Below I've inserted images of how the app looks, using a test example of Phoenix, a YA fantasy novel by Smashwords author Jennifer Mason-Black, published by Musa Publishing.
This new relationship will lead to distribution at the following four places:
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| Listings page |
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| Book page |
2. WIRELESS OPERATOR: Page Foundry is powering the ebook store app for a leading pre-paid wireless services operator with 2.5 million smart phone customers (Smashwords authors/publishers will be informed of the wireless operator's identity in the author/publisher email alert going out today). Starting this summer, all of this mobile operator's subscriber phones will ship pre-loaded with the Page Foundry app (previously, subscribers had to manually download the app from the operator's app store).
devices from Google Play (formerly known as the Android Market). Versent and Inktera also sell books through their websites at http://www.versentbooks.com and http://www.inktera.com Page Foundry set up these two sites as experimental showcases of their platform, though they've also started attracting some customers so they plan to continue operating the sites as indepedent ebook retailers.
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| Reader option settings |
Page Foundry plans to add additional mobile operators and device-makers in the months ahead.
Like any new distribution channel, I expect the Page Foundry partnership to start small and then grow over time as their business grows.
As with all new Smashwords distribution partners, all Premium Catalog books will automatically go to Page Foundry unless you opt out, or unless the title is unpublished. Visit your Dashboard's Channel Manager to adjust distribution settings.
Learn more about Page Foundry at http://www.pagefoundry.com
Well, every little bit helps. Congratulations to Mark & the team. Keep plugging away at the big one. You know the one I mean - big river in South America ... :-(
ReplyDeleteThe continuing efforts of the Smashwords crew to extend the distribution of books is wonderful. We can all grow together. Thanks Mark.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the Library Pricing! How low would be permitted as a library price? E.g., a penny? a dime? a quarter?
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the creative and profound work expanding ebook platforms. Us Indy authors and publishers are indebted to Smashwords for global distribution of their esteemed books and stories.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bencampbellbooks
Thank you for continuing to expand Smashwords' platform. This is good news for all of us.
ReplyDeleteLove the way Smashwords is growing up according to new technologies and media... Thanx a lot Mark...I am PROUD of being part of such a dedicated site...
ReplyDeleteKeep Up the good work as always!
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAll very exciting for someone in the backwoods of Burgundy, France! Smashwords and the internet are my dream combination for optimal distribution vectors. Thank you to all the team.
ReplyDeleteMark.. do you or any of the outlets, have anything on the drawing board similar to KDP select sans the exclu.? I realize Smashwords can do it with coupons etc and the July Summer/Winter sale coming up, but I'm just curious if any of the big sellers are going to respond to KDP in a competitive manner or not.
ReplyDeleteStrange as it sounds to some, I do much better with Smashwords and its sellers than I do with Amazon.. but the temptation was there to go KDP.. thank God I didn't.. whew..
Chas Wells
Charles, I'm not aware of similar efforts in the works, though the large retailers tend to keep their product development plans very close to the vest. Many authors have taken the bait for KDP-Select. As I posted previously at http://blog.smashwords.com/2011/12/amazon-shows-predatory-spots-with-kdp.html, I'd be a big fan of KDP-Select if it were not for the exclusivity provision.
ReplyDeleteThe exclusivity piece, IMHO, harms the long term prospects for authors. When authors cycle their books through the KDP-Select (and remove them from other retailers), they're murdering their sales rank at the other retailers, and missing out on the serendipitious breakouts that many Smashwords authors enjoy (See my ebook, The Secrets to Ebook Publishing Success, for some cool charts of how sales can fluctuate over time, often without reason). When Amazon launched KDP-Select in December, they made a minimum payout commitment for 2012. It'll be really interesting to see if Amazon does the right thing and removes the exclusivity requirement when they announce the new program terms for 2013. If they do this, I think they'll have a real winner on their hands for authors and Amazon alike, because no other retailer has an Amazon Prime-like program.
Thanks to Mark and the Smashwords crew for all their efforts to improve the platform.
ReplyDeleteYay! Coming back from vacation to find good news is always, well, good ;)
ReplyDeleteAs for Amazon, (as per another comment) I know everyone claims they are the big fish, but I make more sales through on B&N (through smashwords) than I do Amazon...
I am extremely happy to find out about this just now, as my own ebooks have just shipped to Page Foundry. It is marvelous that my work will soon be available on several new platforms under the Page Foundry umbrella. Amazon is overrated and their predatory behavior with authors is infamous among those who see things clearly. Sadly, too many independent authors are mesmerized by Amazon's hype and vilify anyone who dares to speak out against it.
ReplyDeleteI just joined smash words I have the nook from b & n what do I use to download my books ? Ty for your help. I really appreciate it
ReplyDeleteTy
jen
I just joined smash words I have the nook from b & n what do I use to download my books ? Ty for your help. I really appreciate it
ReplyDeleteTy
jen