People are Not Reading the eBooks they Buy Anymore

[Paul Whybrow]

This article on the Good E Reader blog offers some intriguing food for thought:

http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/people-are-not-reading-the-e-books-they-buy-anymore

Tracking software shows that although people may buy ebooks, they don't necessarily read them. It's worth reading the comments at the bottom of the article, for some of their reasons. Once again, there's an indication that people are consuming books and magazine articles in different ways, sometimes on their smartphones.

After reading this article, I thought 'well, I'd never do that,' immediately realising that I had! I downloaded several writing handbooks from Amazon a couple of months ago, some were free and a couple were 99c. I've completely forgotten about them, and have been buying similar instruction books on Ebay instead. This rather shows the problem with having digital files - they disappear, and need to be searched out, whereas a book sits there on a shelf in plain view, encouraging you to read it.

I wonder too, if people are subconsciously put off reading ebooks as it's a less satisfying experience. There have been several reports out recently, showing that people don't remember a story as well if they've read it on a Kindle, compared to in paperback form. The haptic experience isn't as stimulating, meaning that content flows out of the mind almost as swiftly as it enters:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/20...kindles-paper-study-plot-ereader-digitisation

Haptic is my word of the day!

 

[Nicole Wilson]

I have several ebooks that I've downloaded but haven't read yet. Not because I'm subconsciously avoiding them, but because I'm waiting for my travelling to come up. If the whole point of these things is so I don't have to lug around books, then I plan to use them that way. I have some travel coming up in a few weeks and then again next month. I shall read the books on my phone then In the meantime, when it's not a bother for me to carry books, I'm going to stick with my physical copies.

 

[Marc Joan]

Haptic! Yum yum.
Cats are haptic therapy, by the way. Dogs too.

 

[Jason Byrne]

This article on the Good E Reader blog offers some intriguing food for thought:

http://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/people-are-not-reading-the-e-books-they-buy-anymore

Tracking software shows that although people may buy ebooks, they don't necessarily read them. It's worth reading the comments at the bottom of the article, for some of their reasons. Once again, there's an indication that people are consuming books and magazine articles in different ways, sometimes on their smartphones.

After reading this article, I thought 'well, I'd never do that,' immediately realising that I had! I downloaded several writing handbooks from Amazon a couple of months ago, some were free and a couple were 99c. I've completely forgotten about them, and have been buying similar instruction books on Ebay instead. This rather shows the problem with having digital files - they disappear, and need to be searched out, whereas a book sits there on a shelf in plain view, encouraging you to read it.

I wonder too, if people are subconsciously put off reading ebooks as it's a less satisfying experience. There have been several reports out recently, showing that people don't remember a story as well if they've read it on a Kindle, compared to in paperback form. The haptic experience isn't as stimulating, meaning that content flows out of the mind almost as swiftly as it enters:

http://www.theguardian.com/books/20...kindles-paper-study-plot-ereader-digitisation

Haptic is my word of the day!

I'm guilty of that. I've downloaded about two-dozen free e-books that I haven't read.

 

[Marc Joan]

I'm guilty of buying physical books and then just looking at them. It's not that I forget, it's that I just stare at them and gloat, thinking, yes, I can read you whenever I want ...WHENEVER I want...and there's nothing you can do about it...nothing

 

[Jennifer Stone]

I would understand some people could buy in bulk as it were, taking advantage of special offers or discounts. Then read them at their leisure, so it might register that they haven't read the books, but not the intention to read them at some point.

 

[K.J. Simmill]

I currently have about 24 books I have downloaded and not read, and the list grows, however I am committed to read every one of them, in fact I use Goodreads to organise my reading list so I don't forget any I have brought, and know what I should read next.

The exceptions to following my list are if a book comes out that I am really looking forwards to, like when Karen's next book comes out that will just straight to the top of my list, if I am in the mood for a certain genre, at which point I will find one, or if someone gifts me a book for review.

I am quite good in the sense I don't get swayed by free e-books, unless I know I will read it.

As for people putting off reading books, I can't remember where, but I read an article recently that said readers were losing faith in books due to the oversaturation of the market. As indie published myself, I know how easy it is to get your work out there, and I know not everyone is as diligent of the quality. It went on to say a number of people wanting to self release books are not as diligent with editing than someone who wanted to seek representation because there is no need to compete with other people for a place with an agent or publisher.

I spent years, and I mean years, editing my book before I thought it was anywhere near close, I have been working on my Forgotten Legacies series since about 2005, most of which was editing, so much in fact, by the time it was finished, I vowed never to read it again, that said I was really pleased with Darrienia when I finally put it out there, and although I couldn't afford the 5k in editing fees, I am confident it won't let me or, more importantly, the readers, down (please please please) But there are a lot of books out there, that readers find disappointing, I read one recently by a well known author, and as much as I wanted to like it, I really couldn't. To me a book is a promise to a reader, and sadly some on today's market don't deliver.

Oops I went off on a tangent there, but it isn't surprising people don't read all the books they have, especially when there are sites dedicated to listing free book offers, people will download things they had no intention of reading, simply because it is free.

 

[NickP]

If it helps I have bought hundreds of PAPER books that I have never got around to reading.

 

[Jason Byrne]

If it helps I have bought hundreds of PAPER books that I have never got around to reading.

Seconded. And that makes me feel better.

 

[KG Christopher]

I have one book on my kindle I havent read yet - Elon Musk a biography, but I will get around to it.

 

[Robinne Weiss]

If you could track people's library check-outs, you'd probably find the same thing. I've checked out hundreds of books from the library, meaning to read them, then not getting to them before they're due to be returned. On my kindle, there are plenty of books I've downloaded as cheap or free--only to discover you get what you pay for, so I've quit reading after a couple of pages.