# Amazon selling more e-books than print books



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

From the AP via Yahoo:


> Amazon.com Inc. on Thursday said that, after less than four years of selling electronic books, it's now selling more of them than printed books.
> 
> The online retailer said that since April 1, it has sold 105 e-books for every 100 printed books, including printed books for which there is no electronic edition. The comparison excludes free e-books, which would tip the scales further if they were included.
> 
> Printed books include both hardcover and paperback books. Amazon said in July that e-book sales had outstripped hardcover sales. It's now selling three times as many e-books as it did a year ago.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

E-books are just too easy. Several months ago my wife and I went to a movie and one of the trailers was for the movie _The Lincoln Lawyer_ which was based on the book. That night when we got home, she picked up her Kindle and had the book ready to read in a couple of minutes.

And now she no longer has to wait for the paperback version of new books to come out (she hates holding big hardcovers), she just grabs the Kindle version.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Many think the price gap between the two formats is driving those numbers.

There will be long-term loyalists in both camps - that topic has been well covered in other threads already.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> Many think the price gap between the two formats is driving those numbers.


Who are these 'many'?

Which price gap? ebooks are usually cheaper then hardcover but more expensive then paperbacks, at least on new releases at Amazon.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

klang said:


> Who are these 'many'?
> 
> Which price gap? eBooks are usually cheaper then hardcover but more expensive then paperbacks, at least on new releases at Amazon.


I'm not going down that circle of discussion that was already covered elsewhere, but between several large publishing houses, a significant number of top authors, and many readers...there are still many folks who oppose eBooks altogether.

Not saying right or wrong...just saying there are plenty of people in both camps.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

klang said:


> Who are these 'many'?
> 
> Which price gap? ebooks are usually cheaper then hardcover but more expensive then paperbacks, at least on new releases at Amazon.


than


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Herdfan said:


> E-books are just too easy. Several months ago my wife and I went to a movie and one of the trailers was for the movie _The Lincoln Lawyer_ which was based on the book. That night when we got home, she picked up her Kindle and had the book ready to read in a couple of minutes.
> 
> And now she no longer has to wait for the paperback version of new books to come out (she hates holding big hardcovers), she just grabs the Kindle version.


I am spending more on books now than I used to. There were only a couple authors I was willing to buy in hardcover. For most I waited for paperback. Now I can get new releases for much less on the Kindle but I pay more than I would have for the paperback.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

Trees throughout the world rejoice!


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Hutchinshouse said:


> Trees throughout the world rejoice!


I still get two newspapers every day.


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## EdJ (Jan 9, 2007)

I wonder if the sales numbers for e-books include the FREE books? I know that when I download a free book from Amazon, they send me a order form for the sale of $0.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I lament the death of printing, but it certainly comes as no surprise to me. I for one welcome our new e-ink overlords.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

EdJ said:


> I wonder if the sales numbers for e-books include the FREE books? I know that when I download a free book from Amazon, they send me a order form for the sale of $0.


Short article in today's paper said the Amazon number do not include the freebies.


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## Steve (Aug 22, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I lament the death of printing, but it certainly comes as no surprise to me. I for one welcome our new e-ink overlords.


Well said, IMO. I completely agree with both sentiments.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I don't think paper books are going away anytime soon but I do think prices will go up as they produce fewer going forward.

Here is a comment from the CEO of Penguin Books from the May 9th edition of WSJ:


> WSJ: Where do you think e-books will be in terms of market share by 2015 in the U.S.?
> 
> Mr. Makinson: Well beyond 30%. The growth rates in the U.K. and in other markets are quite a bit slower than you'd expect looking at U.S. experience because [digital] device penetration is happening much more slowly.


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## billsharpe (Jan 25, 2007)

klang said:


> I still get two newspapers every day.


I get three, but I recycle...

I'm reading library ebooks on my iPod Touch.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

In related news, Liberty Media offers $1 Billion for Barnes & Noble.

This and other articles suggest they are mainly after the Nook and e-book business. Interesting speculation in this article that they might try to recreate the Apple Store experience for the devices at the physical B&N stores.


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