Amazon Removes the "Look Inside" Feature: Resistance is Futile - Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris

Today Panzer made a trip to the Anne R. Allen's Blog ... with Ruth Harris site. With a little digging in the posts there, our traveling kitty boy found one about Amazon making changes.

 

Read the "Comments" too.

The post covers a wide range of topics from Amazon to Trolls to Cyborgs to Bullies. It's an interesting post that starts with Amazon's removal of the "Look Inside" feature and follows a trail that ends with technology (and those who control it) taking away our right to enjoy our experiences.

Panzer says, "Mom said you have to read it yourself because it's one of those pieces she thinks everybody will see something different in it."

 

Note: This is a very long post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for your snack while you read today's selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to Look Inside Button

Introducing Smashwords Presales - Smashwords Blog

Today as Panzer was taking his afternoon nap, he was shaken from his kitty bed by yelling and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Following all the hubbub took our kitty boy to the Smashwords Blog. There with no digging at all he found a post about Smashwords new presales software feature.

That's interesting news.

According to the post, Smashwords has added a new feature for authors to offer their readers. Readers who purchase through the presales feature have immediate access to the ebook they just bought and this is before general purchasers have access to the ebook. This is also different than a pre-order which is a sale before the book is available to anyone. The post is divided into five sections covering how presales work, why authors should participate in the presales program, an explanation of the patent pending software, information about the licensing of the software to other retailers. and a short wrap up about the future.  By far the largest section is the one explaining the new patent pending software.

Panzer says, "MeWOW! This looks like a major step forward for Smashwords!"

Note: This is a h-u-m-o-n-g-o-u-s post. Bring a half gallon of tea and a half gallon of cocoa and six muffins and six sugar cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Smashwords presales

10 kinds of Barnes and Noble cafe customers: Read and laugh - or weep - TeleRead

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere when he heard guffawing and weeping.  Following all the confusing noises took our brave kitty boy to the ReTelead site. There he found a post about Barnes and Noble bookstores and cafes.

Don't forget they've added restaurants too.

According to the post by Chris Kubica, after on-site research he has decided there are ten kinds of customers who frequent Barnes and Noble's cafes. Depending on your level of support for Barnes and Noble bookstores, these cafe customers will either make you laugh or cry. None of these cafe customers from The Never Buy to The WiFi to The Divorced Dad to the seven other kinds will ever buy anything in the Barnes and Noble retail bookstores. So, laugh or cry about them, these are the Barnes and Noble cafe patrons.

Panzer says, " Ummm ... This little kitty can't decide whether his eyes are leaking because he's laughing so hard or because he's so sad."

Note: This is a medium-longish post. Bring a cup and a half of tea and three muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Barnes and Noble cafe customers

B&N Reports Falling Sales in Fiscal 2017 Report - Publishers Weekly

Panzer's trip into the Catosphere today took him to the Publishers Weekly site. There our busy kitty traveler discovered news about Barnes and Noble's 2017 Fiscal Year Report. (Panzer knows it might seem strange for a company to have their end of 2017 year report be announced in June. It just means the company was not started on January 1 but instead part way through the year. Therefore, the company's "year" doesn't start and stop on January 1. This little kitty knows it's confusing, but it's what he expects from humans.)

My ebooks are there online.

According to the post by Jim Milliot, Barnes and Noble announced their fiscal report for 2017 and the numbers are disappointing. Although according to the report online sales were up 3.7 percent, that wasn't enough to offset the 6 percent decline in retail sales or the 23.4 percent decline in Nook sales. Even though the sales figures do appear to show an abysmal sales record and losses, it does show they are not as bad as the 2016 losses.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Can the new CEO Demos Parneros turn the company around to profitability in the next couple of years? This little kitty hopes so."

Note: This is a longish-short post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffing for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble

Holiday Comp Sales Fell 9% at B&N - PW (Publishers' Weekly)

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the PW (Publishers' Weekly) site. There our busy kitty boy found a post about Barnes and Noble's retail sales figures.

Maybe I can find more news now.

According to the post by Jim Milliot, compared to 2015 Barnes and Noble reported a 9.1 percent drop in Christmas sales in 2016. The lower sales were attributed to three factors: 1) the decline in adult coloring book sales, 2) no match for last last year's phenomenal Adele album sales, and 3) less in-store customer foot traffic. It was reported, however, that BN.com online sales were up 2 percent.

Panzer says, "Now that the holidays are over, it looks like more publishing news is available and I can back to a regular posting schedule."

Note: This is a shortish-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and half a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post, tootle over to Barnes and Noble