Cracking the Nonfiction Code @kobo @mtamblyn #TOCCON
In print Fiction Non-fiction
In print, with kids books Fiction Non-fiction
In digital Fiction Non-fiction
Why?
Devices Customers Price Narwhals Competition from other sources Gift economy of the book Gift economy of the ereader
25 minutes
Data
Data vs. Fun
Data vs. Fun (or at least Conscious)
I hold the rights for the world s largest collection of narwhal field guides and am going to decide what to price them at the end of your talk.
I have spent the last two days learning everything there is to know about epub3. Entertain me or I will hang myself with a lanyard.
Difficult balance
Hard data.
price
share
With interludes of Semi-substantiated speculation
W, Empress of Content & Pricing Data
About Kobo
2.5 million titles 7 million customers Kobo ereader Touch Kobo Vox ipad, iphone, Android, Blackberry
ebooks to almost 200 countries
and some countries that only questionably exist
Acquiring content in 25 countries
Merchandising in 9 countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands)
Merchandising in 9 countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Germany, France, Spain, Netherlands)
What is the fiction/non-fiction split?
Digital vs. Print Share of Purchase Fic$on Romance 221% Fic$on General & Other* 115% Fic$on Mystery & Detec$ve 120% Fic$on Fantasy 67% Nonfic$on RELIGION 6% Nonfic$on BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY - 16% Nonfic$on BUSINESS & ECONOMICS - 52% Nonfic$on HEALTH & FITNESS - 54% Nonfic$on FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS - 63% Juvenile JUVENILE FICTION - 66% Nonfic$on SELF- HELP - 71% Nonfic$on HUMOR - 72% Nonfic$on BODY, MIND & SPIRIT - 74% Nonfic$on SPORTS & RECREATION - 83% Nonfic$on TRAVEL - 89% Nonfic$on REFERENCE - 90% Nonfic-on COOKING - 92% Juvenile JUVENILE NONFICTION - 96% Nonfic-on COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS - 98%
What is moving easily to digital: Original stories à Fiction Opinion, analysis and expertise vs. data and information. à Biography, History, Business Proprietary knowledge à Diets and health guides, self-help, instruction
Why are some categories significantly underindexed? How many of them are richly illustrated with complex formats? à Constrained by supply in digital, still not a lot of titles available vs. print How many are given as gifts? à Constrained by behaviour)
The categories at the bottom of the list: those in competition with free ad-supported web resources (cookbooks, travel, etc.) à if you have a web-connected device to read on, you ll use it
There are definitely opportunities for children s books
Gift shifting from book to device to read books
Could we do a better job of on a device for kids?
Sure.
Are there non-fiction devices?
Yes.
Not about screen size.
or OS.
Where the boys are
% of Library in Non-fiction Kobo EReader 2.0 iphone Desktop Client - Windows Kobo Website Kobo Vox Android App - downloadable Kobo Touch Desktop Client - OSX ipad Samsung Galaxy Tab Blackberry Playbook HTC Android Smartphone Desktop Client - Linux 0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00%
Non-fiction Pricing
Price Points by # of ISBNs in Catalog
US Non-fiction pricing vs. unit sales 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
(digital non-fiction is a backlist business)
Canada Non-fiction Pricing by Unit Sales 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Australia - Non-fiction Pricing by Unit Sales 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Biography 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Business 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Food & Cooking 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Health & Fitness 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 11-11.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 14-14.99 15-15.99 16-16.99 17-17.99 18-18.99 19-19.99 20-20.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Comics & Graphic Novels 0-0.99 1-1.99 2-2.99 3-3.99 4-4.99 5-5.99 6-6.99 7-7.99 8-8.99 9-9.99 10-10.99 12-12.99 13-13.99 15-15.99 21 + BACKLIST FRONTLIST
Is there a significant selfpublishing market?
not yet.
7% of all unit sales self-pub
non-fiction 1% self-pub
Price Decay in Non-fiction
70.00% 60.00% 12.31 All Non-fiction 50.00% 40.00% 8.82 8.70 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
70.00% 60.00% 13.81 Business & Non-fiction 50.00% 40.00% 11.85 11.45 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
70.00% 60.00% 12.42 Biography 11.42 10.60 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
70.00% 60.00% 13.24 History 11.50 50.00% 9.59 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
70.00% Cooking 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 11.46 9.65 9.61 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
70.00% Health & Fitness 60.00% 50.00% 10.85 10.59 9.11 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 365 % of Total Quantity Sold Average Price Linear (Average Price)
Cracking the Nonfiction Code @kobo @mtamblyn #TOCCON