A Glimpse into how B&N handles digital textbooks

Nate the great · 12-04-2009, 10:51 AM

I just found something rather interesting on The Daily WTF, a blog I follow.

From the blog post:

Quote:

"There is something so fundamentally wrong with this," David Daniel notes, "I bought an 'eBook' from the Arizona State University bookstore. At checkout, I wondered why they wanted me to choose a 'shipping address' and a 'carrier'... and now I know. They FedEx'ed me the eBook."

I'm sure you're scratching your head, but I find it fascinating. Look at the image. Do you see the hole in the top of the cardboard square? I think that little piece of cardboard is supposed to be hanging on a hook in a college bookstore. Obviously the hook is supposed on the shelf next to the paper version of the digital textbooks.

In case you're interested, the link in the image leads to www.digitaltextbooks.com. This site is owned by MBS, a textbook disitributor (both paper and digital). MBS is a business partner of B&N College, and currently handles digital textbook sales for B&N. MBS has been in digital textbooks (and ebooks in general) longer than B&N, so don't interpret that to mean a subordinate relationship.

wallcraft · 12-04-2009, 11:08 AM

I wonder if this approach can be used to do an end run around geographic restrictions. If the nexus of the sale is the card, then they can be shipped worldwide and geographic restrictions apply to the source location not the recipient's location.

rcuadro · 12-04-2009, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wallcraft

I wonder if this approach can be used to do an end run around geographic restrictions. If the nexus of the sale is the card, then they can be shipped worldwide and geographic restrictions apply to the source location not the recipient's location.

It may still get ya when you try to reclaim the book.

On the other had it would make it easier to purchase an eBook as a gift

Latinandgreek · 12-04-2009, 11:22 AM

I just checked out the site in the link - wow, they are a pricey (some of their ebooks are pricier then the print varieties), and some of their books expire after 180 days. Caveat emptor.

vivaldirules · 12-04-2009, 11:36 AM

Is the intent to give you a physical proof of purchase which you might then be able to sell when you're done with it? If not, then what purpose might it serve?

m-reader · 12-04-2009, 11:47 AM

This is similar to buying prepaid phones voucher cards. Nowadays most carriers allow you to buy a top-up at a shop - the voucher number is printed out on the receipt!
There is no reason this couldn't be done here as well.

markbot · 12-04-2009, 11:52 AM

i hope they don't have that book number exposed so that people can steal it in the store.

this could be a mechanism for buying and selling the digitalbooks

i think firms would be suicidal if they allowed the reselling of digital ebooks. there is no degeneration in the ebook and thus the reseller can sell it at the same price as the original...andit can transmitted over the internet...thus there is very low transaction cost. this would mean that ebooks would actually make the secondary market even larger and more dangerous for the ebook firms.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-04-2009, 12:03 PM

This doesn't surprise me. It's another version of the strategy to tie the e-book to a physical container of some kind--in this case, the delivered package. I wonder: If something happened to your e-book or laptop, and you'd thrown away your package, would you have to buy the book again? Hopefully not...

I see on their website that the e-book is non-returnable, even if not installed on your PC...

Apparently you have to create an account of fairly detailed info in order to use the book, obviously to prevent others from accessing the same book.

slayda · 12-04-2009, 12:42 PM

Is this yet another proprietary ebook format & reading SW?

vivaldirules · 12-04-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slayda

Is this yet another proprietary ebook format & reading SW?

It appears that the ebooks they sell come in one of five different formats: Adobe DE, CourseSmart, VitalSource, AspenLaw Studydesk, and eVOLVE SELECT. I didn't see a single book where you had a choice of format. So I'm guessing this is "one stop shopping" for textbooks that are sold by these vendors.

kjk · 12-04-2009, 01:01 PM

Windows XP and Mac OS 10.3? How old are these photos?

Boston · 12-04-2009, 01:24 PM

I have long hoped for adoption of this type of technology for buying e-books in the b&m bookstores.

I love going to the bookstores and want them to have my business.

pedgarcia · 12-04-2009, 01:37 PM

It seems weird at first glance, and a pretty interesting idea after thinking about it. As iTunes and other voucher cards, this can be an alternative to keep physical bookstores selling books, even in ebook format. However, sending a physical card like that when you buy something using the internet is a complete non-sense for me.

Regards

Paulo

omk3 · 12-04-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pedgarcia

It seems weird at first glance, and a pretty interesting idea after thinking about it. As iTunes and other voucher cards, this can be an alternative to keep physical bookstores selling books, even in ebook format. However, sending a physical card like that when you buy something using the internet is a complete non-sense for me.

Regards

Paulo

I agree. I love browsing in bookstores, but after I started reading ebooks I am very reluctant to buy paper books if I can avoid it. So when I find a book I might like, I have to go home and check if it is available as an ebook. I would love to have the opportunity to buy an ebook in store. But then, sending an ebook by post is just anachronistic and a waste of resources and time.

kindlekitten · 12-04-2009, 02:54 PM

this would be the type of thing to draw consumers into the independent stores again. have tree books and then a variety of these ebook "cards" to purchase while you are browsing. sticking with the mailing of the actual book sucks though. letting the customer do a download right there, or even having a special code for the wifi download to complete the transaction

12-04-2009, 11:52 AM	#7
markbot Guru Posts: 612 Karma: 7511929 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New York, NY Device: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite 2	i hope they don't have that book number exposed so that people can steal it in the store. this could be a mechanism for buying and selling the digitalbooks i think firms would be suicidal if they allowed the reselling of digital ebooks. there is no degeneration in the ebook and thus the reseller can sell it at the same price as the original...andit can transmitted over the internet...thus there is very low transaction cost. this would mean that ebooks would actually make the secondary market even larger and more dangerous for the ebook firms. Last edited by markbot; 12-04-2009 at 11:55 AM.

12-04-2009, 12:03 PM	#8
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	This doesn't surprise me. It's another version of the strategy to tie the e-book to a physical container of some kind--in this case, the delivered package. I wonder: If something happened to your e-book or laptop, and you'd thrown away your package, would you have to buy the book again? Hopefully not... I see on their website that the e-book is non-returnable, even if not installed on your PC... Apparently you have to create an account of fairly detailed info in order to use the book, obviously to prevent others from accessing the same book. Last edited by Steven Lyle Jordan; 12-04-2009 at 12:07 PM.

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12-04-2009, 11:08 AM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	I wonder if this approach can be used to do an end run around geographic restrictions. If the nexus of the sale is the card, then they can be shipped worldwide and geographic restrictions apply to the source location not the recipient's location.

12-04-2009, 11:22 AM	#4
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	I just checked out the site in the link - wow, they are a pricey (some of their ebooks are pricier then the print varieties), and some of their books expire after 180 days. Caveat emptor.

12-04-2009, 11:36 AM	#5
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Is the intent to give you a physical proof of purchase which you might then be able to sell when you're done with it? If not, then what purpose might it serve?

12-04-2009, 11:47 AM	#6
m-reader Guru Posts: 785 Karma: 100000 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Sony PRS-300. PRS-650, PRS-900, iPad2, Iconia A500, Irex Iliad (sold)	This is similar to buying prepaid phones voucher cards. Nowadays most carriers allow you to buy a top-up at a shop - the voucher number is printed out on the receipt! There is no reason this couldn't be done here as well.

12-04-2009, 12:42 PM	#9
slayda Retired & reading more! Posts: 2,764 Karma: 1884247 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: North Alabama, USA Device: Kindle 1, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6S+, Kobo Aura One	Is this yet another proprietary ebook format & reading SW?

12-04-2009, 01:01 PM	#11
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	Windows XP and Mac OS 10.3? How old are these photos?

12-04-2009, 01:24 PM	#12
Boston Fanatic Posts: 555 Karma: 40032 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Boston :) Device: Kindle, Kobo Aura H20, Pixel XL	I have long hoped for adoption of this type of technology for buying e-books in the b&m bookstores. I love going to the bookstores and want them to have my business.

12-04-2009, 01:37 PM	#13
pedgarcia Connoisseur Posts: 63 Karma: 250 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: PRS-505	It seems weird at first glance, and a pretty interesting idea after thinking about it. As iTunes and other voucher cards, this can be an alternative to keep physical bookstores selling books, even in ebook format. However, sending a physical card like that when you buy something using the internet is a complete non-sense for me. Regards Paulo

12-04-2009, 02:54 PM	#15
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	this would be the type of thing to draw consumers into the independent stores again. have tree books and then a variety of these ebook "cards" to purchase while you are browsing. sticking with the mailing of the actual book sucks though. letting the customer do a download right there, or even having a special code for the wifi download to complete the transaction

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