02-13-2014, 01:59 PM | #1 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,806
Karma: 13399999
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: US
Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4
|
Open Road Media acquires E-Reads
I used to buy a lot of E-Reads books back in the Fictionwise days, but I think they had been not been acquiring many new titles the last few years.
From the announcement: Open Road Integrated Media, the largest independent ebook publisher, announced today that it has acquired E-Reads, the oldest independent ebook publisher in the field. E-Reads’ more than 1,200 titles, a majority of which are science fiction and fantasy and also span the mystery, thriller, romance, and horror genres, will now be published by Open Road and marketed through the company’s proprietary platform. E-Reads founder Richard Curtis will consult with Open Road during the transition. |
02-14-2014, 10:32 AM | #2 |
Connoisseur
Posts: 80
Karma: 1701716
Join Date: Jun 2010
Device: Nook
|
This is VERY interesting indeed. I never bought from them. Do they use DRM and if so what type?
|
Advert | |
|
02-14-2014, 10:57 AM | #3 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,747
Karma: 3761220
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Device: T1 Red, Kindle Fire, Kindle PW, PW2, Nook HD+, Kobo Mini, Aura HD
|
Do the produce epub, mobi/azw3. of both?
|
02-14-2014, 11:02 AM | #4 | |
IOC Chief Archivist
Posts: 3,950
Karma: 53868218
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA
Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12
|
Quote:
http://www.openroadmedia.com/ebooks.aspx |
|
02-14-2014, 11:35 AM | #5 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,806
Karma: 13399999
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: US
Device: Nook Simple Touch, Kobo Glo HD, Kobo Clara HD, Kindle 4
|
E-Reads was DRM free, Open Road uses DRM. Some E-Reads books are sold at the Baen website which is DRM free, so I wonder if Open Road will pull the books from there.
|
Advert | |
|
02-14-2014, 01:28 PM | #6 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,622
Karma: 11387182
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo Clara Colour
|
|
02-14-2014, 11:27 PM | #7 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,821
Karma: 19162882
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Te Riu-a-Māui
Device: Kobo Glo
|
I hope this doesn't happen to the E-Reads books, some of the Nightshade books that were selling DRM-free and without geographic restrictions at Baen for $6.99 now sell at Amazon and Kobo with DRM and restrictions for $10.49.
|
04-12-2014, 07:21 AM | #8 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,821
Karma: 19162882
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Te Riu-a-Māui
Device: Kobo Glo
|
Well it looks like the worst-case scenario happened:
E-Reads books used to sell at Baen without any geographical restrictions, DRM-free, and generally for $4.99. Now they are no longer at Baen, but are selling at other retailers under the Open Road label with geographical restrictions, with DRM, and some titles that were $4.99 at Baen are now $7.69 or more. |
04-12-2014, 07:34 AM | #9 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
"Worst case" would be going out of business. Perhaps they found that their previous business model wasn't working for them.
|
04-12-2014, 07:47 AM | #10 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,821
Karma: 19162882
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Te Riu-a-Māui
Device: Kobo Glo
|
They did go out of business. E-Reads is no more. Now we have Open Road with DRM, geographical restrictions, and higher prices instead.
|
04-13-2014, 07:36 AM | #11 |
Indie Advocate
Posts: 2,863
Karma: 18794463
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Device: Kindle
|
Open Road titles are often heavily discounted on Amazon though. I don't really keep track of the epub stores, but if there's a title I want on Open Road, generally speaking I just wait a while and eventually it's available for cheap on Amazon, even if only temporarily.
For example, I just picked up Nebula Award-winning Babel-17 from Amazon at $1.99 as a daily deal. Not sure if that originally came from E-Reads or not, but it's definitely Open Road now. Of course, that doesn't cover the concerns about geographical restrictions or DRM. |
04-13-2014, 09:42 AM | #12 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,821
Karma: 19162882
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Te Riu-a-Māui
Device: Kobo Glo
|
Yes Open Road participates in Kobo's promo codes, OmniLit's 10-for-1 scheme, etc. But then so did E-Reads.
It is not so much the absolute price that I have trouble with, Open Road have acquired some excellent titles and the new prices are not out of line with what other big publishers are charging for backlist ebooks. But just the fact that the price has been increased when nothing of value has been added to the ebooks. Perhaps the higher prices are needed to cover the extra costs of adding DRM and the loss of revenue from those countries that are now geographically restricted. Last edited by GeoffR; 04-13-2014 at 09:47 AM. Reason: spelling |
04-13-2014, 09:49 AM | #13 | |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
|
|
04-13-2014, 10:14 AM | #14 |
Ex-Helpdesk Junkie
Posts: 19,421
Karma: 85397180
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity
Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)
|
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Open Road Sale 7/24 to 7/30 $.99 and up | NightBird | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 4 | 07-27-2012 05:39 PM |
All Open Road Media books 60% off | geertm | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 11 | 11-29-2011 06:27 AM |
Open Road Media Back-To-School Sale $.99-$4.99 Through 9/13 | NightBird | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 6 | 09-08-2011 10:01 PM |
50 Summer Steals Open Road Media $.99-$4.99 until 7/12 | NightBird | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 8 | 07-12-2011 06:26 AM |
Bargain (Kindle) From Open Road Publisher ($0.99-2.99) | arcadata | Deals and Resources (No Self-Promotion or Affiliate Links) | 0 | 06-01-2011 11:09 AM |