Cool-er: A million units sold!? - Page 2

Patricia · 09-10-2009, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acidzebra

The header says

Interead sells 1m of its colourful Cool-er e-readers in its first months

but in the article he is quoted as saying

After a few months in the market, worldwide sales of the Cool-er (which costs £189 in the UK) have surpassed seven figures

Perhaps he has sold some 5300 readers worldwide (5300*189GBP=1,001,700 GBP) and there is some mix-up. I don't know. 5300 seems a feasible number.

This sounds like a feasible explanation of the error. Some journalists are not very numerate, it appears!
(Alternatively, the firms that make coloured devices are prone to exaggerated claims.)

igorsk · 09-10-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patricia

I've reported the story to the Guardian as inaccurate, and directed them to this thread. If anyone has any evidence of how many screens PVI is actually capable of producing, this would help to prove the inaccuracy.

According to E-Ink, "millions" of units have been sold.

Jellby · 09-10-2009, 08:55 AM

I believe it's just missing the red part:

British ebook-store Interead sells £1m of its colourful Cool-er e-readers in its first months

Abecedary · 09-10-2009, 09:16 AM

Even if it is talking about £1m worth of Cool-ers sold, that just shows the level of this guys arrogance. "We've sold over 5,000 readers, so we can easily overtake the company that's sold well over 100x that amount." Basically he's just trying to promote his company as much as possible with little regard to the facts, which wouldn't be known to a casual reader of the Guardian anyways. They'll see him talking about how he thinks his company can easily overtake Sony (who they have heard of) and they'll say "Oh, these guys are a big player in the ebook market." I'm not sure if even robertb would make the types of claims this guy is making.

Tuna · 09-10-2009, 09:51 AM

Don't ascribe to malicious intent what can simply be explained by incompetence.

Niel Jones says to journo "Sales have reached the million mark", referring to turnover or profits.. Journo searches for a snappy headline and translates it to "We've sold a million units".

He has every right to promote his business however he chooses. You have every right to ignore it. His target market is the people who pick up paperbacks with their weekly shopping trip. If that's not you, it doesn't serve any purpose being a snob about it.

sassanik · 09-10-2009, 01:29 PM

I am skeptical too of the number of a million units, as the Cool-er website has had the device backordered for a while now.

1 million in sales, as in money coming in, sounds much more accurate to me.

I think that the device has probably been selling relatively well, and eventually it could possibly take on Sony if its able to get distribution in physical stores. For those that aren't used to the idea of a ebook reader seeing on in person probably could push them in the direction of buying from them.

Amy

MichaelFStewart · 09-10-2009, 01:49 PM

Maybe they're talking store orders, but not reporting sell-through? Does sound awfully high though!

Michael F Stewart
Author of 24 Bones, A Supernatural Thriller
Available on Kindle and Multiformat

zelda_pinwheel · 09-10-2009, 01:54 PM

i could easily believe 5000 units sold. in just few months for a niche product from a new company, that's still a pretty impressive, i'd say.

brecklundin · 09-10-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

They're a bunch of liars.

+1

another marketing wonk and more lies...seems to be the normal way marketing wonks work.

brecklundin · 09-10-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abecedary

Even if it is talking about £1m worth of Cool-ers sold, that just shows the level of this guys arrogance. "We've sold over 5,000 readers, so we can easily overtake the company that's sold well over 100x that amount." Basically he's just trying to promote his company as much as possible with little regard to the facts, which wouldn't be known to a casual reader of the Guardian anyways. They'll see him talking about how he thinks his company can easily overtake Sony (who they have heard of) and they'll say "Oh, these guys are a big player in the ebook market." I'm not sure if even robertb would make the types of claims this guy is making.

naw, he will just stick with statements like the competition is using a lower grade display or something similar and derogatory, of course we have already seen that from him here in the Cool-er Reader thread.

Dr. Drib · 09-10-2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadrien

They're a bunch of liars.

You tell 'em!

Don

jackau · 09-11-2009, 01:29 AM

YES, MOst likely the 1 mil of sales, instead of 1 mil of number of devices. LOL

A million unit is a large chunk of the whole market. there simply isn't enough screens around for 1 million ebooks for just one brand.

Cool-er: a netronix clone is decent in specs poor in software reader, but ODM can't seem to produce enough of them ...
I ordered mine early in august and only got mine until early sept.

From industrial news i heard VPI is only starting to expend the Eink production line and won't expect to be up and running for another quarter (or more)!
taiwan panel Giant AUO brought another epaper maker, also looking to massively expend production next year.

Patricia · 09-24-2009, 08:42 AM

The Guardian has now published a correction:

Quote:

The panel accompanying a financial news feature on ebook reading devices said that the worldwide sales of one – the Cool-er ebook – now exceeded seven figures. This was the turnover in revenue terms, not the number of units sold (New leaf, 10 September, page 29).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardia...clarifications

jackau · 09-24-2009, 11:53 AM

well, thats 6000 units at best!
Which is around 700 units per colour
I am pretty sure demand exceed supply.
Lil wonder why they still on back order!
My bet was, Cooler and many other OEM readers will go back order until end of the year!

b0ned0me · 09-28-2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

Don't ascribe to malicious intent what can simply be explained by incompetence.

Niel Jones says to journo "Sales have reached the million mark", referring to turnover or profits.. Journo searches for a snappy headline and translates it to "We've sold a million units".

In general, the UK media is rubbish. If you're expecting any kind of factual accuracy or understanding of the topic you're likely be disappointed. If a story seems unlikely, it's usually because the journalist screwed up when re-writing the press release they were given into the house style.

Therefore I blame this 100% on Niel Jones (whoever he is) for being too lazy to get the journo to give him a template + copy of the Guardian style guide so he could do a proper tailored press release ready to go straight into the paper.

09-10-2009, 01:29 PM	#21
sassanik Guru Posts: 774 Karma: 1211741 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Oregon Device: EB1150, iPhone, Cool-er Purple, Pocketbook 360, Kindle Fire	yep I am skeptical too of the number of a million units, as the Cool-er website has had the device backordered for a while now. 1 million in sales, as in money coming in, sounds much more accurate to me. I think that the device has probably been selling relatively well, and eventually it could possibly take on Sony if its able to get distribution in physical stores. For those that aren't used to the idea of a ebook reader seeing on in person probably could push them in the direction of buying from them. Amy

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09-10-2009, 08:55 AM	#18
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,527 Karma: 19000001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I believe it's just missing the red part: British ebook-store Interead sells £1m of its colourful Cool-er e-readers in its first months

09-10-2009, 09:16 AM	#19
Abecedary Exwyzeeologist Posts: 535 Karma: 3261 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: :PRS-505::iPod touch:	Even if it is talking about £1m worth of Cool-ers sold, that just shows the level of this guys arrogance. "We've sold over 5,000 readers, so we can easily overtake the company that's sold well over 100x that amount." Basically he's just trying to promote his company as much as possible with little regard to the facts, which wouldn't be known to a casual reader of the Guardian anyways. They'll see him talking about how he thinks his company can easily overtake Sony (who they have heard of) and they'll say "Oh, these guys are a big player in the ebook market." I'm not sure if even robertb would make the types of claims this guy is making.

09-10-2009, 09:51 AM	#20
Tuna Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 325 Join Date: May 2009 Device: Cool-ER	Don't ascribe to malicious intent what can simply be explained by incompetence. Niel Jones says to journo "Sales have reached the million mark", referring to turnover or profits.. Journo searches for a snappy headline and translates it to "We've sold a million units". He has every right to promote his business however he chooses. You have every right to ignore it. His target market is the people who pick up paperbacks with their weekly shopping trip. If that's not you, it doesn't serve any purpose being a snob about it.

09-10-2009, 01:49 PM	#22
MichaelFStewart Where tech and story meet Posts: 135 Karma: 500120 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: iPad	Maybe they're talking store orders, but not reporting sell-through? Does sound awfully high though! Michael F Stewart Author of 24 Bones, A Supernatural Thriller Available on Kindle and Multiformat

09-10-2009, 01:54 PM	#23
zelda_pinwheel zeldinha zippy zeldissima Posts: 27,827 Karma: 921169 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Paris, France Device: eb1150 & is that a nook in her pocket, or she just happy to see you?	i could easily believe 5000 units sold. in just few months for a niche product from a new company, that's still a pretty impressive, i'd say.

09-11-2009, 01:29 AM	#27
jackau Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 454 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Downunder Device: Cool-er / Mac Mini / Satio / Notebook	YES, MOst likely the 1 mil of sales, instead of 1 mil of number of devices. LOL A million unit is a large chunk of the whole market. there simply isn't enough screens around for 1 million ebooks for just one brand. Cool-er: a netronix clone is decent in specs poor in software reader, but ODM can't seem to produce enough of them ... I ordered mine early in august and only got mine until early sept. From industrial news i heard VPI is only starting to expend the Eink production line and won't expect to be up and running for another quarter (or more)! taiwan panel Giant AUO brought another epaper maker, also looking to massively expend production next year.

09-24-2009, 11:53 AM	#29
jackau Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 454 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Downunder Device: Cool-er / Mac Mini / Satio / Notebook	well, thats 6000 units at best! Which is around 700 units per colour I am pretty sure demand exceed supply. Lil wonder why they still on back order! My bet was, Cooler and many other OEM readers will go back order until end of the year!