E-Books

ABA recently convened four Bookseller Task Forces – Digital, Education, Local First, and ABACUS – to gather member input and suggestions for ABA initiatives and programming.

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Random House has worked with ABA’s IndieBound program to create an “Eat Sleep (e)Read” window cling to promote e-book sales at independent bookstores.

This week, Judge Denny Chin rejected Google’s Amended Settlement Agreement with the Authors Guild and the Association of American Publishers, but left the door open for approval if changes were made.

With QR codes going mainstream, indie booksellers are increasingly integrating them into their shelf-talkers and newsletters. Among the results has been the opening of conversations between customers and staff about e-books, new technologies, and customer service.

On Monday, February 28, ABA indicated its strong support of the decision by Random House to adopt the agency pricing model for the publisher’s e-books. Under the agency model, a publisher sets a retail price for a specific book, which establishes a level playing field for all resellers.

At the recent Digital Book World conference in New York, Jack McKeown, co-owner of Books & Books in Westhampton, New York, and director of Business Development for Verso Digital, presented an update on the “2010 Survey of Book-Buying Behavior With Verso Digital.”

Two sessions on how to sell e-books drew full houses on Friday, January 21, at Winter Institute 6. Topics included how to introduce customers to e-readers and e-books, marketing tips and tactics, and the importance of capturing e-book market share.

IndieCommerce stores are finding creative ways to market Google eBooks™, including using QR codes on shelf-talkers to promote sales.

HarperCollins has created a program that encourages retailers to use e-commerce tools to sell Harper print and e-book titles. The program directly benefits ABA IndieCommerce stores.