Re: Amazon Kindle

At 4:32 AM +0000 11/29/07, Tony Burton wrote:
>
>Actually, it makes a lot of sense. Amazon doesn't "own" the book they are converting to
>Kindle format, so they probably aren't going to tack an ISBN onto it, since ISBNs belong to
>the publisher, not the reseller.


No one is suggesting that Amazon issue ISBNs for Kindle ebooks. I'm merely trying to get Amazon to track by the ISBN IF THE PUBLISHER ISSUES ONE FOR THE KINDLE VERSION!!!


>But, since the book is in a new form (i.e., not in hardcopy as a paperback, hardback, trade
>paperback, or as an audiobook of some kind, etc.) they cannot use the existing ISBN. That
>is against all the rules. (Any change in form, such as from trade paperback to audiobook,
>requires a new ISBN.)

Exactly right. So a publisher follows the rules, issues a new ISBN for the Kindle ebook, and Amazon ignores that ISBN. That is the problem.


>So, since they are not producing this to be sold through any other outlet (you won't find
>B&N selling a Kindle-copy, at least at this point) and they cannot use the same ISBN, it
>makes perfect sense for them to generate a new tracking number and use their ASINs for
>that purpose. It may be inconvenient for you, but it makes sense.

For what its worth, the fact that others can issue ebooks compatible with the Kindle has already been established. It seems inconvenient, but it is possible

Amazon issues their own tracking number for print books that don't have an ISBN (such as pre-1969 books -- those from before the ISBN system). It then uses the ISBN for print books that have them.

Why can't Amazon do the same thing with ebooks. Use the ISBN if it exists, and create their own number for those that don't.

That's all I"m asking for.


>
>The original publisher could, in agreement with Amazon, issue a new ISBN to the Kindle
>version if they wished,


The publisher doesn't need Amazon's permission to issue a new ISBN. I'm sure large publishers routinely issue new ISBNs for new formats, regardless of what Amazon does.

The problem is that Amazon isn't using the ISBN for Kindle books.


>but I don't know if they would wish to do that when Amazon can
>handle the job with an ASIN and it will not cost the publisher anything. An ISBN ultimately
>costs the publisher some amount of money, depending upon how many they buy at a
>time.
>
>Tony Burton
>

I agree that ISBNs can be too expensive, especially given the explosion we are likely to eventually see in short, cheap ebooks, many of which will not have the sales volume to justify paying the per ISBN maximum ($27.50 -- from $275 for a block of ten ISBNs)

The problem is that if a major player like Amazon stops using the ISBN, then the ISBN system becomes a little more broken. And we, customers and book-industry players, loose because the items that don't use ISBNs become that much harder to find and purchase.

One of the problems with the ebook industry in general is that the vast majority of ebooks don't carry any kind of identifying number - no ISBN or DOI or whatever. Every vendor creates their own stocking number and keys in (or has the author key in) the descriptive data for the book. As a result, its harder to find ebooks, and the information you find at one vendor doesn't help at another vendor.

I think we will all be better off if we solve that one.

Kent




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