Authors and publishers have experimented with different ways to avoid paying the royalty commission to book retailers, opting instead to lure readers to their own websites to make their ebook purchases. While this might be a viable option for individual authors whose readers already know where to search, it can be incredibly difficult for publishers to lure readers, given that many consumers may be familiar with a name or title, but are rarely in tune with who launched a particular book.
In a move that more and more publishers are considering, however, Penguin will begin selling its titles in ebook directly to customers, in this case through Readmill, which has created a Send to Readmill button for consumers to click from the Penguin website. This feature encourages readers to not only utilize the Readmill social reading platform, but also encourages readers to do something that publishers have found difficult: turn to their branded websites for book purchasing.
Readmill co-founder and CEO Henrik Berggren was quoted about the partnership as saying: “We’re thrilled to make Penguin’s e-book catalogue available for iOS mobile and tablet users to discover, share and read in the Readmill app.”
Readmill only launched its iPhone app in February of this year, but has already established partnerships with eighty different publishers who are looking to working directly with their readers as they bypass typical ebook distribution outlets like Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.