從Google對Oyster的收購可看出：電子書和新聞一樣，正以內(nèi)容制造方的角色出現(xiàn)在大型平臺 原文鏈接
【閱讀筆記】
鑒于以下觀察，做電子書相關創(chuàng)業(yè)不是明智之舉虱疏。
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商業(yè)模式：電子書訂閱模式很難盈利。
- 電子書訂閱網(wǎng)站Oyster此前宣布，他們正在關閉業(yè)務肪虎。Google收購了他家的許多資產(chǎn)，包括做得相當不錯的手機端閱讀技術和編輯評論惧蛹；這其中并不包括他們和發(fā)行商之間的合同扇救，因為Google只是想把手機端的閱讀體驗和編輯評論應用到Google Play.
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消費者行為：人們越來越少購買電子書。
- 在15年的前5個月里香嗓，電子書的銷量持續(xù)下降迅腔。其中，青年讀物（比如饑餓游戲）的銷量較14年下滑43.3%靠娱。
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競爭者：在手機端沧烈，電子書有無數(shù)的強有力的競爭者。
- 由于現(xiàn)在越來越多的人用手機讀書饱岸，電子書更多地被視為以一種內(nèi)容的形式存在于手機端掺出；那兒有無數(shù)的免費的其他內(nèi)容正在與之競爭徽千。
對電子書訂閱服務的深入觀察
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主要玩家：Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, Scribd, Oyster
- Oyster正在關閉業(yè)務
- Scribd 也于近幾個月對其業(yè)務進行了削減
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商業(yè)模型
Scribd和Oyster: 當讀者閱讀了一本電子書的部分篇章后，發(fā)行商就能以這本電子書的完整批發(fā)價收到支付汤锨。
Kindle Unlimited: Amazon每個月自行決定支付給作者的金額双抽。最近，它宣布以后將根據(jù)閱讀頁數(shù)闲礼，而非借閱量牍汹，付費給作者。
未來的商業(yè)模型: 盡管Kindle Unlimited的模型看似對發(fā)行商和作者沒有吸引力柬泽，甚至是不友好慎菲，但這卻是值得考慮的未來的商業(yè)模型。一方面锨并，它比Scrid和Oyser的模型更具有可持續(xù)性露该；另一方面，Amazon作為商業(yè)巨頭可以承擔在這個項目上出現(xiàn)的虧損第煮。
Google’s grab of Oyster suggests ebooks, like news, are becoming “content” read on big platforms See the Article
【My takeaway】
It appears to be unwise to launch any ebook startups in light of the following observations:
Business model: Ebook subscriptions don’t work.
Ebook subscription site Oyster announced that it’s shutting down. Google acquired many of its assets, including its strong mobile reading tech and its editorial content, but not its contracts with publishers, as Google is interested in bringing its mobile reading experience and editorial content to Google Play.
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Consumer behavior: People are buying fewer ebooks.
- There has been a continuous drop in ebook sales over the course of the first five months in 2015. Young adult ebook (e.g. Hunger Games) sales were down 43.3% compared to 2014.
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Competitors: There is tons of other competitive content formatted for mobile.
- With way more people reading ebooks on phones nowadays, ebooks are considered more as pieces of content, existing alongside a whole lot of other free content being read on phones.
A deeper look at the ebook subscription service world.
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Giant players: Amazon's Kindle Unlimited, Scribd, Oyster
- Oyster is shutting down.
- Scribd has made cutbacks to its service in recent months.
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Business model:
Scribd and Oyster: the publishers were paid an ebook’s full wholesale price when a reader completed just a portion of it.
Kindle Unlimited: the authors were paid out of a set pool of money, the amount of which is set at Amazon’s discretion each month. Recently, Amazon decided to pay the authors by the number of pages read, rather than by the borrow.
Future model: Although the Kindle Unlimited model seems way less attractive or even unfriendly to publishers and authors, it could be the future model to consider, as it is more sustainable than the Scribd and Oyster model. Plus, it is backed by a giant company that can actually afford to take a loss, if any, on the program.
