Google eBooks Session

Forgive me for the editing of this post, but I’m typing it on my phone at Google’s eBook session.

Listening to: Scott Dougall, director, product management, from Google

• Google positioning Google eBooks as “all about choice”.
• 15 million Google Books
• 3 million free Google eBooks
• cross-platform accessibility
• eBook sales tripled @ Google over last year
• 7k publishers
• 4 mln books found – 100 mln pgs read = 25 pgs read per book on avg?
• most eBooks found via web, read within apps
• Google Bookstore becoming destination and mobile store gaining traction at cost of search
• 250 resellers in the US
• indie booksellers getting creative: bar codes and purchasing within store to mobile apps
• “higher priced” nonfiction (eg medical texts) outselling fiction among Google eBooks
• in-store events to promote eBooks
• affiliate program for bloggers slated for this year
• bundling (digital/print) not in the works
• hinting at book rental play (Netflix model)