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*DrDln* (dr.s.dhillon)
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« on: May 13, 2011, 10:59:36 AM » |
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Is this my imagination or Barnes & Noble sliding down certainly compared to Amazon?
At one time I was selling way more than Amazon. But lately B&N is almost inactive. Their discussion forums are dull and lifeless.
Are other authors having similar experience or just me? Please share your experience. Wish you all the best.
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caseyf6
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« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2011, 11:37:53 AM » |
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I'm not a published writer but I totally agree about their search engine. I went to try to find some "teen" books for work yesterday and there were some bizarro suggestions for teens.
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Amanda Brice
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« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2011, 11:46:48 AM » |
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I hate, hate, hate their search engine, so I've personally never purchased any e-books from them. (Only free downloads.)
My book has only been out just under a month, but my Amazon sales outnumber my PubIt sales roughly 12-to-1.
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Check out the twists and turns in the Dani Spevak Mystery Series!
CODENAME: DANCER
POINTE OF NO RETURN, exclusive to Nook (everywhere else June 13)
"Barre Hopping at Midnight" in ETERNAL SPRING anthology
BEHIND BARRES, coming Fall 2012
PAS DE DEATH, coming Winter 2013
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Alain Gomez
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« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2011, 12:01:35 PM » |
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I own a nook (yes, I admit it). Thought I read and purchase books through both channels as I have an iPad as well.
As a reader, the search engine on Amazon is superior. Usually I do my "shopping" on Amazon and then go on B&N to buy. But in terms of look and feel, the nook books are of a much higher quality. The Amazon books are usually riddled with errors and glitches due to the conversion process. Nook books just look smoother and generally more expensive when reading. Like an actual book vs. a newspaper with ink blots.
As a writer, I have always sold more on B&N than I do Amazon. Lately, however, Amazon seems to be slowly catching up. I have no idea how people find my stuff though on B&N because when I type in certain keywords, it doesn't show up. Perhaps people just type in different key words than I do?
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jonathanmoeller
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« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2011, 12:19:42 PM » |
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I think Amazon's always had an edge over B&N, one that's only gotten sharper.
Amazon had its inception as an Internet retailer, while B&N had to move in and build up an online infrastructure from scratch to stay competitive. So Amazon was a native, while B&N had to learn the language and the mores of the country, as it were.
So it's remarkable that they've been as successful with the Nook as they have - it's the one thing that makes me think B&N won't go the way of Borders.
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ashleygirardi
Status: Lewis Carroll
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Posts: 162
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« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2011, 01:37:58 PM » |
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I've really noticed a slump in B&N sales. I went from selling about 3 a day to pretty much none (maybe 1 or 2/week). I'm glad it's not just me.
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Asher MacDonald
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« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2011, 01:42:03 PM » |
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I'll be the contrarian. My erotica sells significantly better on B&N than it does on Amazon. No idea why.
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ThatGurlthatlife
Status: Jane Austen
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Love Hard, Live Free, Die Happy
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« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2011, 01:59:45 PM » |
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In the 4 weeks that my books have been out, I've sold 35 book on Amazon and 2 on BN.com. And I think only because 2 of my friends have Nooks and said they were going to buy at some point. Pubit customer service is nonexistent, and my book is basically only on BN.bom for the prestige of saying: "Hey you can find my ebooks and print book on BN.com!!!"
Oh hey did anyone else notice that BN.com pulls your print book listing from createspace.com or amazon and sells it for less that the list price you have on Amazon? I thought amazon was against that. I thought that had to be the lower price if you were listed anywhere else.....hmmmmm....
Just noticed my print books were available on BN.com...
Anyone else.....?
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Michelle Muto
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« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2011, 02:10:55 PM » |
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Sales for my book have dropped 80% over at B&N ever since they dumped sub categories a month ago. Mine's a YA, and I agree with others that the search engine is pretty awful. I remember going into Teens, then under $5 (which the search engine ignored entirely), and then found the only sub category was pre-school. Since when are pre-schoolers teens? While my book is on B&N, it's impossible to find unless someone manually types it in the search field. Someone on the B&N forum posted that they contacted B&N and were told that things would be fixed soon, but I think everyone has pretty much decided that is no longer the case and have long since given up.
Sad, because it's really got to be hurting Nook sales. Who wants an ereader you can't find books for? And what's the point of finding a book on Amazon first and then having to go look it up at B&N? They could sell so much more if they'd spend some effort on better search criteria.
Not trying to be negative. I do wish it were better at B&N for both authors and readers alike.
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« Last Edit: May 13, 2011, 02:24:04 PM by Michelle Muto »
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oliewankanobe
Guest
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« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2011, 02:28:31 PM » |
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I bought my husband a Nook Color for his birthday and he has not touched it since December. He hates their site. They are wildly unreliable.
I also HATED how they did not tell Nook buyers that they would not get a discount with their membership... so everyone who paid 25 bucks for the year pretty much threw it away if they wanted to go digital.
Meh.
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Tamara Rose Blodgett
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« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2011, 02:35:00 PM » |
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I haven't been published long (Mar31), but...20% of my sales are from B&N. That's holding true this month as well. Didn't even know they had forums; been too busy here!
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Dara England
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« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2011, 02:37:21 PM » |
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My B&N sales have always been much lower than my Amazon sales so nothing new there for me. Nook boards are also smaller than KB so it's not surprising there's less activity there.
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Gretchen Galway
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« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2011, 02:39:08 PM » |
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You know, a month ago I would have been agreeing with everyone, but now I'm rah-rah BN for the simple reason that my newest title is selling there and not at Amazon. I put the subgenre in the title (per HP Mallory), so mine is : Love Handles (a Romantic Comedy). That seems to help. But otherwise, it is a total mystery. It outsells the 99c novella. I don't get it at all. Romantic comedy readers have Nooks is my only conclusion.
As for their site, I agree with all the complaints. And it's hard to mix on the forums; so little going on.
My husband (a computer pro in the bay area) explained it like this: It's really hard for a non-technology company to become a technology company. They don't have the corporate culture, staff, location, IP... they're basically a start-up within a dinosaur. He said that kind of company isn't very attractive to people like him (programmers, software architects) who are getting heavily recruited by the Amazons, Netflixes, eBays of the world.
I don't know, that idea appeals to me, that at its core, a company is dependent upon the people within it.
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Arkali
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« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2011, 02:58:28 PM » |
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I'm not a published writer but I totally agree about their search engine. I went to try to find some "teen" books for work yesterday and there were some bizarro suggestions for teens.
Hell, even when you know the exact title of the book, or are searching for stuff by a particular author, it STILL gives you crack-pot returns. I'd burn their search engine if I could. |
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Gretchen Galway
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« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2011, 03:05:16 PM » |
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Oh, I forgot to mention:
Whenever I go to the BN NOOKBook homepage, their "Teens & Kids" recommendations are the following:
Debbie Macomber
Lisa Jackson
Susan Mallery
and other romance bestsellers.
Now, I'm sure most teenage girls curl up with a hot romance as soon as they get their hands on one, but...
Debbie Macomber?
(Yes, I know it's a glitch. But it's a glitch that's been there for weeks/ever.)
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Amanda Brice
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« Reply #16 on: May 13, 2011, 03:16:12 PM » |
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I'm totally giggling at the idea of Debbie Macomber being hot on the teen reads list.
I have my subgenre sort of in the title of my book, and it hasn't seem to do anything for me.
Codename: Dancer (A Dani Spevak Mystery)
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Logged
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Check out the twists and turns in the Dani Spevak Mystery Series!
CODENAME: DANCER
POINTE OF NO RETURN, exclusive to Nook (everywhere else June 13)
"Barre Hopping at Midnight" in ETERNAL SPRING anthology
BEHIND BARRES, coming Fall 2012
PAS DE DEATH, coming Winter 2013
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Gretchen Galway
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« Reply #17 on: May 13, 2011, 03:36:56 PM » |
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I'm totally giggling at the idea of Debbie Macomber being hot on the teen reads list.
I have my subgenre sort of in the title of my book, and it hasn't seem to do anything for me.
Codename: Dancer (A Dani Spevak Mystery)
I'm glad somebody else thought it was funny. She seems the antithesis of hot teen. As for your subgenre title thing--how about "Codename: Dancer (A Teen Mystery)" ? I've even seen crazy long titles with the name of the series and a subgenre--and they're at the top of the lists, as though it works. See Lucy Kevin. It's easy to change and change back on the fly. I've done it a few times now, lol. Updates almost immediately. |
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Cheryl Shireman
Status: Jane Austen
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Cheryl Shireman, writer
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« Reply #18 on: May 13, 2011, 03:53:23 PM » |
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There is definitely a problem at B&N. I have emailed them twice with my concerns, but they have ignored both emails. Whatever happened, it happened around April 7/8. I have talked to MANY writers who also noticed sales fall off dramatically right around that time period.
These are the figures for my novel, Life is But a Dream...
Feb Nook sales 23.9% of Amazon sales
Mar Nook sales 31.3% of Amazon sales
April Nook sales 4.5% of Amazon sales
It is less that half way through May, but my numbers are...
May Nook sales 1.4% of Amazon sales
In March, and the first week of April, my Nook sales were steadily increasing. Then right around April 7/8, they almost disappeared.
I realize there are fewer Nooks out there than Kindles, but these numbers just do not make sense. Even if the numbers for Nook are always lower, the percentages should not be steadily going downhill. Again, if this was only my book, I wouldn't think as much of it. But I have talked to many writers who have noticed the same. My sales on Amazon have increased every month (significantly) on Amazon, and since April, hardly any sales on Nook. In March my Nook sales were almost one third of my Amazon sales. For this month, so far - 1.4%?
I am very concerned about this. And I think we should all be concerned. Pardon the pun, but this just does not add up.
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EllenFisher
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« Reply #19 on: May 13, 2011, 04:03:03 PM » |
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My sales at B&N have been in the toilet ever since being "reranked," but I don't entirely blame B&N-- I've only been able to get one new book out, and it didn't do too well. If I can get healthy enough to get another book up, I'm hoping it might do better. We shall see.
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MJAWare
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« Reply #20 on: May 13, 2011, 04:10:23 PM » |
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My sales were doing really well on B&N last month; almost even with Amazon. However, this month they are way down (say off by 50 to 60%).
I don't do much to promote, so I thought it was just me, but maybe it's not.
With the massive improvements to the color nook, I expected sales to keep climbing. I guess I was wrong.
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« Last Edit: May 13, 2011, 09:12:28 PM by MJAWare »
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DavidRM
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« Reply #21 on: May 13, 2011, 04:15:08 PM » |
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I haven't had a sale on B&N since February.
I had a few in December when I first posted to PubIt. More in January. Then just a couple in Feburary. None since.
My expectations aren't *high*. But *nothing* in 3 months, with a growing list of titles over there is just ... odd.
It's tempting to just stop using PubIt and let Smashwords handle that too. Save me the upload.
-David
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Michelle Muto
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« Reply #22 on: May 13, 2011, 04:16:44 PM » |
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Hmmm. So, I should try adding (A teen mystery) or (a teen Urban Fantasy) or (a teen fantasy/comedy)?
It's worth a shot seeing as there isn't much to lose.
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Asher MacDonald
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« Reply #23 on: May 13, 2011, 04:20:58 PM » |
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There is definitely a problem at B&N. I have emailed them twice with my concerns, but they have ignored both emails. Whatever happened, it happened around April 7/8. I have talked to MANY writers who also noticed sales fall off dramatically right around that time period.
These are the figures for my novel, Life is But a Dream...
Feb Nook sales 23.9% of Amazon sales
Mar Nook sales 31.3% of Amazon sales
April Nook sales 4.5% of Amazon sales
It is less that half way through May, but my numbers are...
May Nook sales 1.4% of Amazon sales
In March, and the first week of April, my Nook sales were steadily increasing. Then right around April 7/8, they almost disappeared.
I realize there are fewer Nooks out there than Kindles, but these numbers just do not make sense. Even if the numbers for Nook are always lower, the percentages should not be steadily going downhill. Again, if this was only my book, I wouldn't think as much of it. But I have talked to many writers who have noticed the same. My sales on Amazon have increased every month (significantly) on Amazon, and since April, hardly any sales on Nook. In March my Nook sales were almost one third of my Amazon sales. For this month, so far - 1.4%?
I am very concerned about this. And I think we should all be concerned. Pardon the pun, but this just does not add up.
Again, I'll provide a contrary example. In March my Amazon sales were significantly greater than my B&N sales. In April B&N nearly doubled my Amazon sales. In May so far I'm seeing the same thing. |
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Danielle Bourdon
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« Reply #24 on: May 13, 2011, 04:22:59 PM » |
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Same here. I was really picking up steam over at B&N in Feb/March, then everything just tanked in the first week of April. I'm not doing anything different marketing wise than I was back then. It's pretty disappointing.
The saving grace is that sales have finally started to pick up on Kindle for me (a little).
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