Amazon's 48-Hour 'Prime Day' Event Takes Place October 13 and 14

[deeddawg]

You also get to take up to 65% of revenue, leaving authors with as little as 35%.

Yeah, it's a market / paradigm shift.

I know that I buy and read a lot more on Amazon/Kindle than I used to buy with paper books. Tended then to do a lot more visits to the library and used book shop vs. buying retail.

So less revenue per unit to the authors with more units sold vs more revenue per unit and fewer units sold. Not to mention making the market more accessible to nascent authors who might otherwise be unable to interest a publisher into doing a print & distribution run. Be interesting to see how the numbers truly worked out - though also kind of moot since if it wasn't Amazon it'd be some other entity.

Baen is an interesting example of a publisher doing a bit of their own thing in the ebook world -

Baen Books Science Fiction & Fantasy - Home Page

Baen Books. The best in Science Fiction and Fantasy publishing.

www.baen.com

 

[44267547]

It’s basically a glorified garage sale.

It’s gone ‘down hill‘ in the years Past. (I’ve been participating since it’s inception.) It definitely isn’t what it once was, that’s for sure. But if you’re in the market for tech products that might be ‘no name brand‘ or need some simple things around the house, you can find some glaring deals that are ranging from 30%-40% off.

 

[compwiz1202]

100%. And it’s also important to check prices before ordering even when it’s not Prime day, since Amazon won’t make price adjustments anymore.

If the price goes down, say, the day after you receive the item, you’re out of luck, except for returning it (if allowed).

Yea this is what pees me off so bad. They should just credit if you are in the return period.

And you can return, but unless you lie and put defective, they will make you pay return shipping, so it may not even be worth it depending on the difference. They did exactly what you said. I ordered something two days ago, and yesterday it was on the pre prime deal. Good thing it was only like $10 this time, so it's not worth the time and return shipping would eat that savings anyhow.

 

[CarlJ]

It's very similar to most holiday deals. They advertise something as originally $2000 and today is $1300 (save $700). The problem is it's always $1350 so you are always getting a similar deal. Sure there are savings, but nothing like the way it is advertised.

The real lesson, is before buying any big ticket item, take a look around and work out what the going rate is, and has been, rather than just accepting $RETAILER’s word that it’s “hundreds of dollars off”.

 

[LaFrentz]

Two days. Epic deals.
Wish they would remove "EPIC" from their banner...

 

[kjvmartin]

How to succeed on Amazon Prime Day:

All of the things I want/need are already on my wish list. I don't have to check for deals, I just check my wish list periodically throughout the day. On top of that, there is usually a bonus to reload your Amazon Gift Card. I try to catch that before it sells out, usually early in the deals. If you scroll deals, you'll be taken in my things you don't really want or need. My kids also have wish lists, and my wife has one as well.

 

[nylonsteel]

thanks for reminding me macrumors

 

[gregohb]

artificial mark downs (Item that sells for $1350 advertised as $2000 but marked down to $1300) as someone said. Discontinued items. specially made items lacking features or specifically made cheap items (as is done in outlet stores). Or a small number of good deals to stoke the fire. its all hype

 

[Momof2.1107]

The only thing I purchased on Prime Day last year, was my Ring Doorbell 2, that cake with a free echo dot. I didn’t even find not 1 toy that was on my kids Christmas lists. I expect the same thing this year.

 

[B4U]

You really cleaned up...

No kidding.
It is one of the oral hygiene product that works really well.

 

[FriendlyMackle]

You also get to take up to 65% of revenue, leaving authors with as little as 35%.

Not that that’s necessarily such a bad deal compared to othe alternatives for authors; just comparing it to non-monopoly markets like smartphones and video game consoles.

Yeah, yet you have to ask yourself, what are the small authors making with the remaining Big Publishers? They generally don't make enough to sustain themselves just from their book publishing -- and far less than 30%. Only the 'stars' get really favorable deals.

 

[seanoo]

This is a GREAT opportunity for anyone who needs to replace the pressure cooker they bought in a past year’s prime sale and haven’t used once.

 

[warp9]

...to make consumers feel like they're getting a deal.

The definition of a good deal is a price less than what you're willing to pay for it, not what a retailer is asking. If the price is inflated by $10 but I was willing to pay up to $20 more, then I got a deal.

 

[adamjackson]

The definition of a good deal is a price less than what you're willing to pay for it, not what a retailer is asking. If the price is inflated by $10 but I was willing to pay up to $20 more, then I got a deal.

Sure. Same goes for Craigslist sales, if both parties are satisfied, then what's the problem? My issue is if a Sewing machine's MSRP is $499 and resellers regularly sell it for $399, that's the price most people are willing to pay for the machine to remain profitable and sell enough in volume but if Amazon's prime day sale says the machine's mSRP is $999 and it's half-off at $499, people will think they're winning and while the market may bear the $499 price, they're actually overpaying for the sewing machine had they just bought it a day earlier.

Consumer sentiment is heavily maniupulated on Prime Day with the premise or known truth that these are all great deals. Consumers trust Amazon and when Amazon inflates the price 1 day early without reseller approval only to discount it '50%' that may mean the consumer is okay paying it but that doesn't make it right.

 

[deeddawg]

Consumers trust Amazon

To paraphrase Animal House, "You screwed up! You trusted us!"