting it to me while treating me like a jerk?” 😉

In this case, we are clearly talking about the price leg of the stool.

“Price” doesn’t mean price everything as cheaply as possible…if it did, everything would be free (note: there are literally tens of thousands of free e-books at Amazon, but not p-books or other goods). It means, “Price it lower than your customers’ other sources for it.”

It’s about competition.

Amazon has fewer competitors than it used to have. Borders is gone. Barnes & Noble is reducing the number of stores it has. While some independent bookstores are thriving, many have closed…and those were the sorts of places that would have more of the small-press books in question.

Non-bookstore competitors, like Target or Costco, weren’t likely to carry the scholarly and small press books.

Amazon’s selection is better than a brick-and-mortar store. Amazon’s service is also arguably better, as far as many people are concerned. If you are a Prime member, you can likely get that scholarly book in two days with no shipping fee…that’s more convenient for many people than waiting to the weekend and going to the store. Young people  increasingly don’t own cars. Amazon (and other e-tailers) is, I think, one reason for that.

How about Customer Service beyond shipping?

While many of us still think of Customer Service the way it was twenty years ago, it just isn’t that way any more. Go into a bookstore, and try to get some employee to tell you which of the two books on 18th Century glassware is better. Go online, and see other customers’ reviews…and look inside the book, and see mainstream reviews (if any).

If Amazon wins on service and selection, tying on price might be okay. With fewer competitors, there are fewer places having sales…that also makes it easier.

So, Amazon reducing discounts as competition has reduced makes sense.

It’s also important to note that what we are talking about is discounts, not list prices. List prices are what the publishers say you “should” pay for the book…with p-books, Amazon can discount a book beyond that. It works very differently from e-books. With a p-book, Amazon buys the copy, and can then do what it wants, thanks to something called the First Sale Doctrine. The FSD often gets cited for individuals (it’s why you can sell your used copy of a book without getting permission from the publisher first), but it really came about because of a store discounting a book.

Let’s say the list price of a book is $20. Amazon buys copies of it from the publisher for $10 each. Amazon can then sell it for $20, $15, $10…or $5 (taking a loss) if it wants to do that.

Why would a company sell a book at a loss?

Primarily, to inspire other profitable sales in the future. If they take a loss on the first book in a series, and then make a profit on the next nine, that can be worth it.

However…

Small press and scholarly titles may not generate that many other sales. There aren’t going to be ten books in a series on “micro-economic price point pressures on goat cheese”. 😉

So, rationally, looking at an individual sale, it makes sense to me that Amazon would be reducing discounts. Remember, they have not been a particularly profitable company over time (some of you will know that’s an understatement). They have been, as Jeff Bezos put it, “buying market share”. Now that they have that market share, maybe it is time to make some profit.

Irrationally, the idea of Amazon cutting discounts might alarm people. I think, though, that, if Amazon is the only reasonable place to get something, so you don’t see that their prices are higher than anybody else’s, it won’t drive down sales much. If you want that obscure title, you want it. You want it at the best deal you can get…you probably don’t have a set discount amount which is a make or break. If the choice is that you can buy it from Amazon for $75 and have it in two days, or buy it from the publisher online for $75 and have it in three weeks (with a $5 shipping and handling charge, giving them your credit card information which Amazon already has, and not knowing the return policy very well), or perhaps driving fifty miles to buy one in a store (if they actually even have it when you get there), people will pick Amazon…even if it isn’t discounted to $60.

Now, another clear theme in the article is that publishers (and authors) are upset because Amazon isn’t discounting as much.

Wait a minute…didn’t we just go through that whole Agency Model debacle because publishers were upset that Amazon was discounting too much? Which is it, folks?

It’s both. 🙂

It’s nice to have Amazon to blame for how your company is doing, I’m sure. If Amazon discounts too little, you don’t sell as many books (hypothetically). It’s Amazon’s fault that you only sold fifteen copies instead of twenty, right? If they discount too much, it’s Amazon’s fault that people think books should be cheaper.

One clear difference here: companies that publish bestsellers are going to favor less discounting…the books are selling anyway. Companies that publish “prestige” titles need every single sale, and aren’t going to get it when their books get reviewed in People magazine.

Summing up this first part: I would expect Amazon to reduce discounts over time on some types of titles.

The other question: is this even actually happening?

The article gives you anecdotal reports from publishers, but notes that it is hard to figure out where prices have gone on Amazon. You can, by the way, see it on e-books at

http://www.ereaderiq.com/pricewatch/

That is one of the most valuable resources of any kind on the web. You can list books there, and they will track the prices for you, and send you an e-mail when the price drops an amount you specified…all for free! I highly recommend it.

In a

follow-up NYT article

Streitfeld mentions using

CamelCamelCamel

to check some prices.

I wasn’t aware of that site, but I like it! You can enter an Amazon product, and see a price graph over time.

I checked the top five of the

McFarland books at Amazon

McFarland fits the bill of the type of publisher being described here…and is one of my favorite publishers (I know, having a favorite publisher at all makes me a book geek). 😉

In all of the cases where there was data, the price now was not the lowest price there had been.

However, we didn’t just see a steady climb in prices over time. There were ups and downs, and the downs might be there for a short time…a sale, perhaps.

I’m going to guess that Amazon has reduced discounts on some p-books which don’t sell as well. I don’t see that as a crisis, though…I see it as an inevitable consequence of a less-diversified market. I don’t blame Amazon for that change, by the way. I do think that we’ll continue to see wild fluctuations and big discounts on e-books…now that the Agency Model is basically going away, that’s where the action is. As I’ve been saying for some time, p-books are going to become more of a luxury niche product eventually, with better quality, better service associated with it…and fewer discounts.

Does that mean you will sometimes pay more as a consumer for those books? Yes, that seems likely. We’ve been spoiled a bit by deep discounts, but if we want p-books to stick around when there is an e-book alternative, we are going to have to recognize that we might need to pay more for it. Not more at Amazon compared to other places…more overall.

What do you think? I’d love to hear it…feel free to let me and my readers know by commenting on this post.

Update: Bonus Deal: one of today’s Kindle Daily Deals is

Howl’s Moving Castle

by Diana Wynne Jones. It’s a popular and well-reviewed children’s book (4.7 out of 5 stars with 470 reviews) from 1986 which later became an Oscar-nominated movie. It’s $1.99 at time of writing, discounted from $7.99 (as always, check the price before clicking or tapping that Buy button).

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Round up #184: Amazon patent, DecalGirl discount

Round up #184: Amazon patent, DecalGirl discount

The ILMK Round ups are short pieces which may or may not be expanded later.

Magazine text mode introduces errors

I was reading TV Guide on my Kindle Fire with my Significant Other at Starbucks.

I commented that it suddenly seemed to have worse proofreading. For example, the word “I” wasn’t being capitalized consistently, and I noted that the word “differently” had been spelled incorrectly.

That seemed odd to me: why would that change? TV Guide is a lot of things, but it is usually very well proofread.

Then something occurred to me.

I was reading it in text mode. You can double-tap TV Guide (some of my other subscriptions have done  this, but not all) and it changes from what is basically a print replica (what Joe Wikert calls “print under glass”) to a text-type document. I like the latter better: you can enlarge it more easily, for one thing, and it is just more “eye-friendly” for me.

I thought, “Maybe it’s an error of the conversion process somehow.” I double-tapped to go back to print replica…and the spelling error wasn’t there! The capitalization was right.

That suggests to me not that software is failing when it is trying to convert from one format to another. That wouldn’t introduce a spelling error, or turn a big “R” into a small “r”, since they don’t look very much alike.

No, my guess here is that a person actually retypes it…somewhat like the closed captioning you can get with video.

That’s fascinating!

At least, I thought it was…my SO was less intrigued. 😉 I said, “My readers will be interested.” My SO replied, “I’m glad you have your readers.” 😉 I’m glad I have you, too. 🙂

That might explain why it wouldn’t get proofread, by the way. Remember that TV Guide is a weekly, already under a tremendous deadline (especially with how quickly things change in that business). The text-typing probably happens right towards the very end, because the articles have to have been written and approved first. There might not be much if any time for a proofreader to review that version (and there could even be labor issues with adding an additional task like that).

Decalgirl 25% through July 9th (with code at their website)

Some people really like dressing up their Kindles by adding skins, or even customized cases.

You can do that at

DecalGirl

and through July 9th, take an extra 25% off by using the code

fireworks

at checkout.

I’m always thinking about gifts for people. I like to spread the buying out over the year. I think that might be in part because, when I was a retailer (I managed a bookstore and a game store), the time when I had the least free time was when everybody else was shopping. 🙂 At one point, I figured out I was spending something like 140 hours a week in the store in the last couple of weeks. That might sound impossible, but it’s not if you leave at 1:00 in the morning and you are back at 7:00 AM or so…and you work seven days a week. 🙂

Amazon’s Cloud Drive Photos app

I don’t often use the Photos tab on my Kindle Fire. I do have some photos that I show people, but I have them under Documents (so I can make them into Favorites, for one…you’d be surprised how often I want to show people the picture of one of our dogs with a mohawk hairdo).

When I went there recently, though, I saw this:

When I “got started”, I had it e-mail me a link to use on my Windows PC, and send a text message to my phone…interestingly, it knew both of those (my cellphone number and my e-mail address).

The PC worked fine, and did something much nicer than I expected.

The e-mail took me here:

PC Cloud Photo app

After I installed it, I had a folder on my computer. When I put photos in there, I could easily view them on my Kindle Fire, while connected to the internet…without downloading them.

Nice!

I don’t think it’s new, but they are promoting it…it works so much better than just putting thing in your Amazon Cloud used to work.

I looked to me like I could also do videos and documents, so I tested that.

On my Docs tab on my Fire, I now have two folders, both of which are on my Cloud Drive. When I put an Excel spreadsheet into the Documents folder on my computer, it was available to me on my Fire. I tried editing it, but didn’t see the update…but I’ll admit, I did that quickly, and might not have saved the changes properly.

You can also do this with video, but I haven’t tried that yet.

Is this Amazon doing Dropbox?  Sort of…and if this is working smoothly and they start promoting it, it could be a big deal.

I have to say, though, there had been a bunch of complaints recently in the Kindle forums about people not being able to open photos and videos on their Fires. A wise person speculated that a change in the Cloud app (and there had to have been something, since we saw the promotion under Photos) might have had an impact on some people. I hadn’t had a problem, though.

Oh, one other thing…when I tried to install the mobile version of the app, it didn’t work. My phone went to Google Play…which then said it wouldn’t work with my phone (although I have gotten things there before). My phone is a bit older now (a Samsung Captivate) and maybe that’s why. I’ll play around with that a bit more.

Amazon gets a patent for customized supplemental content for e-books

I say at the start of these Round-ups that some of these stories may be expanded later…and this is one of them.

I wanted to share the basics with you in this Round-up, though.

Amazon has patented a way to put supplemental content into e-books, based on a number of factors.

Patent

That doesn’t mean advertising (there are already patents for that). It might mean, for example, a map or commentary.

You would see the content based perhaps on somebody you have established as a person you want to see…it could be your Facebook friends, perhaps, or someone you follow.

I think this could be a big hit! You might follow a company that does maps for fiction stories…if you do, you get their maps in the book (as a supplement). The supplements could be video or audio. I could certainly see people following a sibling I have who is a professor, and really good at explaining things. They could be reading a non-fiction book (maybe even a textbook) and have the ability to have my sibling explain a section.

I believe that this would all be managed through Amazon…which could make people really, really loyal to Amazon. Then, they become Prime members…and buy those “diapers and windshield wipers”, where I think the profit is.

Whoops! This went on longer than I thought…but I might still expand on it. 🙂

What do you think? Were you aware of Amazon’s Cloud Drive app for your computer? Are you using the app on a SmartPhone? Would you want supplemental (optional) content for books? If so, would it be fiction, non-fiction, or both? Do you find that there are things you can talk about with other people online that just don’t interest the people you know IRL (In Real Life…although is the flesh and blood really more real than neurons and pixels?). 😉 Feel free to let me and my readers know what you think by commenting on this post.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Independents’ Day 2013

Independents’ Day 2013

Let’s start a new ILMK tradition!

July 4th is now “Independents’ Day” (in addition to being “Independence Day”, of course). 😉 We’ll take this day each year to celebrate independent publishing.

First, we need to talk a little bit about what we mean by independent publishing…independent from what?

In the pre-Kindle era, the vast majority of books sold in America (and around the world) were made of paper. There was a considerable investment in printing a book, and in getting it to bookstores around the country. Those books had to be warehoused. If they didn’t sell, publishers generally bought them back.

The cost of having a book in your store (I’m a former brick and mortar bookstore manager) was high, due largely to the rent you paid for the space it occupied. You also had costs in terms of shoplifting (the average person would probably be surprised at how big a problem that is) and damage. A bookstore had to choose carefully which books would be in the store.

One way stores did that was to rely on publishers’ representatives. They would tell us which books were expected to sell well. After all, they knew ahead of time who was going to have a national tour, who would be booked on Oprah, who was going to be on local radio (the biggest driver of sales, when I was managing), who was going to get an ad in the newspaper…they had the inside scoop.

In those circumstances, it was very hard to do well with a book not published by a traditional publisher (tradpub). There was that big upfront cost of printing the book, and how would you convince the bookstore owner that the book would sell? I’ve written before about how someone would walk in with a book they paid to have printed, and want me to sell it…and only pay them if it sold. They didn’t understand the cost of having the book just sitting on the shelf. I would usually say to them, “If I want a hundred of these in three days, can you do it?” The answer, of course, was almost always know…a tradpub could do that. P-books (paperbooks) had short selling windows…when the demand was high (because of one of those media appearances, for example), you need the books then…not a week from then.

When the Kindle revolutionized the e-book market, it eliminated a lot of that. You didn’t have all of those expenses…printing, storing, buy backs. Those investments are why tradpubs had to be choosy…there are costs involved when a book doesn’t sell.

I’m going to define an independent publisher as on author that decides on their own that their book should be published. There isn’t a gatekeeper that makes that decision.

Now, there is a large variety of choices between Random House and Kris Garage Author. There are many small publishers…but I’m going to say that if you have to submit the book to them and they can say “no”, it’s not independently published.

That won’t match everybody’s definition, of course. 🙂

I also want to mention the term “self-publishing” here. That has become a pejorative for some reason. I’m going to consider a book independently published, even if someone else does the cover, the copy-editing, the proofreading, and so on. For me, it’s a really a case of who made the decision to do the book.

Okay, I’ve said all that…but I know it isn’t going to be easy for me to tell. 😉 If an author publishes a book, and tells Amazon it was published by “Worldwide Book Conglomerate”, I may not be able to tell if the author or the publisher made the choice.

If it’s a publisher I recognize, I’ll consider it non-indie (indie is short for “independent”). If there is no publisher listed, I’ll consider an indie.

I started out to look at how many indies there were in the Amazon top 100 for each year, starting with 2006, but honestly, it’s a bit hard to tell. In 2006 (before the Kindle), there appeared to be zero. 🙂 Looking at Kindle books after that, we start seeing a couple in 2008. Let’s jump up and look at the top 25 so far this year:

Amazon Best Sellers (Kindle eBooks) of 2013 (So Far)

#5. Hopeless
by Colleen Hoover
4.6 stars (out of 5) with 5,730 reviews at time of writing

A ninety-nine cent romance…if you’d told publishers in 2006 that would be a top-seller at Amazon, they would have laughed at you. Colleen Hoover first published a book in January of 2012…this is the fifth by this author. If Hoover had been with a tradpub, there might have been two by this time.

#7. Wait For Me
Elizabeth Naughton
4.3: 2,405 reviews
$2.99

Another romance. The earliest book I see listed is 2010…and Naughton has twenty-two books listed!

#10. Damaged
by H. M. Ward
4.2: 1,425 reviews

$0.99

Romance…34(!) books, starting in 2011.

#23. Falling Into You
by Jasinda Wilder
4.4: 1,478 reviews
$0.99

Romance…31 books, starting in 2012.

#24. Fallen Too Far
Abbi Glines
4.5: 1,958 reviews
$0.99

Romance (are we sensing a trend here?) 😉 13 books (slacker) 😉 starting in 2012.

#25. Surrender Your Love
by J.C. Reed
4.2: 717 reviews
$0.99

Romance…2 books, starting this year.

Looking at it overall, 24% of the top 25 sellers in Kindle e-books are indies…again, that would have been unheard of before 2007. All of those are romances, and the authors are averaging more (a lot more) than a book a year. They would likely have been restricted to that book a year pace with a tradpub (although not necessarily in this genre).

I’m an indie myself, although currently, my writing is much more connected to this blog. I am working on a few books, but they may take a while. 🙂

Today, though, we can definitely celebrate independents! They are sharing their books with the world, because they think they should, not because someone else thinks they will sell. They can write what they want, even though that doesn’t necessarily mean people will buy it. Selling it isn’t always the point. However, there are clearly some people making good money as independents.

Let’s do one poll here:

What do you think? Do you read indies more than you used to read them? Does that impact your buying decisions…if you knew a book was independently published, does that make you more or less likely to buy it? Why? Feel free to let me and my readers know what you think by commenting on this post.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

New this week #1

New this week #1

Here’s something I’ve never done before. 🙂

I’m always looking for new and fun ways to discover books. It’s not that I don’t have enough choices: it’s that there are too many. With more than two million titles in the USA Kindle store, I need some way to focus on smaller sets of titles. Your brain doesn’t like to be confronted with thousands of choices…it’s too hard.

I can remember getting that feeling in record stores…there was a big Tower Records in San Francisco, with certainly thousands of used vinyl records. They weren’t organized very well, as I recall…I’d spend a lot of time just gently flipping things forward to see the covers.

After a while, I would just want to get out of there. I’m sure some of you know that feeling.

Oddly, that never happened in bookstores 😉 but it does happen at Amazon. I find it when I start looking for a book to borrow from the KOLL (Kindle Owners’ Lending Library), for example. Again, it doesn’t seem all that well organized, and after I’ve flipped through five hundred books or so, I start getting tired. 🙂

There are a lot of ways to create a subset to review. In today’s post, I’m going to do it chronologically. I’m going to look at books released this month, but just focus on ones released this week. Books from traditional publishers (tradpubs) are usually released on Tuesday, but I’ll consider anything July 1st to July 7th.

Then, I’ll just list some that caught my eye. 🙂

This should mean that these are new to you, at least as e-books, and I”m hoping that’s attractive. Think of it like a “New Releases” table at the front of a brick and mortar bookstore.

As usual, I won’t knowingly link to books which block text-to-speech access*.

Unseen
by Karin Slaughter

Slaughter is a popular (very popular) thriller writer, and this is the latest in the Georgia series.

Rendezvous with Destiny: How Franklin D. Roosevelt and Five Extraordinary Men Took America into the War and into the World
by Michael Fullilove

Sounds like interesting non-fiction…

The Bat: The First Inspector Harry Hole Novel (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard Original)
by Jo Nesbø

This one was first published in 1997, and has led to ten (so far) Harry Hole novels. I believe it is new to (legal) e-book.

Tempted by Her Boss (The Renaldis)
by Karen Erickson

A romance published by Samhain…those can be explicit.

Affliction (ANITA BLAKE, VAMPIRE HUNTER)
by Laurell K. Hamilton

The Ageless Generation: How Advances in Biomedicine Will Transform the Global Economy
by Alex Zhavoronkov

I work in health care…and the way things are going, everybody will in thirty years. 😉

A Vow for Always: Part 6 (The Discovery – A Lancaster County Saga)
by Wanda E. Brunstetter

It’s an Amish romance…with 4.9 out of 5 stars and 15 reviews.

The Lemon Orchard
by Luanne Rice

Really interesting mainstream reviews on this one…an perfect 5-star reviews so far (although there are only four…but it was just released).

The Wicked (A Novella of the Elder Races)
by Thea Harrison

Also from Samhain…

The Enraged (A Jonathan Quinn Novel)
by Brett Battles

Clever line in the description: “Sometimes revenge is best served now.”

Ring In the Dead: A J. P. Beaumont Novella
by J. A. Jance

Jance is a popular mystery/suspense author.

Lick: Stage Dive 1
by Kylie Scott

Looks like it’s a rock romance…

Beyond Judgment (Brainrush 3)
by Richard Bard

From Amazon’s own mystery/suspense imprint.

The King: The Bowers Files
by Steven James

I like the blurbs and the cover on this thriller.

My Education
by Susan Choi

Choi has been nominated for a Pulitzer for fiction in the past…

Storm Surge: Destroyermen
by Taylor Anderson

World War II alternate history…

Enthralled
by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook, Lucy Monroe

A four-story anthology of “paranormal desire” from New York Times bestselling authors (at least three out of the four are)

I Stooged to Conquer: The Autobiography of the Leader of the Three Stooges
by Moe Howard

Big, big Stooges fan! This is apparently Moe Howard and the Three Stooges, which I would say is one of the best inside Stooge books…and there are many. 🙂

Monster
by Steve Jackson

True crime from Pinnacle…and expect it to be unnerving.

A Survival Guide for Life: How to Achieve Your Goals, Thrive in Adversity, and Grow in Character
by Bear Grylls

The survival expert talks about how to live your life…your office isn’t that different from the Alaskan wilds, right? 😉

An American in the Basement: The Betrayal of Captain Scott Speicher and the Cover-up of His Death
by Amy Waters Yarsinske

This one might stir up some controversy…

Well, that makes a nice little table. 🙂

Enjoy!

Oh, and do let me know if you found this interesting. I wouldn’t expect to do it every week, but I could return to new releases from time to time if people are interested.

* A Kindle with text-to-speech can read any text downloaded to it…unless that access is blocked by the publisher inserting code into the file to prevent it. That’s why you can have the device read personal documents to you (I’ve done that). I believe that this sort of access blocking disproportionately disadvantages the disabled, although I also believe it is legal (provided that there is at least one accessible version of each e-book available, however, that one can require a certification of disability). For that reason, I don’t deliberately link to books which block TTS access here (although it may happen accidentally, particularly if the access is blocked after I’ve linked it). I do believe this is a personal decision, and there  are legitimate arguments for purchasing those books. In this particular post, I have listed the titles out of a desire to be historically complete, but have not provided links

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Round up #183: Two million titles, automatic book updates

Round up #183: Two million titles, automatic book updates

The ILMK Round ups are short pieces which may or may not be expanded later.

Two new Manage Your Devices settings

You never know what you’ll find when you go to

http://www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle

Actually, that fact in and of itself seems a bit odd to me, although I know that not everybody is as interested in the options Amazon gives us as I am (and as I think many of my readers are). I’d like it if Amazon kept e-mailing me a change log, but I’m not going to hold my virtual breath. 😉

In this case, under Manager Your Devices, there are two you might like.

Automatic Book Update is something that a lot of people just assume happens. If the publisher uploads a new version of the book (under the same ASIN…Amazon Standard Identification Number), your version will switch to the new one without you doing anything. I’ve uploaded at least eight versions of one of my books, as I expanded things and corrected items. If you don’t turn this on, there are a couple of things that can happen.

Amazon reviews the update, when they are alerted by the publisher (and the publisher might be just an author…if you make your books available to the public, you are a publisher). From there, there are three possible responses

• Amazon might determine that it is a major revision, and send prior buyers an e-mail alerting them to the new version
• Amazon might determine that it is a minor revision. In that case, you can choose to update it from that MYK page…but nothing goes out telling you that’s the case. When you get to MYK, you can change the view to “Available for Update”. I just did that, and there were 27 there waiting for me
• Amazon determines that the update has “broken” the book in some way, and asks the publisher to fix it…they could even remove the book from sale

I think that, for most people, opting in to automatic updates should be fine. I’m probably not going to do it. I want to have what I chose to buy, and I’m willing to go in and do updates myself (although clearly, I haven’t been keeping up with that). I always remember that I bought a book on the Kindle 1, and the publisher updated it for the Kindle 2…wiping out some of the relevant information for my K1. I would not have done the update in that case…although I might have bought a second Kindle 2 book from the same publisher.

The other new option is Language Optimized Storefront. This is only for USA customers at this point, and you can only switch from English to Spanish (and back to English). This is nice to see as an option…there are a lot of Spanish speakers using the USA Kindle store, and this will make the store friendlier for them.

Bookstores are not all the same

I read a lot of new stories about bookstores (being a former brick and mortar bookstore manager, I’m interested). Every time there is one about a store closing, it somehow seems like the subtext is that e-books (or perhaps the internet) are killing all the bookstores, and humanity is doomed. 😉 However, I read stories about stores opening, stores closing, stores doing better, stores doing worse, and stores staying the same.

I think there are some stores that are  benefiting  from the recent changes in the market. Indies are being helped by the closing of Borders and the reduction of the number of Barnes & Noble stores. Used bookstores, I think, are going to see price inflation as die-hard p-book (paperbook) fans still want them…but there are fewer available.

The key to success is going to be the experience of shopping there. As I’ve said before, customers have to want to spend more in your store than they would online in order to support you. You aren’t going to compete on price or selection, so service (the third one of Amazon’s core principles) is your best bet.

Imagine two lemonade stands next to each other.

One of them has a glass of lemonade for ten cents. The owner just pours out the lemonade in the beginning of the day, and goes back inside (it’s hot out!). The cups are covered, so it won’t get dirty. You leave your dime in a jar, and take your cup.

The second stand has a smiling, friendly person. They don’t pour the lemonade until you ask for it. They ask you how much ice you want. They have a couple of choices of cup styles. They ask you how sweet you want it. They remember you from yesterday, and have the up made up just the way you want it when they see you.  That glass of lemonade is fifty cents.

Both of those businesses can make it. You might not think that the more expensive one would succeed…but that’s what Starbucks hypothetically does, versus your Duncan Donuts.

Still, I did want to share two of the “closing” stories with you.

Landmark Williams’ Book Store to close its doors after 104 years in San Pedro

That’s an article from the Daily Breeze by Donna Littlejohn.

That bookstore has been open for over a hundred years, and opened just a couple of decades after the town was established.

However, it has obviously had different ownership, and the town of San Pedro has certainly changed. I’m sorry to hear about it closing, and I would consider it for landmark status, if I was the town. I’m just saying that if the internet didn’t exist, that wouldn’t automatically mean that the store would be in the same health it was fifty years ago.

This next story really is of the “The shelves are falling!” type of Chicken Littleism, in my opinion:

Barnes and Noble CityPlace: Bookstore shuts down after more than 12 years

The story starts out:

“It’s the worst of times for book lovers in central Palm Beach County, as the area’s only physical bookstore, Barnes and Noble at CityPlace, has closed for good.”

I assume they are going the a literary allusion to A Tale of Two Cities, but really, this is far from the worst of times. 🙂 Those same people now have access to millions of books online, and tens of thousands of them for free. It’s much more convenient and less expensive. If they want p-books, they can order them online and have them delivered. Is it sad that the Barnes & Noble closed? Sure, it’s great to browse a bookstore…but the worst of times? I wouldn’t say so…

USA Kindle store breaks two million titles

Speaking of all those books online, the USA Kindle store has 2,000,474 titles in it right now (e-book titles)! I told you it would likely happen this week, and here it is.

Millions of books…I feel like Scrooge McDuck in the money room. 😉 No, I don’t own all those books, but they are available to me, and you can usually either get a free sample of the whole book for free. Scrooge didn’t need to touch every single coin and bill to have the joy of diving in there. 😉

Second District overturns Judge Chin’s certification of the authors as a class in Google suit

Can we please just have Judge Cote preside over all publishing cases? 😉

This Google thing has gone on and on. Now, an appeals court has said that Google’s Fair Use defense should have been considered before the authors could join together in a class, which is a considerable blow to the authors’ side

New York Times article by Julie Bosman

Instead of one suit with one set of lawyers, this could mean thousands of lawsuits. Who gets favored in that case? The giant corporation (Google) or the individual authors? Yes, the Authors Guild could represent each one, but talk about fighting the hydra!

This is going to make this settlement drag out longer…

What do you think? Should a 100 year-old bookstore be considered a landmark and preserved? Are you sad if any bookstore closes, regardless? Will you use the Spanish storefront? Should we have a party for two million titles, as my reader Zebras suggested? 😉 Feel free to tell me and my readers what you think by commenting on this post.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Snapshot: July 1 2013

Snapshot: July 1 2013

I generally run this information through eReaderIQ.com (it’s just easier than Amazon), and there are some vagaries in the searches (both there and on Amazon). I do try to run it the same way every time, so unless Amazon changes something, it should give you a pretty good idea.  NOTE: I’ve changed this explanation from saying “Jungle-Search.com” to “eReaderIQ.com”. It’s the same people and I assume the results are the same. eReaderIQ is just for the Kindle, Jungle-Search does Amazon generally. eReaderIQ has a slightly better interface for the searches.

Titles in Kindle Store

Titles in Kindle Store

July 1, 2013: 1,998,705
June 1, 2013: 1,972,277
May 1, 2013: 1,940,274
April 1, 2013: 1,924,138
March 1, 2013: 1,913,164
February 1, 2013: 1,849,479
January 1, 2013: 1,805,001
December 1, 2012: 1,742,991
November 1, 2012: 1,641,362
October 1, 2012: 1,579,329
September 1, 2012: 1,531,069
August 1, 2012: 1,486,649
July 1, 2012: 1,451,504
June 1, 2012: 1,407,210
May 1, 2012: 1,358,922
April 1, 2012: 1,315,927
March 1, 2012: 1,265,632
February 1, 2012: 1,207,522
January 1, 2012: 1,165,654
December 1, 2011: 1,112,876
November 1, 2011: 1,058,635
October 1, 2011: 1,033,611
September 1, 2011: 995,265 (roughly 40,000 removed one day: PLR?)
August 1, 2011: 1,015,056
July 1, 2011: 980,434
June 1, 2011: 974,841
May 1, 2011: 937,831
April 1, 2011: 897,663
March 1, 2011: 868,351
February 1, 2011: 828,708
January 1, 2011: 796,131
December 1, 2010: 768,865
November 1, 2010: 743,692
October 1, 2010: 714, 663
September 1, 2010: 687,246
August 1, 2010: 659,479
July 1 2010: 627,343
June 1 2010: 596,300
May 1 2010: 509,229
April 1 2010: 476,653
March 1 2010: 450,625
February 1 2010: 415,100
January 1 2010: 401,773
December 1 2009: 385,484
November 1 2009: 368,813
October 1 2009: 342,865
September 21 2009: 355,805
July 28 2009: 332,813
May 16 2009: 284,491

Approximate average of titles added per day:

July 1, 2013: 881
June 1, 2013: 1,032
May 1, 2013: 538
April 1, 2013: 354
March 1, 2013: 2,274
February 1, 2013: 1,435
January 1, 2013: 2,000
December 1, 2012: 3,388
November 1, 2012: 2,001
October 1, 2012: 1,609
September 1, 2012: 1,433
August 1, 2012: 1,134
July 1, 2012: 1,476
June 1, 2012: 1,558
May 1, 2012: 1,433
April 1, 2012: 1,622
March 1, 2012: 2,004
February 1, 2012: 1,351
January 1, 2012: 1,703
December 1, 2011: 1,808
November 1, 2011: 807
October 1, 2011: 1,278
September 1, 2011: -638
August 1, 2011: 1,117
July 1, 2011: 186
June 1, 2011: 1,194
May 1, 2011: 1,339
April 1, 2011: 946
March 1, 2011: 1,416 (corrected from last post)
February 1, 2011: 1,051
Taken January 1, 2011: 880 (average for December 2010)
December: 839
November:  968
October: 914
September: 896
August: 1,037
July: 1,035
May: 2,809 (may be affected by Penguin return)
April: 1,086
March: 840
February: 1,146
January: 430 (may be impacted by Macmillan removal)
December 2009: 525
November: 556
October: 837

Magazines:

July 1, 2013: 628
June 1, 2013: 626
May 1, 2013: 620
April 1, 2013: 609
March 1, 2013: 605
February 1, 2013: 601
January 1, 2013: 586
December 1, 2012: 573
November 1, 2012: 567
October 1, 2012: 558
September 1, 2012: 547
August 1, 2012: 510
July 1, 2012: 497
June 1, 2012: 476
May 1, 2012: 469
April 1, 2012: 453
March 1, 2012: 430
February 1, 2012: 409
January 1, 2012: 370
December 1, 2011: 340
November 1, 2011: 132
October 1, 2011: 129
September 1, 2011: 127
August 1, 2011: 119
July 1, 2011: 115
June 1, 2011: 110
May 1, 2011: 93
April 1, 2011: 86
March 1, 2011: 81
February 1, 2011:  80
January 1, 2011: 74
December 1, 2010:  83
November 1, 2010: 84
October 1, 2010: 80
September 1. 2010: 70
August 1, 2010: 64
July 1, 2010: 61
June 1, 2010: 60
May 1, 2010: 58
April 1, 2010: 53
March 1, 2010: 50
February 1, 2010: 46
January 1, 2010: 43
December 1, 2009: 40
November 1, 2009: 38

Newspapers:

July 1, 2013: 179
June 1, 2013: 180
May 1, 2013: 185
April 1, 2013: 181
March 1, 2013: 198
February 1, 2013: 201
January 1, 2013: 200
December 1, 2012: 198
November 1, 2012: 202
October 1, 2012: 200
September 1, 2012: 201
August 1, 2012: 204
July 1, 2012: 201
June 1, 2012: 199
May 1, 2012: 195
April 1, 2012: 194
March 1, 2012: 193
February 1, 2012: 190
January 1, 2012: 188
December 1, 2011: 211
November 1, 2011: 191
October 1, 2011: 184
September 1, 2011: 177
August 1, 2011: 176
July 1, 2011: 176
June 1, 2011: 169
May 1, 2011: 167
April 1, 2011: 164
March 1, 2011: 161
February 1, 2011:  156
January 1, 2011: 153
December 1, 2010: 148
November 1, 2010: 145
October 1, 2010: 144
September 1, 2010: 138
August 1, 2010: 135
July 1, 2010: 136
June 1, 2010: 133
May 1, 2010: 128
April 1, 2010: 118
March 1, 2010: 107
February 1, 2010: 93
January 1, 2010: 89
December 1, 2009: 76
November 1, 2009: 58

Blogs:

July 1, 2013: 14,432
June 1, 2013: 14,157
May 1, 2013: 14,552
April 1, 2013: 14,234
March 1, 2013: 13,870
February 1, 2013: 13,461
January 1, 2013: 13,110
December 1, 2012: 13,559
November 1, 2012: 13,178
October 1, 2012: 12,908
September 1, 2012: 12,417
August 1, 2012: 12,087
July 1, 2012: 12,759
June 1, 2012: 12,680
May 1, 2012: 12,914
April 1, 2012: 13,295
March 1, 2012: 13,038
February 1, 2012: 13,984
January 1, 2012: 13,571
December 1, 2011: 13,178
November 1, 2011: 14,286
October 1, 2011: 15,116
September 1, 2011: 14,801
August 1, 2011: 14,477
July 1, 2011: 14,053
June 1, 2011: 13,616
May 1, 2011: 12,901
April 1, 2011: 12,502
March 1, 2011: 12,080
February 1, 2011: 11,355
January 1, 2011: 11,087
December 1, 2010: 10,585
November 1, 2010: 10,255
October 1, 2010: 10,056
September 1, 2010: 10,036
August 1, 2010: 9,716
July 1, 2010: 9,429
June 1, 2010: 9,228
May 1, 2010: 9,094
April 1, 2010: 8,944
March 1, 2010: 8,754
February 1, 2010: 8,651
January 1, 2010: 7992
December 1, 2009: 7589
November 1, 2009: 7365

Percentage of books priced from one penny to $50 that are under ten dollars

June (taken July 1, 2013): 87.7% (1,627,666 of 1,855,614)
May (taken June 1, 2013): 87.8% (1,605,912 of 1,828,577)
April (taken May 1, 2013): 87.8% (1,582,685 of 1,801,844)
March (taken April 1, 2013): 88.1% (1,573,845 of 1,785,986)
February (taken March 1, 2013): 88.4% (1,564,429 of 1,770,452)
January (taken February 1, 2013): 89.6% (1,534,604 of 1,713,256)
December (taken January 1, 2013): 89.9% (1,502,267 of 1,671,220)
November (taken December 1): 89.8% (1,451,437 of 1,615,716)
October (taken November 1): 90.0% (1,371,227 of 1,522,810)
September (taken October 1): 90.1% (1,322,272 of 1,466,890)
August (taken September 1): 90.0% (1,278,733 of 1,421,168)
July (taken August 1): 89.9% (1,240,642 of 1,379,399)
June (taken (July 1): 89.7% (1,204,888 of 1,343,776)
May (taken June 1): 89.8% (1,1174,668 of 1,308,331)
April (taken May 1): 89.9% (1,113,793 of 1,261,606)
March (taken April 1): 89.6% (1,089,619 of 1,215,625)
February (taken March 1): 89.7% (1,044,889 of 1,165,368)
January (taken February 1): 89.4% (994,448 of 1,112,467)
December (taken January 1): 89.0% (955,187 of 1,073,539)
November (taken December 1): 88.8% (907,647 of 1,021,647)
October (taken November 1): 88.7% (859,492 of 968,948)
September (taken October 1): 88.6% (835,590 of 943,545)
August (taken September 1): 88.4% (803,271 of 908,602)
July (taken August 1): 89.1% (829,823 of 931,713)
June (taken July 1): 89.2% (801,631 of 898,735)
May (taken June 1): 89.4% (799,845 of 895,091)
April (taken May 1): 89.2% (769,798 of 862,970)
March (taken April 1): 88.9% (739,192 of 831,867)
February (taken March 1): 92.4% (752,043 of 814,009)
January (taken February 1): 88.9% (692,840 of 779,683)
December (taken January 1): 88.8% (663,315 of 746,963)
November (taken December 1): 88.8% (639,676 of 720,179)
October: (taken November 1): 88.8% (617,133 of 695,278)
September (taken October 1): 93.0% (589,877 of 634,375)
August: 88.2% (565,260 of 640,936)
July: 87.7% (522,046 of 595,370)
June: 87.1% (479,793 of 563,436)
May: 86.8% (462,359 of 532,646)
April: 84.8% (377,624 of 445,421)
March: 83.9% (413,302 of 346,665)
February: 84.2% (328,597 of 390,178)
January: 83.4% (295,634 of 354,499)
December: 83.1% (283,497 of 341,112)
November: 82.8% (268,366 of 324,230)
October: 82.2% (252,511 of 307,241)
September: 82.0% (239,666 of 292318)
August: 83.2% (245,524 of 295,210)

Percentage of books with a publication date of the previous month priced from one penny to $50 that are under ten dollars

Books for June: 93.6% (52,745 of 56,323)
Books for May: 92.3% (51,237 of 55,482)
Books for April: 93.3% (53,929 of 57,818)
Books for March: 94.5% (53,632 of 56,758)
Books for February: 94.0% (48,876 of 52,015)
Books for January: 93.8% (50,100 of 53,418)
Books for December: 95.7% (49,147 of 51,337)
Books for November:  93.3% (47,702 of 51,103)
Books for October: 93.5% (48,869 of 52,243)
Books for September: 95.0% (52,571 of 49,491)
Books for August: 94.9% (45,180 of 47,593)
Books for July: 95.2% (46,712 of 49,072)
Books for June: 90.8% (50,056 of 55,143)
Books for May: 93.8% (44,463 of 47,396)
Books for April: 96.6% (45,211 of 46,800)
Books for March: 95.6% (48,578 of 50,788)
Books for February: 97.1% (51,180 of 52,734)
Books for January 2012: 96.9% (49,134 of 50,703)
Books for December: 96.8% (46,619 or 48,151)
Books for November: 96.0% (41,067 of 42,678)
Books for October: 96.2% (37,305 of 38,792)
Books for September 96.1% (33,889 of 35,254)
Books for August: 95.8% (37,440 of 39,100)
Books for July: 96.7% (42,922 of 44,400)
Books for June: 96.4% (45,332 of 47,018)
Books for May: 96.9% (51,840 of 53,484)
Books for April: 96.2% (42,795 of 44,464)
Books for March: 96.1% (38,961 of 40,558)
Books for February: 94.7% (32,379 of 34,206)
Books for January: 95.9% (29,010 of 30,260)
Books for December, 2010: 95.2% (23,419 of 24,593)
Books for November: 96.4% (28,189 of 29.251)
Books for October: 94.6% (22,005 of 23,268)
Books for September: 94.7% (22,338 of 23,592)
Books for August: 95.6% (24,514 of 25,638)
Books for July: 95.3% (24,375 of 25,579)
Books for June: 94.9% (21,774 of 22,945)
Books for May: 94.9% (24,436 of 25,737)
Books for April: 95.9% (23,695 of 24,714)
Books for March: 96.0% (23,703 of 24,699)
Books for February: 96.5% (26,850 of 27,815)
Books for January: 93.3% (11,857 of 12,704)
Books for December: 90.6% (8,948 of 9,879)
Books for November: 94.1% (11,520 of 12,239)
Books for October: 91.2% (6,789 of 7,445)
Books for September: 91.0% (5,104 of 5,608)
Books for August: 96.4% (20,239 of 21,079)

Books in the Seventy Percent Royalty Range ($2.99 – $9.99)

July 1, 2013: 64.5% (1,288,838 of 1,998,705)
June 1, 2013: 65.0% (1,282,211 of  1,972,277)
May 1, 2013: 65.0% (1,261,991 of 1,940,274)
April 1, 2013: 65.7% (1,264,685 of 1,924,138)
March 1, 2013: 66.2% (1,265,680 of 1,913,164)
February 1, 2013: 67.4% (1,247,401 of 1,849,479)
January 1, 2013: 67.8% (1,224,368 of 1,805,001)
December 1, 2012: 67.9% (1,183,346 of 1,742,991)
November 1, 2012: 64.7% (1,061,871 of 1,641,362)
October 1, 2012: 61.4% (969,791 of 1,579,329)
September 1, 2012: 60.4% (924,771 of 1,531,069)
August 1, 2012: 59.4% (883,612 of 1,486,649)
July 1: 61.3% (890,148 of 1,451,504)
June 1:  62.1% (874,145 of 1,407,210)
May 1: 62.6% (850,030 of  1,358,922)
April 1: 66.8% (812,423 of 1,215,625)
March 1: 61.1% (773,783 of 1,265,632)
February 1: 60.5% (731,051 of 1,207,522)
January 1, 2012: 61.6% (718,191 of 1,165,654)
December 1: 62.5% (694,766 of 1,112,876)
November 1: 61.8% (653,971 of 1,058,635)
October 1: 64.6% (667,521 of 1,033,611)
September 1: 65.8% (654,521 of 995,265)
August 1: 66.8% (677,646 of 1,015,056)
July 1: 63.5% (622,648 of 980,434)
June 1: 65.8% (641,867 of 974,841)
May 1: 67.4% (631,871 of 937,831)
April 1: 67.5% (606,223 of 897,663)
March 1: 68.2% (592,077 of 868,351)
February 1: 67.7% (561,035 of 828,708)
January 1: 66.8% (532,092 of 796,131)
December 1, 2010: 66.9% (514,086 of 768,865)
November 1: 66.7% (493,644 of 743,692)
October 1: 68.2% (487,833 of 714,863)
September 1:  66% (453,408 of 687,246)
August 1: 58% (382,691 of 659,479)
July 1: 57.3% (359,361 of 627,343)
June 1: 57.1% (340,379 of 596,300)
May 1: 51.4% (261,869 of 509,229)
April 1: 51.1% (243,718 of 476,653)
March 1: 52.5% (236,418 of 450,625)
February 1: 50.8% (210,978 of 415,100)

Books from one penny to $2.98

July 1, 2013: 17.3% (346,301 of 1,998,705)
June 1, 2013: 16.8% (330,723 of 1,972,277)
May 1, 2013: 16.9% (326,947 of 1,940,274)
April 1, 2013: 16.4% (315,280 of 1,924,138)
March 1, 2013: 15.9% (304,800 of 1,913,164)
February 1, 2013: 15.8% (293,041 of 1,849,479)
January 1, 2013: 15.7% (283,545 of 1,805,001)
December 1, 2012: 15.5% (270,520 of 1,742,991)
November 1, 2012: 19.2% (315,137 of 1,641,362)
October 1, 2012: 22.7% (358,015 of 1,579,329)
September 1, 2012: 23.5% (359,257 of 1,531,069)
August 1, 2012: 24.3% (361,675 of 1,486,649)
July 1: 22.0% (319,951 of 1,451,504)
June 1:  21.7% (305,794 of 1,407,210)
May 1: 21.3% (288,796 of  1,368,922)
April 1: 23.2% (282,254 of 1,215,625)
March 1: 21.8% (275,556 of 1,265,632)
February 1: 22.2% (268,203 of 1,207,522)
January 1, 2012: 20.7% (241,553 of 1,165,654)
December 1: 19.5% (217,026 of 1,112,876)
November 1: 19.8% (209,435 of 1,058,635)
October 1: 16.7% (172,745 of 1,033,611)
September 1: 15.5% (153,891 of 995,265)
August 1: 15.6% (158,010 of 1,015,056)
July 1: 18.9% (185,041 of 980,434)
June 1: 17.0% (165,687 of 974,841)
May 1: 15.6% (146,540 of 937,831)
April 1: 16.2% (145,638 of 897,863)
March 1: 16.9% (147,076 of 868,351)
February 1: 18.1% (149,809 of 828,708)
January 1: 18.7% (148,681 of 796,131)
December 1, 2010: 18.5%  (142,549 of 768,865)
November 1: 18.4% (136,964 of 743,692)
October 1: 17.9% (127,830 of 714,863)
September 1: 18.5% (127,165 of 687,246)
August 1: 21.1% (139,277 of 659,479)
July 1: 21% (131,432 of 627,343)
June 1: 20.5% (121,981 of 596,300)
May 1: 22.7% (115,756 of 509,229)
April 1: 21.6% (102,948 of 476,653)
March 1: 20.5% (92,180 of 450,625)
February 1: 20.4% (84,721 of 415,100)

Price Point Analysis of New York Times Hardback Fiction Equivalents

July 1, 2013:

7.99 12.99 11.04 12.99 12.99 11.04 11.04 7.99 11.04 11.04

12.99 12.99 7.99 7.49 11.04 14.99 7.49 12.99 10.99 12.74

Average: $11.09

June 1, 2013:

12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 8.99 12.99 13.99 12.99 12.99 9.00

14.99 12.99 9.99 9.99 10.99 14.99 10.99 12.80 9.68 12.99

Average: $12.12

May 1, 2013:

12.99 10.99 12.74 12.99 7.99 12.99 10.99 12.99 12.99 12.99
12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 10.99 10.99 12.99 7.49 14.99 12.59

Average: $12.23

April 1, 2013:

12.74 12.99 11.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 9.45
11.99 14.99 14.99 9.68 12.99 12.99 12.99 9.78 11.04 10.67

Average: $12.36

March 1, 2013:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 N/A 10.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 12.99
12.74 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99

Average: $12.92

February 1, 2013:

N/A 12.99 12.74 12.99 9.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 11.04 12.99

9.99 8.00 12.99 11.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 13.59

Average: $12.38

January 1, 2013:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 11.04 11.04 12.74 11.43 12.74 12.99

11.99 9.99 12.99 7.50 12.99 8.00 19.99 13.49 13.99 14.99

Average: 12.49

December 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 11.99

12.99 12.99 19.99 9.50 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $13.22

November 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 19.99 12.99 9.50 12.99

11.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 12.99 13.99 14.99 12.80 11.99 12.99

Average: $13.26

October 1, 2012:

19.99 12.99 12.99 9.50 12.99 12.99 9.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 11.99 9.45 12.99 11.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $12.84

September 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 12.99 12.99 9.99 14.99 12.99 14.99 1.99

Average: $12.49

August 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $13.04

July 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 14.99 12.99 12.99

Average: 13.29

June 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99

12.99 9.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 11.99 12.99 14.99

Average: $12.94

May 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 11.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $13.04

April 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

14.99* 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 11.9912.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $13.14

March 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99* 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

9.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

$13.04

February 1, 2012:

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99* 12.99 9.99 12.99 12.99

12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 12.99 14.99 12.99 12.99 12.99

Average: $13.04

* There was also an enhanced audio/visual version of this book for $16.99. I chose to enter it here only in the standard version, since that most closely represents the comparison between paper and e-book versions. It isn’t necessary to pay $16.99: it’s an additional payment for more features

January 1, 2012

Average: $13.14

December 1, 2011

Average: $12.40

November 1, 2011:

Average: $12.45

October 1, 2011:

Avg: $13.09

September 1, 2011:

Avg: 12.99

August 1, 2011:

Avg $13.29

July 1, 2011

Avg $13.09

June 1, 2011

Avg: $12.81

May 1, 2011

Average: $12.84

April 1, 2011

Average: $12.69

March 1, 2011

Average: $12.83

February 1, 2011

Average: $12.25
Agency Model average: $12.86
Non-Agency Model average: $9.99

January 1, 2011

Average: $12.52

Agency Model: $12.99

Non-Agency: $9.99

December 1, 2010:

Average: $12.78
Agency Model average: $13.52
Non-Agency Model average: $9.99

November 1, 2010:

Average: $12.83
Agency Model average: $13.59
Non-Agency Model average: $9.99

October 1, 2010:

Average: $12.38
Agency Model average: $12.79
Non-Agency Model average: $10.87

September 1, 2010:

Average: $12.52
Agency Model average $12.99
Non-Agency Model average $9.99

Textbooks in the Kindle Store

July 1, 2013: 29,070
June 1, 2013: 28,194
May 1, 2013: 27,110
April 1, 2013: 26,35
March 1, 2013: 26,100
February 1, 2013: 25,000
January 1, 2013: 23,256
December 1, 2012: 21,507
November 1, 2012: 19,796
October 1, 2012: 19,095
September 1, 2012: 18,369
August 1, 2012: 17,756
July 1, 2012: 24,629
June 1, 2012: 15,581
May 1, 2012: 14,868
April 1, 2012: 16,509
March 1, 2012: 15,434
February 1, 2012: 14,827
January 1, 2012: 13,828
December 1, 2011: 13,396
November 1, 2011: 13,131
October 1, 2011: 12,788
September 1, 2011: 11,966
August 1, 2011: 10,316
July 1, 2011: 9,852
June 1, 2011: 9,442
May 1, 2011: 9,193
April 1, 2011:  8,952
March 1, 2011: 8,633
February 1, 2011: 8,342
January 1, 2011: 7,926
December 1, 2010: 7,637
November 1, 2010: 7,355
October 1, 2010: 7, 162
September 1, 2010: 6,831
August 1, 2010: 6,661
July 1, 2010: 6,481
June 1, 2010: 6,249
May 1, 2010: 6,117
April 1, 2010: 5,973
March 1, 2010: 5,728
February 1, 2010: 5,673
January 1, 2010: 5,549
December 1, 2009: 4,892
November 1, 2009: 4,768
October 1, 2009: 4,633
September 24, 2009: 4,678
August 11, 2009: 4,381

Free books (including public domain)

July 1, 2013: 55,068
June 1, 2013: 55,811
May 1, 2013: 54,033
April 1, 2013: 55,670
March 1, 2013: 54,946
February 1, 2013: 54,567
January 1, 2013: 54,538
December 1, 2012: 50,869
November 1, 2012: 50,938
October 1, 2012: 50,982
September 1, 2012: 52,601
August 1, 2012: 51,680
July 1: 53,728
June 1: 50,470
May 1: 48,904
April 1: 49,826
March 1: 51,860
February 1: 48,207
January 1, 2012: 46,201
December 1: 43,757
November 1: 42,657
October 1, 2011: 42,710
September 1, 2011: 39,540
August 1, 2011: 38,936
July 1, 2011: 38,627
June 1, 2011: 37,415
May 1, 2011: 36,481
April 1, 2011: 33,469
March 1, 2011: 15,931
February 1, 2011: 15,947
January 1, 2011: 16,758
December 1, 2010: 16,708
November 1, 2010: 16,703
October 1, 2010: 16,702
September 1, 2010: 16,726
August 1, 2010: 20,634
July 1, 2010: 20,628
June 1, 2010: 20,590
May 1, 2010: 20,601
April 1, 2010: 20,619
March 1, 2010: 20,143
February 1, 2010: 19788
January 1, 2010: 19,802
December 1, 2009: 19,895
November 1, 2009: 18,547
October 1, 2009: 7,428
February 28, 2009: 7,401

Free books (without public domain)

July 1, 2013: 8,921
June 1, 2013: 9,582
May 1, 2013: 7,807
April 1, 2013: 7,761
March 1, 2013: 7,710
February 1, 2013: 7,404
January 1, 2013: 7,261
December 1, 2012: 7,089
November 1, 2012: 7,186
October 1, 2012: 7,259
September 1, 2012: 8,701
August 1, 2012: 7,829
July 1, 2012: 9,660
June 1, 2012: 6,715
May 1, 2012: 5,195
April 1, 2012: 5,622
March 1, 2012: 8,356
February 1, 2012: 6,109
January 1, 2012: 4,102
December 1, 2011: 2,007
November 1, 2011: 1,681
October 1, 2011: 1,449
September 1, 2011: 1,283
August 1, 2011: 1,046
July 1, 2011: 883
June 1, 2011: 707
May 1, 2011: 20,984
April 1, 2011: 17,832
March 1, 2011: 241
February 1, 2011: 240
January 1, 2011: 230
December 1, 2010: 183
November 1, 2010: 171
October 1, 2010: 161
September 1, 2010: 143
August 1, 2010: 621 (125 without Amazon Breakthrough nominees)
July 1, 2010: 599 (102 without Amazon Breakthrough nominees)
June 1, 2010: 559 (63 without Amazon Breakthrough nominees)
May 1, 2010: 556 (57 without Amazon Breakthrough nominees)
April 1, 2010: 560 (59 without Amazon Breakthrough nominees)
March 1, 2010: 67
February 1, 2010: 52
January 1, 2010: 53
December 1, 2009: 84
November 1, 2009: 64
October 1, 2009: 67

Spanish edition books*

July 1, 2013: 68,643
June 1, 2013: 66,070
May 1, 2013: 63,842
April 1, 2013: 61,264
March 1, 2013: 54,839
February 1, 2013: 52,638
January 1, 2013: 51,302
December 1, 2012: 48,905
November 1, 2012: 46,790
October 1, 2012: 44,232
September 1, 2012: 41,659
August 1, 2012: 40,214
July 1, 2012: 38,684
June 1, 2012: 36,891
May 1, 2012: 34,308
April 1, 2012: 32,157
March 1, 2012: 29,480
February 1, 2012: 22,834
January 1, 2012: 22,492
December 1, 2011: 19,928
November 1, 2011: 15,758
October 1, 2011: 16,874
September 1, 2011: 14,805
August 1, 2011: 11,383
July 1, 2011: 10,552
June 1, 2011: 9,917
May 1, 2011: 9,251
April 1, 2011: 8,362
March 1, 2011: 9,244
February 1, 2011: 8,608
January 1, 2011: 8.045
December 1, 2010: 5,839
November 1, 2010: 5,286
October 1, 2010: 4,982
September 1, 2010: 4,723
August 1, 2010: 4,623
July 1, 2010: 4,398
June 1, 2010: 4,078
May 1, 2010: 3,735
April 1, 2010: 3,383
March 1, 2010: 2,841
February 1, 2010: 2,548
January 1, 2010: 2,363
December 1, 2009: 3,483

Books in the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library (KOLL)

July 1, 2013: 369,622 (18.5%)
June 1, 2013: 352,649 (17.1%)
May 1, 2013: 336,351 (17.3%)
April 1, 2013: 319,676 (16.6%)
March 1, 2013: 302,080 (15.8%)
February 1, 2013: 283,641 (15.3%)
January 1, 2013: 264,444
December 1, 2012: 242,716
November 1, 2012: 235,957
October 1, 2012: 216,873
September 1, 2012: 198,009
August 1, 2012: 180,133
July 1, 2012: 168,440
June 1, 2012: 159,937
May 1, 2012: 146,182
April 1, 2012: 131,110
March 1, 2012: 117,652
February 1, 2012: 95,020
January 1, 2012: 69,850 (new measurement)

Price Point Analysis

April 1, 2010 was “Agency Day”, when the pricing system for some of the largest trade publishers in the US changed. I’ve started tracking price points, to see how that is affecting things. These are not ranges: it’s how many books are at a specific price point.

	4/1/2010
Total	476653
Prime	413032
Under $10	346665
	83.9%
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$ 0.99	43,993	9.17%	0.01%
$ 1.99	7,704	1.61%	0.00%
$ 2.99	14,560	3.03%	0.00%
$ 3.99	17,390	3.62%	-0.02%
$ 4.99	9,758	2.03%	-0.01%
$ 5.99	2,691	0.56%	0.00%
$ 6.99	1,800	0.38%	0.00%
$ 7.99	10,927	2.28%	-0.25%
$ 8.99	1,312	0.27%	0.00%
$ 9.99	51,857	10.80%	-0.26%
$ 10.99	191	0.04%	0.00%
$ 11.99	196	0.04%	0.00%
$ 12.99	308	0.06%	0.00%
$ 13.99	93	0.02%	0.00%
$ 14.99	806	0.17%	0.00%
$ 15.99	114	0.02%	0.00%
$ 16.99	67	0.01%	0.00%
$ 17.99	43	0.01%	0.00%
$ 18.99	21	0.00%	0.00%
$ 19.99	201	0.04%	0.00%
$ 20.99	11	0.00%	0.00%
$ 21.99	11	0.00%	0.00%
$ 22.99	21	0.00%	0.00%
$ 23.99	5	0.00%	0.00%
$ 24.99	50	0.01%	0.00%

—

4/1/2011
Total	897,663
Prime	831,867
Under $10	739192
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	71,036	7.91%	-0.84%
$    1.99	15,994	1.78%	0.06%
$    2.99	50,033	5.57%	0.30%
$    3.99	23,986	2.67%	0.24%
$    4.99	20,374	2.27%	0.48%
$    5.99	10,560	1.18%	0.16%
$    6.99	7,422	0.83%	0.07%
$    7.99	18,354	2.04%	0.20%
$    8.99	4,436	0.49%	-0.04%
$    9.99	96,211	10.72%	0.88%
$   10.99	766	0.09%	0.02%
$   11.99	1,383	0.15%	-0.01%
$   12.99	2,122	0.24%	0.01%
$   13.99	506	0.06%	0.00%
$   14.99	1,519	0.17%	-0.01%
$   15.99	172	0.02%	0.01%
$   16.99	225	0.03%	0.00%
$   17.99	403	0.04%	0.02%
$   18.99	199	0.02%	0.01%
$   19.99	568	0.06%	-0.01%
$   20.99	45	0.01%	0.00%
$   21.99	152	0.02%	0.00%
$   22.99	21	0.00%	0.00%
$   23.99	22	0.00%	0.00%
$   24.99	104	0.01%	-0.04%

—

5/1/2011
Total	937,831
Prime	862,970
Under $10	769,798
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	74,929	7.99%	0.08%
$        1.99	16,497	1.76%	-0.02%
$        2.99	56,878	6.06%	0.49%
$        3.99	22,937	2.45%	-0.23%
$        4.99	24,880	2.65%	0.38%
$        5.99	13,387	1.43%	0.25%
$        6.99	5,215	0.56%	-0.27%
$        7.99	18,992	2.03%	-0.02%
$        8.99	5,053	0.54%	0.04%
$        9.99	103,463	11.03%	0.31%
$      10.99	865	0.09%	0.01%
$      11.99	1,412	0.15%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,271	0.24%	0.01%
$      13.99	490	0.05%	0.00%
$      14.99	1,577	0.17%	0.00%
$      15.99	134	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	235	0.03%	0.00%
$      17.99	471	0.05%	0.01%
$      18.99	207	0.02%	0.00%
$      19.99	465	0.05%	-0.01%
$      20.99	29	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	172	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	34	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	79	0.01%	0.01%
$      24.99	110	0.01%	0.00%

—

6/1/2011
Total	974,841
Prime	895,091
Under $10	799,845
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	81,095	8.32%	0.33%
$        1.99	16,628	1.71%	-0.05%
$        2.99	54,630	5.60%	-0.46%
$        3.99	22,026	2.26%	-0.19%
$        4.99	18,976	1.95%	-0.71%
$        5.99	10,685	1.10%	-0.33%
$        6.99	7,039	0.72%	0.17%
$        7.99	15,841	1.62%	-0.40%
$        8.99	4,226	0.43%	-0.11%
$        9.99	90,005	9.23%	-1.80%
$      10.99	619	0.06%	-0.03%
$      11.99	1,481	0.15%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,112	0.22%	-0.03%
$      13.99	571	0.06%	0.01%
$      14.99	1,720	0.18%	0.01%
$      15.99	176	0.02%	0.00%
$      16.99	230	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	251	0.03%	-0.02%
$      18.99	178	0.02%	0.00%
$      19.99	468	0.05%	0.00%
$      20.99	25	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	200	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	29	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	59	0.01%	0.00%
$      24.99	121	0.01%	0.00%

—

July 1, 2011

7/1/2011
Total	980,434
Prime	898,735
Under $10	801,631
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	73,957	7.54%	-0.78%
$        1.99	18,207	1.86%	0.15%
$        2.99	34,414	3.51%	-2.09%
$        3.99	26,942	2.75%	0.49%
$        4.99	8,926	0.91%	-1.04%
$        5.99	5,117	0.52%	-0.57%
$        6.99	3,725	0.38%	-0.34%
$        7.99	14,537	1.48%	-0.14%
$        8.99	2,009	0.20%	-0.23%
$        9.99	79,377	8.10%	-1.14%
$      10.99	491	0.05%	-0.01%
$      11.99	1,574	0.16%	0.01%
$      12.99	1,863	0.19%	-0.03%
$      13.99	509	0.05%	-0.01%
$      14.99	1,555	0.16%	-0.02%
$      15.99	453	0.05%	0.03%
$      16.99	201	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	138	0.01%	-0.01%
$      18.99	118	0.01%	-0.01%
$      19.99	271	0.03%	-0.02%
$      20.99	18	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	186	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	32	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	111	0.01%	0.01%
$      24.99	125	0.01%	0.00%

—

August 1, 2011

8/1/2011
Total	1,015,056
Prime	931,713
Under $10	829,823
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	76,233	7.51%	-0.03%
$    1.99	17,083	1.68%	-0.17%
$    2.99	66,967	6.60%	3.09%
$    3.99	12,921	1.27%	-1.48%
$    4.99	27,893	2.75%	1.84%
$    5.99	12,894	1.27%	0.75%
$    6.99	2,715	0.27%	-0.11%
$    7.99	18,431	1.82%	0.33%
$    8.99	5,638	0.56%	0.35%
$    9.99	111,705	11.00%	2.91%
$   10.99	473	0.05%	0.00%
$   11.99	1,691	0.17%	0.01%
$   12.99	2,129	0.21%	0.02%
$   13.99	576	0.06%	0.00%
$   14.99	1,768	0.17%	0.02%
$   15.99	252	0.02%	-0.02%
$   16.99	230	0.02%	0.00%
$   17.99	128	0.01%	0.00%
$   18.99	249	0.02%	0.01%
$   19.99	468	0.05%	0.02%
$   20.99	46	0.00%	0.00%
$   21.99	166	0.02%	0.00%
$   22.99	64	0.01%	0.00%
$   23.99	90	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	59	0.01%	-0.01%

September 1, 2011

9/1/2011
Total	995,265
Prime	908,602
Under $10	803,271
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	77,793	7.82%	0.31%
$    1.99	16,614	1.67%	-0.01%
$    2.99	56,503	5.68%	-0.92%
$    3.99	21,995	2.21%	0.94%
$    4.99	21,595	2.17%	-0.58%
$    5.99	11,312	1.14%	-0.13%
$    6.99	7,477	0.75%	0.48%
$    7.99	16,948	1.70%	-0.11%
$    8.99	14,883	1.50%	0.94%
$    9.99	102,626	10.31%	-0.69%
$   10.99	485	0.05%	0.00%
$   11.99	983	0.10%	-0.07%
$   12.99	1,374	0.14%	-0.07%
$   13.99	316	0.03%	-0.02%
$   14.99	1,501	0.15%	-0.02%
$   15.99	160	0.02%	-0.01%
$   16.99	159	0.02%	-0.01%
$   17.99	285	0.03%	0.02%
$   18.99	165	0.02%	-0.01%
$   19.99	446	0.04%	0.00%
$   20.99	50	0.01%	0.00%
$   21.99	171	0.02%	0.00%
$   22.99	41	0.00%	0.00%
$   23.99	33	0.00%	-0.01%
$   24.99	109	0.01%	0.01%

—

10/1/2011
Total	1,033,611
Prime	943,545
Under $10	835,590
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	81,946	7.93%	0.11%
$        1.99	16,172	1.56%	-0.10%
$        2.99	48,287	4.67%	-1.01%
$        3.99	16,808	1.63%	-0.58%
$        4.99	17,389	1.68%	-0.49%
$        5.99	8,259	0.80%	-0.34%
$        6.99	5,300	0.51%	-0.24%
$        7.99	10,833	1.05%	-0.65%
$        8.99	12,478	1.21%	-0.29%
$        9.99	89,175	8.63%	-1.68%
$      10.99	395	0.04%	-0.01%
$      11.99	804	0.08%	-0.02%
$      12.99	1,285	0.12%	-0.01%
$      13.99	302	0.03%	0.00%
$      14.99	1,386	0.13%	-0.02%
$      15.99	146	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	151	0.01%	0.00%
$      17.99	144	0.01%	-0.01%
$      18.99	75	0.01%	-0.01%
$      19.99	368	0.04%	-0.01%
$      20.99	22	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	150	0.01%	0.00%
$      22.99	26	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	35	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	66	0.01%	0.00%

—

11/1/2011
Total	1,058,635
Prime	968,948
Under $10	859,492
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	84,612	7.99%	0.06%
$    1.99	7,659	0.72%	-0.84%
$    2.99	19,157	1.81%	-2.86%
$    3.99	10,245	0.97%	-0.66%
$    4.99	7,451	0.70%	-0.98%
$    5.99	3,026	0.29%	-0.51%
$    6.99	2,533	0.24%	-0.27%
$    7.99	8,414	0.79%	-0.25%
$    8.99	11,882	1.12%	-0.08%
$    9.99	70,312	6.64%	-1.99%
$   10.99	348	0.03%	-0.01%
$   11.99	1,144	0.11%	0.03%
$   12.99	1,068	0.10%	-0.02%
$   13.99	280	0.03%	0.00%
$   14.99	1,171	0.11%	-0.02%
$   15.99	69	0.01%	-0.01%
$   16.99	118	0.01%	0.00%
$   17.99	116	0.01%	0.00%
$   18.99	59	0.01%	0.00%
$   19.99	234	0.02%	-0.01%
$   20.99	33	0.00%	0.00%
$   21.99	153	0.01%	0.00%
$   22.99	29	0.00%	0.00%
$   23.99	28	0.00%	0.00%
$   24.99	89	0.01%	0.00%

—

12/1/2011
Total	1,112,876
Prime	1021677
Under $10	907,647
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	90,203	8.11%	0.11%
$    1.99	17,711	1.59%	0.87%
$    2.99	29,634	2.66%	0.85%
$    3.99	23,617	2.12%	1.15%
$    4.99	23,320	2.10%	1.39%
$    5.99	4,606	0.41%	0.13%
$    6.99	4,887	0.44%	0.20%
$    7.99	13,241	1.19%	0.40%
$    8.99	10,646	0.96%	-0.17%
$    9.99	71,709	6.44%	-0.20%
$   10.99	466	0.04%	0.01%
$   11.99	598	0.05%	-0.05%
$   12.99	1,038	0.09%	-0.01%
$   13.99	317	0.03%	0.00%
$   14.99	1,234	0.11%	0.00%
$   15.99	78	0.01%	0.00%
$   16.99	109	0.01%	0.00%
$   17.99	132	0.01%	0.00%
$   18.99	50	0.00%	0.00%
$   19.99	278	0.02%	0.00%
$   20.99	25	0.00%	0.00%
$   21.99	168	0.02%	0.00%
$   22.99	31	0.00%	0.00%
$   23.99	25	0.00%	0.00%
$   24.99	104	0.01%	0.00%

—

1/1/2012
Total	1,165,654
Prime	1073539
Under $10	955,187
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	99,225	8.51%	0.41%
$        1.99	16,088	1.38%	-0.21%
$        2.99	38,295	3.29%	0.62%
$        3.99	24,602	2.11%	-0.01%
$        4.99	18,289	1.57%	-0.53%
$        5.99	4,438	0.38%	-0.03%
$        6.99	5,002	0.43%	-0.01%
$        7.99	11,495	0.99%	-0.20%
$        8.99	12,412	1.06%	0.11%
$        9.99	68,467	5.87%	-0.57%
$      10.99	421	0.04%	-0.01%
$      11.99	549	0.05%	-0.01%
$      12.99	1,010	0.09%	-0.01%
$      13.99	270	0.02%	-0.01%
$      14.99	1,272	0.11%	0.00%
$      15.99	142	0.01%	0.01%
$      16.99	102	0.01%	0.00%
$      17.99	192	0.02%	0.00%
$      18.99	44	0.00%	0.00%
$      19.99	279	0.02%	0.00%
$      20.99	19	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	134	0.01%	0.00%
$      22.99	30	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	36	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	108	0.01%	0.00%

—

2/1/2012
Total	1,207,522
Prime	1,112,467
Under $10	994,448
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	107,238	8.88%	0.37%
$        1.99	8,528	0.71%	-0.67%
$        2.99	28,515	2.36%	-0.92%
$        3.99	7,463	0.62%	-1.49%
$        4.99	6,509	0.54%	-1.03%
$        5.99	2,761	0.23%	-0.15%
$        6.99	2,740	0.23%	-0.20%
$        7.99	7,571	0.63%	-0.36%
$        8.99	13,377	1.11%	0.04%
$        9.99	58,244	4.82%	-1.05%
$      10.99	331	0.03%	-0.01%
$      11.99	476	0.04%	-0.01%
$      12.99	914	0.08%	-0.01%
$      13.99	186	0.02%	-0.01%
$      14.99	988	0.08%	-0.03%
$      15.99	82	0.01%	-0.01%
$      16.99	98	0.01%	0.00%
$      17.99	194	0.02%	0.00%
$      18.99	59	0.00%	0.00%
$      19.99	167	0.01%	-0.01%
$      20.99	15	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	163	0.01%	0.00%
$      22.99	20	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	19	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	58	0.00%	0.00%

—

3/1/2012
Total	1,265,632
Prime	1,165,368
Under $10	1,044,889
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	113,150	8.94%	0.06%
$        1.99	10,638	0.84%	0.13%
$        2.99	43,320	3.42%	1.06%
$        3.99	18,776	1.48%	0.87%
$        4.99	8,565	0.68%	0.14%
$        5.99	3,879	0.31%	0.08%
$        6.99	3,591	0.28%	0.06%
$        7.99	8,164	0.65%	0.02%
$        8.99	14,825	1.17%	0.06%
$        9.99	62,009	4.90%	0.08%
$      10.99	375	0.03%	0.00%
$      11.99	673	0.05%	0.01%
$      12.99	936	0.07%	0.00%
$      13.99	249	0.02%	0.00%
$      14.99	1,005	0.08%	0.00%
$      15.99	117	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	102	0.01%	0.00%
$      17.99	210	0.02%	0.00%
$      18.99	55	0.00%	0.00%
$      19.99	213	0.02%	0.00%
$      20.99	12	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	170	0.01%	0.00%
$      22.99	26	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	20	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	73	0.01%	0.00%

—

4/1/2012
Total	1,315,927
Prime	1,215,625
Under $10	1,089,619
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	118,411	9.00%	0.06%
$        1.99	12,440	0.95%	0.10%
$        2.99	53,686	4.08%	0.66%
$        3.99	30,997	2.36%	0.87%
$        4.99	10,786	0.82%	0.14%
$        5.99	5,026	0.38%	0.08%
$        6.99	4,705	0.36%	0.07%
$        7.99	8,988	0.68%	0.04%
$        8.99	5,461	0.41%	-0.76%
$        9.99	71,568	5.44%	0.54%
$      10.99	654	0.05%	0.02%
$      11.99	1,281	0.10%	0.04%
$      12.99	1,835	0.14%	0.07%
$      13.99	438	0.03%	0.01%
$      14.99	1,739	0.13%	0.05%
$      15.99	323	0.02%	0.02%
$      16.99	236	0.02%	0.01%
$      17.99	86	0.01%	-0.01%
$      18.99	118	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	395	0.03%	0.01%
$      20.99	25	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	272	0.02%	0.01%
$      22.99	34	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	17	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	96	0.01%	0.00%

—

5/1/2012
Total	1,358,922
Prime	1,261,606
Under $10	1,133,793
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	122,040	9.27%	0.28%
$        1.99	13,124	1.00%	0.05%
$        2.99	64,106	4.87%	0.79%
$        3.99	37,072	2.82%	0.46%
$        4.99	12,631	0.96%	0.14%
$        5.99	6,288	0.48%	0.10%
$        6.99	4,897	0.37%	0.01%
$        7.99	10,145	0.77%	0.09%
$        8.99	3,156	0.24%	-0.18%
$        9.99	76,063	5.78%	0.34%
$      10.99	809	0.06%	0.01%
$      11.99	1,816	0.14%	0.04%
$      12.99	2,159	0.16%	0.02%
$      13.99	565	0.04%	0.01%
$      14.99	2,010	0.15%	0.02%
$      15.99	140	0.01%	-0.01%
$      16.99	306	0.02%	0.01%
$      17.99	78	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	91	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	471	0.04%	0.01%
$      20.99	24	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	283	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	34	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	27	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	150	0.01%	0.00%

—

5/1/2012
Total	1,407,210
Prime	1,308,331
Under $10	1,174,668
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	125,811	9.56%	0.29%
$        1.99	13,076	0.99%	0.00%
$        2.99	66,685	5.07%	0.20%
$        3.99	36,204	2.75%	-0.07%
$        4.99	11,225	0.85%	-0.11%
$        5.99	5,903	0.45%	-0.03%
$        6.99	4,569	0.35%	-0.02%
$        7.99	10,524	0.80%	0.03%
$        8.99	2,717	0.21%	-0.03%
$        9.99	71,733	5.45%	-0.33%
$      10.99	885	0.07%	0.01%
$      11.99	1,818	0.14%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,140	0.16%	0.00%
$      13.99	684	0.05%	0.01%
$      14.99	2,042	0.16%	0.00%
$      15.99	182	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	302	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	73	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	108	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	513	0.04%	0.00%
$      20.99	29	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	251	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	35	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	29	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	97	0.01%	0.00%

—

7/1/2012
Total	1,451,504
Prime	1,343,776
Under $10	1,204,888
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	129,323	8.91%	-0.65%
$        1.99	12,780	0.88%	-0.11%
$        2.99	64,315	4.43%	-0.64%
$        3.99	27,128	1.87%	-0.88%
$        4.99	12,335	0.85%	0.00%
$        5.99	6,307	0.43%	-0.01%
$        6.99	5,118	0.35%	0.01%
$        7.99	10,689	0.74%	-0.06%
$        8.99	2,871	0.20%	-0.01%
$        9.99	78,303	5.39%	-0.06%
$      10.99	875	0.06%	-0.01%
$      11.99	1,804	0.12%	-0.01%
$      12.99	2,291	0.16%	0.00%
$      13.99	688	0.05%	0.00%
$      14.99	2,225	0.15%	0.00%
$      15.99	218	0.02%	0.00%
$      16.99	332	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	79	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	104	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	443	0.03%	-0.01%
$      20.99	26	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	319	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	44	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	30	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	109	0.01%	0.00%

—

8/1/2012
Total	1,486,649
Prime	1,379,399
Under $10	1,240,062
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	137,876	9.27%	0.36%
$        1.99	9,880	0.66%	-0.22%
$        2.99	46,971	3.16%	-1.27%
$        3.99	12,096	0.81%	-1.06%
$        4.99	8,445	0.57%	-0.28%
$        5.99	4,956	0.33%	-0.10%
$        6.99	3,180	0.21%	-0.14%
$        7.99	10,781	0.73%	-0.01%
$        8.99	2,877	0.19%	0.00%
$        9.99	70,140	4.72%	-0.68%
$      10.99	962	0.06%	0.00%
$      11.99	1,910	0.13%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,371	0.16%	0.00%
$      13.99	636	0.04%	0.00%
$      14.99	2,056	0.14%	-0.01%
$      15.99	192	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	357	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	121	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	82	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	337	0.02%	-0.01%
$      20.99	35	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	364	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	38	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	24	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	86	0.01%	0.00%

—

9/1/2012
Total	1,531,069
Prime	1,421,168
Under $10	1,278,733
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	144,288	9.42%	0.15%
$        1.99	13,399	0.88%	0.21%
$        2.99	68,395	4.47%	1.31%
$        3.99	14,760	0.96%	0.15%
$        4.99	11,627	0.76%	0.19%
$        5.99	6,456	0.42%	0.09%
$        6.99	5,407	0.35%	0.14%
$        7.99	11,697	0.76%	0.04%
$        8.99	3,050	0.20%	0.01%
$        9.99	74,605	4.87%	0.15%
$      10.99	955	0.06%	0.00%
$      11.99	1,973	0.13%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,119	0.14%	-0.02%
$      13.99	582	0.04%	0.00%
$      14.99	2,039	0.13%	-0.01%
$      15.99	212	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	347	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	127	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	81	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	385	0.03%	0.00%
$      20.99	19	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	313	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	38	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	26	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	99	0.01%	0.00%

—

10/1/2012
Total	1,579,329
Prime	1,466,890
Under $10	1,322,272
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	147,931	9.37%	-0.06%
$        1.99	16,053	1.02%	0.14%
$        2.99	87,788	5.56%	1.09%
$        3.99	20,853	1.32%	0.36%
$        4.99	14,656	0.93%	0.17%
$        5.99	7,558	0.48%	0.06%
$        6.99	6,642	0.42%	0.07%
$        7.99	13,807	0.87%	0.11%
$        8.99	3,256	0.21%	0.01%
$        9.99	84,003	5.32%	0.45%
$      10.99	972	0.06%	0.00%
$      11.99	2,052	0.13%	0.00%
$      12.99	2,189	0.14%	0.00%
$      13.99	587	0.04%	0.00%
$      14.99	2,123	0.13%	0.00%
$      15.99	216	0.01%	0.00%
$      16.99	339	0.02%	0.00%
$      17.99	109	0.01%	0.00%
$      18.99	117	0.01%	0.00%
$      19.99	509	0.03%	0.01%
$      20.99	32	0.00%	0.00%
$      21.99	371	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	38	0.00%	0.00%
$      23.99	32	0.00%	0.00%
$      24.99	109	0.01%	0.00%

—

Total	1,641,362
Prime	1,522,810
Under $10	1,371,227
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	155,732	9.49%	0.12%
$    1.99	24,777	1.51%	0.49%
$    2.99	134,461	8.19%	2.63%
$    3.99	49,221	3.00%	1.68%
$    4.99	29,671	1.81%	0.88%
$    5.99	15,629	0.95%	0.47%
$    6.99	12,969	0.79%	0.37%
$    7.99	22,527	1.37%	0.50%
$    8.99	6,642	0.40%	0.20%
$    9.99	134,811	8.21%	2.89%
$   10.99	1,576	0.10%	0.03%
$   11.99	2,986	0.18%	0.05%
$   12.99	3,292	0.20%	0.06%
$   13.99	894	0.05%	0.02%
$   14.99	2,717	0.17%	0.03%
$   15.99	319	0.02%	0.01%
$   16.99	481	0.03%	0.01%
$   17.99	235	0.01%	0.01%
$   18.99	237	0.01%	0.01%
$   19.99	902	0.05%	0.02%
$   20.99	68	0.00%	0.00%
$   21.99	431	0.03%	0.00%
$   22.99	87	0.01%	0.00%
$   23.99	86	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	218	0.01%	0.01%

—

12/1/2012
Total	1,742,991
Prime	1,615,716
Under $10	1,451,437
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	163,634	9.97%	0.48%
$        1.99	40,111	2.44%	0.93%
$        2.99	192,449	11.72%	3.53%
$        3.99	122,419	7.46%	4.46%
$        4.99	50,073	3.05%	1.24%
$        5.99	27,780	1.69%	0.74%
$        6.99	20,681	1.26%	0.47%
$        7.99	40,348	2.46%	1.09%
$        8.99	10,692	0.65%	0.25%
$        9.99	236,101	14.38%	6.17%
$      10.99	2,423	0.15%	0.05%
$      11.99	4,346	0.26%	0.08%
$      12.99	4,614	0.28%	0.08%
$      13.99	1,299	0.08%	0.02%
$      14.99	3,439	0.21%	0.04%
$      15.99	840	0.05%	0.03%
$      16.99	595	0.04%	0.01%
$      17.99	354	0.02%	0.01%
$      18.99	495	0.03%	0.02%
$      19.99	1,498	0.09%	0.04%
$      20.99	120	0.01%	0.00%
$      21.99	383	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	153	0.01%	0.00%
$      23.99	136	0.01%	0.00%
$      24.99	370	0.02%	0.01%

—

1/1/2013
Total	1,805,001
Prime	1,671,220
Under $10	1,502,267
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	172,149	10.49%	0.52%
$    1.99	42,262	2.57%	0.13%
$    2.99	206,531	12.58%	0.86%
$    3.99	126,369	7.70%	0.24%
$    4.99	52,158	3.18%	0.13%
$    5.99	29,128	1.77%	0.08%
$    6.99	20,656	1.26%	0.00%
$    7.99	41,417	2.52%	0.07%
$    8.99	10,775	0.66%	0.01%
$    9.99	235,662	14.36%	-0.03%
$   10.99	2,195	0.13%	-0.01%
$   11.99	4,123	0.25%	-0.01%
$   12.99	4,319	0.26%	-0.02%
$   13.99	1,207	0.07%	-0.01%
$   14.99	3,600	0.22%	0.01%
$   15.99	966	0.06%	0.01%
$   16.99	581	0.04%	0.00%
$   17.99	377	0.02%	0.00%
$   18.99	547	0.03%	0.00%
$   19.99	3,087	0.19%	0.10%
$   20.99	105	0.01%	0.00%
$   21.99	418	0.03%	0.00%
$   22.99	144	0.01%	0.00%
$   23.99	136	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	359	0.02%	0.00%

—

Percentages for February 1, 2013 were corrected on March 1, 2013

2/1/2013
Total	1,849,479
Prime	1,713,256
Under $10	1,534,604
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	178,913	9.67%	-0.81%
$    1.99	45,121	2.44%	-0.14%
$    2.99	214,748	11.61%	-0.97%
$    3.99	130,320	7.05%	-0.65%
$    4.99	54,653	2.96%	-0.22%
$    5.99	31,434	1.70%	-0.08%
$    6.99	21,941	1.19%	-0.07%
$    7.99	42,620	2.30%	-0.22%
$    8.99	10,835	0.59%	-0.07%
$    9.99	230,800	12.48%	-1.88%
$   10.99	2,463	0.13%	0.00%
$   11.99	4,593	0.25%	0.00%
$   12.99	4,563	0.25%	-0.02%
$   13.99	1,304	0.07%	0.00%
$   14.99	3,703	0.20%	-0.02%
$   15.99	1,004	0.05%	0.00%
$   16.99	659	0.04%	0.00%
$   17.99	435	0.02%	0.00%
$   18.99	598	0.03%	0.00%
$   19.99	5,276	0.29%	0.10%
$   20.99	116	0.01%	0.00%
$   21.99	458	0.02%	0.00%
$   22.99	178	0.01%	0.00%
$   23.99	154	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	395	0.02%	0.00%

—

3/1/2013
Total	1,913,164
Prime	1,770,452
Under $10	1,564,429
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	187,353	9.79%	0.12%
$        1.99	49,309	2.58%	0.14%
$        2.99	227,956	11.92%	0.30%
$        3.99	133,323	6.97%	-0.08%
$        4.99	58,386	3.05%	0.10%
$        5.99	35,339	1.85%	0.15%
$        6.99	25,102	1.31%	0.13%
$        7.99	45,755	2.39%	0.09%
$        8.99	12,282	0.64%	0.06%
$        9.99	224,082	11.71%	-0.77%
$      10.99	3,590	0.19%	0.05%
$      11.99	7,838	0.41%	0.16%
$      12.99	6,533	0.34%	0.09%
$      13.99	2,318	0.12%	0.05%
$      14.99	4,760	0.25%	0.05%
$      15.99	1,341	0.07%	0.02%
$      16.99	1,129	0.06%	0.02%
$      17.99	719	0.04%	0.01%
$      18.99	920	0.05%	0.02%
$      19.99	5,711	0.30%	0.01%
$      20.99	303	0.02%	0.01%
$      21.99	280	0.01%	-0.01%
$      22.99	359	0.02%	0.01%
$      23.99	250	0.01%	0.00%
$      24.99	482	0.03%	0.00%

—

4/1/2013
Total	1,924,138
Prime	1,785,986
Under $10	1,573,845
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	193,771	10.07%	0.28%
$        1.99	50,993	2.65%	0.07%
$        2.99	240,734	12.51%	0.60%
$        3.99	138,910	7.22%	0.25%
$        4.99	60,568	3.15%	0.10%
$        5.99	37,409	1.94%	0.10%
$        6.99	25,863	1.34%	0.03%
$        7.99	47,298	2.46%	0.07%
$        8.99	12,791	0.66%	0.02%
$        9.99	235,041	12.22%	0.50%
$      10.99	3,781	0.20%	0.01%
$      11.99	9,716	0.50%	0.10%
$      12.99	6,538	0.34%	0.00%
$      13.99	2,325	0.12%	0.00%
$      14.99	4,848	0.25%	0.00%
$      15.99	1,403	0.07%	0.00%
$      16.99	1,182	0.06%	0.00%
$      17.99	759	0.04%	0.00%
$      18.99	922	0.05%	0.00%
$      19.99	5,772	0.30%	0.00%
$      20.99	249	0.01%	0.00%
$      21.99	277	0.01%	0.00%
$      22.99	3,212	0.17%	0.15%
$      23.99	281	0.01%	0.00%
$      24.99	519	0.03%	0.00%

—

5/1/2013
Total	1,940,274
Prime	1,801,844
Under $10	1,582,685
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	201,240	10.37%	0.30%
$    1.99	52,243	2.69%	0.04%
$    2.99	251,311	12.95%	0.44%
$    3.99	141,835	7.31%	0.09%
$    4.99	62,839	3.24%	0.09%
$    5.99	37,835	1.95%	0.01%
$    6.99	25,567	1.32%	-0.03%
$    7.99	42,663	2.20%	-0.26%
$    8.99	13,147	0.68%	0.01%
$    9.99	237,096	12.22%	0.00%
$   10.99	3,738	0.19%	0.00%
$   11.99	9,891	0.51%	0.00%
$   12.99	7,097	0.37%	0.03%
$   13.99	2,922	0.15%	0.03%
$   14.99	5,166	0.27%	0.01%
$   15.99	1,523	0.08%	0.01%
$   16.99	1,263	0.07%	0.00%
$   17.99	795	0.04%	0.00%
$   18.99	992	0.05%	0.00%
$   19.99	5,704	0.29%	-0.01%
$   20.99	403	0.02%	0.01%
$   21.99	282	0.01%	0.00%
$   22.99	325	0.02%	-0.15%
$   23.99	278	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	513	0.03%	0.00%

—

6/1/2013
Total	1,972,277
Prime	1,828,577
Under $10	1,605,912
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$    0.99	203,653	10.33%	-0.05%
$    1.99	59,583	3.02%	0.33%
$    2.99	269,149	13.65%	0.69%
$    3.99	177,673	9.01%	1.70%
$    4.99	64,192	3.25%	0.02%
$    5.99	39,122	1.98%	0.03%
$    6.99	26,506	1.34%	0.03%
$    7.99	44,572	2.26%	0.06%
$    8.99	13,388	0.68%	0.00%
$    9.99	246,384	12.49%	0.27%
$   10.99	3,809	0.19%	0.00%
$   11.99	10,090	0.51%	0.00%
$   12.99	7,409	0.38%	0.01%
$   13.99	3,008	0.15%	0.00%
$   14.99	5,322	0.27%	0.00%
$   15.99	1,560	0.08%	0.00%
$   16.99	1,298	0.07%	0.00%
$   17.99	772	0.04%	0.00%
$   18.99	970	0.05%	0.00%
$   19.99	5,749	0.29%	0.00%
$   20.99	239	0.01%	-0.01%
$   21.99	287	0.01%	0.00%
$   22.99	307	0.02%	0.00%
$   23.99	238	0.01%	0.00%
$   24.99	513	0.03%	0.00%

—

7/1/2013
Total	1,998,705
Prime	1,855,614
Under $10	1,627,666
Price Point	Count	Percentage	Diff
$        0.99	213,310	10.67%	0.35%
$        1.99	62,342	3.12%	0.10%
$        2.99	278,848	13.95%	0.30%
$        3.99	193,610	9.69%	0.68%
$        4.99	66,074	3.31%	0.05%
$        5.99	40,374	2.02%	0.04%
$        6.99	27,288	1.37%	0.02%
$        7.99	45,103	2.26%	0.00%
$        8.99	13,847	0.69%	0.01%
$        9.99	284,366	14.23%	1.74%
$      10.99	4,009	0.20%	0.01%
$      11.99	10,950	0.55%	0.04%
$      12.99	7,321	0.37%	-0.01%
$      13.99	3,474	0.17%	0.02%
$      14.99	5,331	0.27%	0.00%
$      15.99	1,596	0.08%	0.00%
$      16.99	1,391	0.07%	0.00%
$      17.99	791	0.04%	0.00%
$      18.99	997	0.05%	0.00%
$      19.99	5,888	0.29%	0.00%
$      20.99	427	0.02%	0.01%
$      21.99	316	0.02%	0.00%
$      22.99	315	0.02%	0.00%
$      23.99	303	0.02%	0.00%
$      24.99	536	0.03%	0.00%

Summary

If you like New York Times bestsellers, jump on it! There was a drop of more than a dollar average in the NYT bestseller hardback equivalents…and some of that is probably a temporary “price war” with Barnes & Noble. Remember, though, that those price wars wouldn’t have been possible under the Agency Model. We are this close to two million titles in the USA Kindle store…it will likely happen this week. Interestingly, there has been a small, but steady drop in the percentage of books priced one penny to fifty dollars that are under $10. Every month this year so far, that percentage has dropped or stayed the same. There are fewer free books, but more “no additional cost” books in the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. I’m sure that’s how Amazon would like it to go, strategically. You can’t use the KOLL unless you are an eligible Prime member and own a hardware Kindle. Getting people into Prime, in particular, is key for Amazon…and getting them to buy any kind of Kindle makes them more likely to buy a Kindle Fire…which in turn, gets them into Prime.

Data were drawn using http://www.ereaderiq.com. There are a number of possible sources of errors (eRi, Amazon, me), but these are probably pretty good.  The same people now do eReaderIQ.com, and I may switch to that eventually.  However, I’m reluctant to change my methods in order to maintain consistency.

• The free books referenced here are from the Kindle store: there are many other sources for free books
• My search for textbooks definitely has false positives (books that aren’t really textbooks). I search for -domain (to eliminate public domain titles, which would be older books, generall) textbook. That would find a bookabout textbooks, for example
• I searched for “Spanish edition” to find Spanish language books. That has some false positives as well
• I look at price percentages of books in the range of one penny to fifty dollars, to eliminate freebies and limit textbooks
• The price point analysis is for books at that specific price: it does not represent a range of prices
• I compared the percentage of price points in the Price Point Analysis when I showed the difference…not the number of books
• This information is based on what a United States customer sees

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Tweakquests #1

Tweakquests #1

Amazon engineers are probably working right now on software for new versions of tablets and non-backlit EBRs (E-Book Readers) to be released later this year (and possibly announced in the next couple of months), as well as for updates to existing devices which might go along with the new releases.

I don’t expect there to be anything really revolutionary on the hardware side, although I am excited to see what big new services might appear.

Rather than going “pie in the sky”, as I’ve done before, I thought I’d take a post and just make some suggestions for small changes. Since I love making up new words 😉 I thought I’d call them “tweakquests”, being a portmanteau of “tweak” and “request”.

These are all just little requests, and I won’t be upset if they don’t happen…but I figured it couldn’t hurt to say something. 🙂

Tweakquest #1: change the Kindle Fire volume icon when it is muted

It really matters to me if the Kindle Fire is muted or not. I generally play games with the sound off on the game. However, I watch videos and listen to text-to-speech with the sound on. That means I am turning it on and off fairly often. When my Significant Other is asleep, I don’t want it to make noise. For example, when I open the CNN app, I have it set to play James Earl Jones saying, “This is CNN”. I don’t want to hear that if my SO is asleep, but I think it is cool at other times.

The way it is now, I have to swipe down from the top, then tap the volume icon to see where the slider is set. Ideally, I’d like to have an icon next to the wi-fi icon that would show if it was muted or not (and that I could tap to mute/unmute), but barring that, just have it change color something so I can see it on the swipe without having to tap it and then go back to get to what I was doing.

Tweakquest #2: have the Mindle guess that I want to end a highlight after I’ve started one

Right now, when I click to start a highlight on the “Mindle” (the “entry level” Kindle), and then move the cursor to complete the highlight, and then click again, it highlights the “end highlight” choice…but it doesn’t click it. It gives me four choices:

• cancel
• create note
• share
• end highlight

I get that people might want to cancel the highlighting (although not that often, I would think). Yes, I know people share highlights, and that they might create a note where they highlighted something (I do that, sometimes, to identify the speaker). It just seems like the vast majority of the time, if you start a highlight, you want to end it. Let people click again after they’ve ended the highlight if they want to add a note or share, or even undo the highlighting.

Tweakquest #3: let us cancel pending deliveries

It seems like a lot of people really, really want to keep their

Manage Your Kindle

pages clean. I see, over and over again, where people want to know how to get rid of all of those foreign language dictionaries. You can’t really, by the way…if you delete them, they’ll come back. Amazon puts those in your archives (not on your device…they aren’t taking up memory there) so that the Kindle can perform as advertised and be switched to another language. Think of them as part of the Kindle’s operating system. Leave them alone, and they’ll keep dropping down the list as you buy more items.

I’m not that picky about that, but I don’t like having pending deliveries which will never be delivered. That may happen because I’m not using the Kindle any more, or because I sent it to the wrong device. I have 32 of them there right now. I don’t think it would take a lot of engineering to allow me to say, “Cancel this delivery”. Ideally, yes, I’d like to ability to redirect it to another device, but even just canceling it would be fine. It would still be in the archives if I wanted to get it later.

Tweakquest #4: get “Airplane Mode” (wi-fi off) back where it is easy to find

For example, when I am reading a book on the Paperwhite, I have to tap to show the menu, tap the menu, tap Settings, then tap Airplane Mode. What would be best would be to be able to tap or click the wi-fi icon to go into Airplane Mode or not. Otherwise, put it at the first level of a menu.

By the way, I think it they are insisting on “Airplane Mode” rather than “wi-fi off” for a couple of reasons. One is that on a device with multiple “radios”, Airplane Mode turns them all off. For example, in my Kindle Fire, it will turn off wi-fi, 4G, Bluetooth, and (I think) Location Based Services. The other thing is that there are likely to be regulation changes coming, and the regulations may use the words “Airplane Mode” to indicate a necessary state for a device (since that’s what many cellphones use). You wouldn’t want the flight attendant to ask you to put it in Airplane Mode, and then you say it doesn’t have one, so they make you turn it all the way off. 🙂

Oh, and incidentally…have all the devices automatically shut off wireless unless it is needed after a certain amount of time. Go ahead and give us the option to say, “Always on” if people want to do that. Otherwise, it seems odd to go to do something like download a book, have it remind you to turn on the wireless…and then not have it remind you to turn it off afterwards.

Tweakquest #5: automatically sync when we go to the Cloud/archives

It’s so often true that, when I go to the Cloud or archives (depending on the type of device), it doesn’t show my recent purchases. Then, I have to do a sync. Just assume that if I’m going to the Cloud/archives, I want to see what’s actually in it. 😉 I suppose there’s an argument that some people might want to check what was in the Cloud/archives before the last purchases without turning on the wireless, but I think that’s not very common. If the wireless was turned off, it would ask them if they want to turn it on…if that happens, go ahead and sync. That goes for when I click or tap on the Cloud/archives and the wireless is already on…just assume I want to sync.

Those are just a few thoughts from me. My guess is that they would all be easily achievable. There are some other bigger things I’d like to see (this earlier post has me polling my readers about some possible big things from Amazon, but these are just minor impedimenta.

What do you think? Would you disagree with any of these? Are there other small changes you’d like to see? Feel free to let me and my readers know by commenting on this post.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Amazon Aisle: Arts & Photography

Amazon Aisle: Arts & Photography

I used to love to go into a brick and mortar bookstore, and literally walk down every single aisle (yes, it might take hours).  I pride myself on being an eclectic reader (although I do have preferences, of course), and I always hoped to find something outside of what I might expect.

When I managed a brick and mortar bookstore myself, I encouraged my employees to read something from every section (I did try to do that myself). I would suggest that they ask a regular customer who shopped in the section for a recommendation.

Well, I don’t find myself wandering through Amazon like that. I tend to notice the deals, or things that they are promoting, like the “best” lists. It’s a bit like I go into a store, and only look at the end caps and the wishing wells. 😉 Oh, end caps are the shelves that are on the end of the aisle facing perpendicular to the shelves in the aisle, and wishing wells are those giant structures of books on the floor…I don’t see those much any more.

Yes, I only look at what they really want me to see, or look for a specific book, or perhaps “surf” from one book to another via connections.

I feel like I might be missing something by not being as systematic…and you might be, too. 🙂

That doesn’t mean I’m going to look at all of the nearly two million* books in the USA Kindle store! What I can do, though, is look into each of the sections that they provide on the side links. I think of those as being like aisles in a bookstore (although the romance or science fiction sections in a store would typically be several physical aisles.

I’m going to start with the first on alphabetically: Arts & Photography.

Arts & Photography

There are 121,989 at time of writing. That is about 6.1% of the total, which is showing as 1,995,917 right now.

That is then broken down into these categories:

Architecture (4,806) 3.9% of Arts & Photography
Art (8,008) 6.6%
Dance (657) 0.54%
Fashion (40) 0.03%
Graphic Design (3,192) 2.62%
Individual Artists (1,419) 1.16%
Music (70,444) 57.75%
Performing Arts (2,062) 1.69%
Photography (12,644) 10.36%
Theater (15,203) 12.46%

Note that there can be overlap here…the same book might appear in both Performing Arts and Theater, for example.

It’s also important to note that categories are, I believe, assigned by the publisher, not Amazon. That’s the case for sure with independently published books using Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, and I’m guessing that’s the case with traditionally published books as well. That can lead to some odd things, since the decision is made for marketing purposes, not to bring the greatest clarity or accuracy. I’ve seen the same book categorized as fiction and non-fiction, for example.

The sidelinks show these authors:

Melissa Foster (4)
William Shakespeare (432)
Shameek Speight (5)
Christine DeMaio-Rice (1)
Arnold Bennett (18)
pleasefindthis (1)
Lois Lavrisa (1)
› See more…

If you click “See more…”, you get lots of choices…with 54 on the first page and 39 pages, you have over 2,000 authors just in this section.

The first page might make for an interesting dinner party…here are five people appearing in the first column:

50 Cent
Abraham Lincoln
Ace Frehley
Aeschylus
Al Gore

That would make for some interesting conversation! 😉

Hm…I notice they are alphabetized by their first names…that’s a bit odd, although easier for the computer.

I was curious as to why Al Gore showed up in this category: it was sheet music for a song called “Diggin’ Up Bones”, as performed by Randy Travis…and yes, written by Al Gore (and Nat Stuckey and Paul Overstreet).

Returning to the main Arts & Photography page, 184 of them had Whispersync for voice. That seems like a lot to me…you wouldn’t have that in a photography book, typically. However, I have to remember that there will be things like musician biographies here, I would guess, and plays.

Many (but not all) of the main categories have sub-categories:

Architecture

Architects, A-Z (174)
Building Types & Styles (689)
Criticism (231)
Drawing & Modelling (589)
Historic Preservation (180)
History & Periods (899)
Interior Design (366)
International (30)
Landscape (387)
Project Planning & Management (342)
Reference (235)
Study & Teaching (196)
Urban & Land Use Planning (1,228)

Art

Art History (4,451)
Instruction & Reference (1,791)
Museums & Collections (291)
Other Media (642)
Painting (799)
Religious (311)
Sculpture (322)
Erotica (424)

Dance

Ballet (30)
Ballroom (6)
Classical (164)
Folk (63)
Jazz (8)
Modern (70)
Notation (4)
Popular (75)
Reference (39)
Tap (6)

Graphic Design

Airbrush (18)
Animation (103)
Calligraphy (60)
Cartooning (210)
Clip Art (202)
Commercial (1,083)
Design (725)
Drawing (883)
Graphic Arts (90)
Printmaking (73)
Typography (92)

Music

Business (609)
History & Criticism (2,458)
Instruments & Performers (3,105)
Musical Genres (6,460)
Recording & Sound (557)
Songbooks (2,341)
Theory, Composition & Performance (2,906)

Photography

Architectural (75)
Cinematography (112)
Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions (173)
Color (34)
Criticism & Essays (67)
Darkroom & Processing (55)
Digital Photography (1,255)
Equipment (355)
Erotica (6,159)
Fashion (81)
History (378)
Lighting (183)
Nature & Wildlife (713)
Photo Essays (768)
Photographers, A-Z (530)
Photojournalism (312)
Portraits (479)
Professional (243)
Reference (960)
Travel (299)

Theater

Acting & Auditioning (1,055)
Broadway & Musicals (276)
Circus (75)
Direction & Production (217)
History & Criticism (1,508)
Miming (12)
Playwriting (657)
Puppets & Puppetry (50)
Stagecraft (337)

Now, let’s do a quick analysis of the top ten Arts & Photography bestsellers:

Rank	Category	Price	Prime	TTS	X-ray	Lending	Overall Rank
1	Music	$6.99	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	22,209
2	Theater	$3.99	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	4,369
3	Art	$9.55	No	No	Yes	No	5,036
4	Art	$8.89	No	Yes	Yes	No	2,158
5	Music	$11.04	No	Yes	Yes	No	888
6	Drama	$2.99	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	6,619
7	Graphic Design	$0.00	No	Yes	Yes	No	582
8	Art	$8.89	No	Yes	Yes	No	7,251
9	Graphic Design	$2.99	No	Yes	No	Yes	19,409
10	Photography	$9.98	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	4,741
		Average	%Yes
		$6.53	30%	90%	90%	50%

Hm…I’m not quite sure why the book that is topped ranked in Arts & Photography is considerably lower ranked overall in the store than almost all of the rest of the top ten. I guess they must compute them differently…probably on a different periodicity.

There was one really odd duck in this group:

Blackjack Wayward (The Blackjack Series)

Everything I can see on this page, including the reviews, suggests to me that this is a superhero novel (and not a graphic novel…I even “looked inside” to check). My guess is that the author just thought that it should be in the Drama section because, you know, it’s dramatic. 😉 However, “Theater” is another category…it didn’t appear to be a play, though.

Well, I did find this an interesting exercise. It reminded me that there is sheet music in the Kindle store, for one thing…that could a good way to work with it (I’ve used sheet music before).

My feeling right now is that this may be worth doing again with other sections, but feel free to let me know how you liked it…it will also help if you can give me an idea why you did or didn’t. 🙂

* As of writing, there are 1,996,105 titles in the USA Kindle store (in the e-books part). It’s likely that we’ll break two million in the next week or so, but it’s hard to predict exactly…and we could slide back under it afterwards.

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.

Reading in school

Reading in school

People reading is a good thing.

That seems obvious to me…although, whenever I realize I have that feeling of a “self-evident fact”, I want to challenge it. I want to test it, to look at it from different perspectives. In some cases, it survives and comes out stronger. In others, I may actually change my idea. Even if I don’t change my opinion, just the intellectual exercise of having considered it is both fun and, I believe, valuable.

That ability to look at things from different points of view is part of what reading does. Whether it is fiction or non-fiction, you end up inside the book looking back out at yourself. That’s the only way to understand what the author is saying. You have to put yourself into the author’s place, because you need to understand not just the words, but the thoughts and feelings behind (and next to and in front of) them.

That’s part of why I question the traditional concept of assigned reading in school.

Let’s look at the model as this:

1. The teacher (often mandated by a school, district, state, or in the case of Common Core, even Federal list or guideline) assigns a particular book to a class of students
2. A certain amount of it has to be read by a certain time
3. The teacher then tests that the students have read to that point. That test may involve questions about specific facts (“Who is Kris’ sibling?”)
4. There may also be discussions about what has happened in the book, and writing assignments. Students may be discouraged from reading ahead of the assignment, so that their foreknowledge doesn’t impact those discussions

Certainly, some wonderful insights may come out of reading something which you would otherwise have not read. Analytical thinking skills can be developed, and you can learn a great of historical context in order to explain what is happening and how the culture of the time.

However, I’m not convinced that doing that sort of “particulate examination” actually encourages someone to be a reader in the future. It is much easier to score a test if you ask for facts. It’s a daunting task for a teacher to measure whether or not a student has understood the feelings of a character. First, even scholars may debate for decades the inner life of a fictional being, particularly when it isn’t explicitly delineated. Second, students may have different levels of ability expressing how someone feels…particularly if some students have similar life experiences to the character and others don’t.

I had a gut-wrenching and epiphanic moment in high school when I realized that all of the emphasis on measurable fact extraction was slowing my reading speed. It made me doubt the value of the classes, and to actually see them as a negative.

Now, that wasn’t the case with one of my favorite teachers. I was lucky enough to be able to take a class specifically in science fiction. This teacher would introduce a topic to us, or a sub-genre, and explain the history of it, and the driving forces behind it. Then, we would be given a list of books…although we could also submit our own, as I recall, and the teacher could approve it or not.

We were not all reading the same book at the same time.

We did not have detail-oriented tests.

It was much more discussion driven, and sometimes with just me and the teacher, but sometimes in a group.

For example (and I’m not sure any of this is “historically accurate” for what we actually did), we might have a presentation on time travel literature. Then, we might pick a time travel book to read. In class, we might have a discussion about the “grandfather paradox” (if you go back in time and kill your grandfather, you won’t have been born…so how could you exist to go back in time?). The books we read (at our own pace, of our own selection) would inform that discussion…but it was the idea, and the books relationship to the idea, that mattered. It wasn’t about remembering names or what came first in the book.

Right away, I know there are teachers who read this who know that it was an an0malously generous situation. Teachers aren’t usually given that kind of freedom in assignment and measurement of performance. I think we only had about ten students in the class, and we were all high performers. We could be counted on to pick legitimate books that fit the topic. It would be different trying to do this with a class of thirty, of whom we’ll say ten have never read a book before.

I don’t have an answer here as to how to proceed. I just do feel like the way we assign reading in school now does not produce the optimum results. I’ve had many people tell me that they hated a book which was assigned to them in school…but realize they might have liked it if they had discovered it on their own.

I’ve very interested in your thoughts on this, and I’m going to encourage you to comment on this post. Let me first, though, use a poll to establish a more general picture:

Obviously, I haven’t listed all of the possibilities…and I’m sure some of you may see my choices as leaning towards a negative opinion of assigned reading (part of that will depend on how you interpret the questions).

Definitely, though, feel free to tell me and my readers what you think/feel about it.  I don’t expect any changes to come out of this, or even grand plans at this point. This one is just at the level of playing with the idea, and looking at possibilities.

You know, like you do when you read a book… 😉

This post by Bufo Calvin originally appeared in the I Love My Kindle blog.