Test Driving the Digital Reading Experience

Sarah WendellSmart Bitches Trashy Books LLC -

@smartbitchesKate Dugan, Sony USA

Malle Vallik, Harlequin Ltd. - @mallevallik

Reduce Consumer Barriers to Going Digital

“I would love to try it, but devices are so expensive.”

“I wouldn’t buy one unless I was sure I was going to keep it. And I’m not sure it’s for me.”

“I want to buy books I like, but what if I don’t like reading on a digital device?”

Why a Romance Website?Because Smart Bitches are awesome. That’s why.

We are the readers you are looking for.

Over 200 people applied for 30 spots in the Smart Bitches Test

Drive. One third were men.

All were fiction readers.

Who were the Test Drivers?

•Authors

•Librarians

•Students

•Rural retirees

•Chemotherapy patients

•Avid, eager readers

What Did They Think?Test Drivers were very eager & opinionated.

I love having so many things to read, right there in my backpack. 

What Did They Think?Test Drivers were very eager & opinionated.

Even teenagers think I’m cool when they see me using it.It’s sexy.

What Did They Think?

It was so easy to get addicted to reading again. Waiting in line somewhere? Whip out your Sony and get your read on.

What Did They Think?

It changed the way I read. I read more than ever, in many more places than I could with a book.

The joy of carrying a library in your pants cannot be

overstated.

Sony Motivation • Research shows that trial more than doubles conversion• Sony invested heavily in demonstration in 2008 with our Holiday Reader Revolution

program

Sony Motivation • Research shows that trial more than

doubles conversion• Sony invested heavily in demonstration in

2008 with our Holiday Reader Revolution program

+• Partnerships with Dear Author and Smart

Bitches• Romance one of the best-selling categories

at the Reader Store

Sony Motivation • Research shows that trial more than doubles conversion• Sony invested heavily in demonstration in 2008 with our

Holiday Reader Revolution program

+• Partnerships with Dear Jane and Smart Bitches• Romance one of the best-selling categories at the Reader

Store

+• Many requests for trial programs from different groups, but

trial program require resources due to DRM and registration issues – Sarah was willing• Wanted to trial a “trial” program – determine costs, ROI, etc.

=• Launch Smart Bitches trial program

Sony Hypothesis • Reality is that even if a small program is successful, it is hard to make it scalable without dedicated resources and strategy

• But…WOM is a key driver of sales, so if done strategically, then it can be an important marketing tactic• Book clubs• Travel/Entertainment• Airline• Libraries• Etc

Harlequin

• Global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of books for women

• 120 books per month• 110 titles a month in 28 languages in 114

international markets on six continents• 1st publisher 100% frontlist with eBooks• Carina Press: June 2010

Harlequin Reader & eBook Reader

• She is an avid reader (60 books 3 months median)

• Uses more technology than she thinks• Once exposed to eBooks understands the

benefits: portable, instant• Computer is her first reading choice (because

she understands how to download a pdf onto her computer)

Why a Test Drive?• Consumer Confusion– Will I like reading on a screen?– Battery life– Interoperability– DRM / sharing with friends– $ Deals– Collectability / Quantity

• Technical Questions– How do I?

Why a Test Drive with Sony & Smart Bitches?

• Harlequin is device and format agnostic• We offer content to readers in any format in

any way, any time she wants it• Books @ Sony site• $25 coupon – All Harlequin Titles– All had to write reviews

Results

• Avidly followed commentary at SB blog • Consumer feedback affirmed need of

simplicity, friendly instructions• What the Dog Saw – Ron Popeil, Ronco• Reviews sent to editorial

Biggest Problems

Software

DRM

Book file formats

Book price &

availability

Lessons LearnedWe are your sales force.

Must be quick and

easy.

Tech-curious does not equal tech-

expert.

Libraries are critical

Final Result83% of us - 25 out of 30 - kept

the Sony Reader at the end of the Test Drive.