E-books are dumb!
 

I thought I'd share this since I worked so hard on it. On another board somebody told me that E-books are dumb, so I replied:

So you're telling me that no matter what the information, you will never buy it in E-book format?

That's a shame.

I'll admit that when I was first introduced to E-books I did not like the concept, and I didn't think they had any future. I was wrong.

I don't like buying E-books, and will avoid it anyway I can. But if the information I want only comes scribbled on the back side of a chicken coop door, then I'm going to buy myself that door.

When I converted my products to E-book format I was afraid they wouldn't sell. Boy was I wrong!

I have a book that I printed in hard copy format. It was my first "real" publication. Cost me $3,400. to get that baby printed, (3,000 copies) and I'll let you in on a little secret. Printing that book was a stupid thing to do. Sure it paid off, but I sell ten times as many e-books at 4 times the price.

I even had a it placed in two of the largest book store chains in the country. I'll let you in on another little secret. Book stores don't have any idea how to sell books. The local feed mill sold more copies of my book than two of the largest bookstore chains in the country. That's the truth.

Here's what they did. They ordered 100 copies and sent them out to the stores. 120 days later they paid me a lousy 35% of the cover price, that's the standard. Then the books didn't sell because the dumb asses put a gardening book in the stores in the dead of summer, and anybody who knows anything at all about gardening knows that people are not interested during the summer. Gardening books sell Jan. - April.

Of course these book marketing wizzards tracked the sales, and since the books weren't selling because it was 100 degrees outside, the sent them back to the distributor. So the distributor sent them back to me, and asked me to refund what they had paid me.

Then a newspaper published an article about my book, and a few people walked into the bookstores looking for a copy. "Hey! This must be a good seller! Let's stock a few copies." So the distributor ordered some more books from me, even though they had just sent a bunch back to me. Then they sent me a check for the books they ordered.

A few months later they shipped the books back to me, and once again asked me to refund what they had paid me.

This went of for three years.

If nothing else, these buttheads are fun to watch!

At least UPS made a few bucks hauling the books back and forth.

All in all they did manage to sell about 25 copies of my book, (not bad for the two biggest chains in the country) and I did make about $100. Of course I had to give it back a couple of times before I finally got to keep it.

Meanwhile, while they were showing me how the pro's do it, I sold 2,000 copies of the book one at a time, at $16.10 each including shipping.

I've still got a few hundred copies of this book left, but I've taken it off the market. I give it away as a bonus to those who buy my $120. video collection.

That's why I agree that E-books are dumb.

You can never have that kind of fun with an E-book, and what about UPS? With E-books UPS doesn't have anything to haul! Maybe when the big guys sell E-books they have UPS haul some empty boxes back and forth across the country just to keep the economy moving. Ya think?

By the way, I just got done printing out 5 E-mails from ClickBank. Seems that while I was at work today 5 people ordered my dumb E-books at $39.99 each. This really is a dumb business. I think I'll get a paper route and sell a real product!

Mike McGroarty
The Dumb ole Dirt Farmer




"37 Secret Money Making Strategies"-FREE

Brilliant post...
 

...And funny, too! :)

Just underscores the "hidden Internet economy" which is quietly running rampant behind the scenes and making lots of people very rich, doing that which others claim "doesn't work."

My hat is off to you, Mike, for being a DOER, and listening to the voice of your market, rather than the "gurus." The key, in fact, is to be your OWN guru!

Great job, and thanks for posting!

Best,

Jesse

> I thought I'd share this since I worked so
> hard on it. On another board somebody told
> me that E-books are dumb, so I replied:

> So you're telling me that no matter what the
> information, you will never buy it in E-book
> format?

> That's a shame.

> I'll admit that when I was first introduced
> to E-books I did not like the concept, and I
> didn't think they had any future. I was
> wrong.

> I don't like buying E-books, and will avoid
> it anyway I can. But if the information I
> want only comes scribbled on the back side
> of a chicken coop door, then I'm going to
> buy myself that door.

> When I converted my products to E-book
> format I was afraid they wouldn't sell. Boy
> was I wrong!

> I have a book that I printed in hard copy
> format. It was my first "real"
> publication. Cost me $3,400. to get that
> baby printed, (3,000 copies) and I'll let
> you in on a little secret. Printing that
> book was a stupid thing to do. Sure it paid
> off, but I sell ten times as many e-books at
> 4 times the price.

> I even had a it placed in two of the largest
> book store chains in the country. I'll let
> you in on another little secret. Book stores
> don't have any idea how to sell books. The
> local feed mill sold more copies of my book
> than two of the largest bookstore chains in
> the country. That's the truth.

> Here's what they did. They ordered 100
> copies and sent them out to the stores. 120
> days later they paid me a lousy 35% of the
> cover price, that's the standard. Then the
> books didn't sell because the dumb asses put
> a gardening book in the stores in the dead
> of summer, and anybody who knows anything at
> all about gardening knows that people are
> not interested during the summer. Gardening
> books sell Jan. - April.

> Of course these book marketing wizzards
> tracked the sales, and since the books
> weren't selling because it was 100 degrees
> outside, the sent them back to the
> distributor. So the distributor sent them
> back to me, and asked me to refund what they
> had paid me.

> Then a newspaper published an article about
> my book, and a few people walked into the
> bookstores looking for a copy. "Hey!
> This must be a good seller! Let's stock a
> few copies." So the distributor ordered
> some more books from me, even though they
> had just sent a bunch back to me. Then they
> sent me a check for the books they ordered.

> A few months later they shipped the books
> back to me, and once again asked me to
> refund what they had paid me.

> This went of for three years.

> If nothing else, these buttheads are fun to
> watch!

> At least UPS made a few bucks hauling the
> books back and forth.

> All in all they did manage to sell about 25
> copies of my book, (not bad for the two
> biggest chains in the country) and I did
> make about $100. Of course I had to give it
> back a couple of times before I finally got
> to keep it.

> Meanwhile, while they were showing me how
> the pro's do it, I sold 2,000 copies of the
> book one at a time, at $16.10 each including
> shipping.

> I've still got a few hundred copies of this
> book left, but I've taken it off the market.
> I give it away as a bonus to those who buy
> my $120. video collection.

> That's why I agree that E-books are dumb.

> You can never have that kind of fun with an
> E-book, and what about UPS? With E-books UPS
> doesn't have anything to haul! Maybe when
> the big guys sell E-books they have UPS haul
> some empty boxes back and forth across the
> country just to keep the economy moving. Ya
> think?

> By the way, I just got done printing out 5
> E-mails from ClickBank. Seems that while I
> was at work today 5 people ordered my dumb
> E-books at $39.99 each. This really is a
> dumb business. I think I'll get a paper
> route and sell a real product!

> Mike McGroarty
> The Dumb ole Dirt Farmer

Re: E-books are dumb!
 

This guy is the best!

Wow...Mike McGroarty. I can't believe it. This is the first business forum I've ever visited and look at the first guy I see.

This man knows what he's talking about. I haven't read and digested all of his first eBook, yet, but you can bet I'm going to purchase the one on writing your own travel eBook. Mike McGroarty is a crack-up, but he has great insight and gives solid information. Plus, he'll even answer email.

You can bet I'll be a regular if this guy keeps showing up. He's a gentleman and a straight-shooter.

Say, can anyone give me an idea for the best marketing forum to read that is specific to building a web business? I am real new at this.

Great job, Mike.

Cade

> I thought I'd share this since I worked so
> hard on it. On another board somebody told
> me that E-books are dumb, so I replied:

> So you're telling me that no matter what the
> information, you will never buy it in E-book
> format?

> That's a shame.

> I'll admit that when I was first introduced
> to E-books I did not like the concept, and I
> didn't think they had any future. I was
> wrong.

> I don't like buying E-books, and will avoid
> it anyway I can. But if the information I
> want only comes scribbled on the back side
> of a chicken coop door, then I'm going to
> buy myself that door.

> When I converted my products to E-book
> format I was afraid they wouldn't sell. Boy
> was I wrong!

> I have a book that I printed in hard copy
> format. It was my first "real"
> publication. Cost me $3,400. to get that
> baby printed, (3,000 copies) and I'll let
> you in on a little secret. Printing that
> book was a stupid thing to do. Sure it paid
> off, but I sell ten times as many e-books at
> 4 times the price.

> I even had a it placed in two of the largest
> book store chains in the country. I'll let
> you in on another little secret. Book stores
> don't have any idea how to sell books. The
> local feed mill sold more copies of my book
> than two of the largest bookstore chains in
> the country. That's the truth.

> Here's what they did. They ordered 100
> copies and sent them out to the stores. 120
> days later they paid me a lousy 35% of the
> cover price, that's the standard. Then the
> books didn't sell because the dumb asses put
> a gardening book in the stores in the dead
> of summer, and anybody who knows anything at
> all about gardening knows that people are
> not interested during the summer. Gardening
> books sell Jan. - April.

> Of course these book marketing wizzards
> tracked the sales, and since the books
> weren't selling because it was 100 degrees
> outside, the sent them back to the
> distributor. So the distributor sent them
> back to me, and asked me to refund what they
> had paid me.

> Then a newspaper published an article about
> my book, and a few people walked into the
> bookstores looking for a copy. "Hey!
> This must be a good seller! Let's stock a
> few copies." So the distributor ordered
> some more books from me, even though they
> had just sent a bunch back to me. Then they
> sent me a check for the books they ordered.

> A few months later they shipped the books
> back to me, and once again asked me to
> refund what they had paid me.

> This went of for three years.

> If nothing else, these buttheads are fun to
> watch!

> At least UPS made a few bucks hauling the
> books back and forth.

> All in all they did manage to sell about 25
> copies of my book, (not bad for the two
> biggest chains in the country) and I did
> make about $100. Of course I had to give it
> back a couple of times before I finally got
> to keep it.

> Meanwhile, while they were showing me how
> the pro's do it, I sold 2,000 copies of the
> book one at a time, at $16.10 each including
> shipping.

> I've still got a few hundred copies of this
> book left, but I've taken it off the market.
> I give it away as a bonus to those who buy
> my $120. video collection.

> That's why I agree that E-books are dumb.

> You can never have that kind of fun with an
> E-book, and what about UPS? With E-books UPS
> doesn't have anything to haul! Maybe when
> the big guys sell E-books they have UPS haul
> some empty boxes back and forth across the
> country just to keep the economy moving. Ya
> think?

> By the way, I just got done printing out 5
> E-mails from ClickBank. Seems that while I
> was at work today 5 people ordered my dumb
> E-books at $39.99 each. This really is a
> dumb business. I think I'll get a paper
> route and sell a real product!

> Mike McGroarty
> The Dumb ole Dirt Farmer




Stop Getting Cheated!

Cade, forums
 

Cade, welcome! There seems to be a technical problem listing the forums here ... feel free to drop me a line.

Alexander
MiniJV Specialist
[email protected]
(remove the NOSPAM before email)




Free 'Phenomenon' Newsletter

Re: E-books are dumb!
 

Cade,

Thanks. That's very kind of you to say.

Be careful with the forums. I love visiting them, but they sure can eat up a lot of valuable time.

But on the other hand, when I was first starting out I used to visit the old Bill Myers forum and post the dumbest questions you can imagine.

A few people would slap me around for being so dumb, but somebody would feel sorry for the bumpkin and tell me what I needed to know. I'd go off and put it to work until I got stumped and back I'd go.

It was worth the abuse, at least with the internet you can find people who have the answer, and have it in hours.

Good luck, and learn all you can. -Mike

Why do people that sell e-books and booklets . . .
 

use graphics of a paperback book to sell their product?

It don't seem right to have a picture of one thing and
and sell something else.

Every time I see this it reminds me of a billboard that
was up in my hometown. It was a billboard that a new
car dealership put up.

They had a picture of their most expensive car as an
attention-getter. Below the picture they had the price
of their least expensive car. This was the car they were
going to sell you. It was their cheapest model.

To make a long story short! A customer took them to court
and he was awarded the high price car at the low price.

My question is way don't people that
sell e-books use a flat cover?

Regards,
Chugmug

Re: Why do people that sell e-books and booklets . . .
 

Most people looking on the Interent for an eBook expect to see a picture of something that represents a book, not a flat image.

For me personally, I prefer the better looking graphic over a boring flat image. In your example, a car just isn't any old car. If it shows a picture of a Ford Cobra (my favorite) with a price tag of $2500, people are expecting to pay $2500 and get a Cobra, not a 1973 VW bug. In the case of an eBook, most eBooks are created using eBook software separated into chapters, sections or whatever. So in a sense it is a book, just in electronic format. If the site explains what is being purchased, there is not any misinformation at all.

In the example below, which looks better and more appealing to you? I made the one on the left flat. If I used it to represent the report it would not have as much appeal even though my site would explain, in detail, exactly what is being purchased. The one on the right has more appeal and with the same explanation of what is being purchased it would probably help the success of sales.

I guess it all comes down to how the image is used to represent what is really being sold.

That my two cents worth.

Dennis


Killer Minisites that sell like crazy!

Re: Bait and switch. . .
 

Hi Dennis

> I guess it all comes down to how the image is used to represent what is really being sold.

The graphic on the left is the proper one to use for e-books.
The graphic on the right should be used for paper books.

If you use the one on the right for e-books. You are playing
with peoples minds . . . autosuggestion.

Looks like the bait and switch game to me.

Regards,
Chugmug

Re: Bait and switch. . .
 

> Hi Dennis

> The graphic on the left is the proper one to
> use for e-books.
> The graphic on the right should be used for
> paper books.

> If you use the one on the right for e-books.
> You are playing
> with peoples minds . . . autosuggestion.

> Looks like the bait and switch game to me.

Boy, you must really get annoyed walking down the supermarket isles...

I cannot think of one single food product that actually looks like the picture on the label. And baby food has a pic of a baby on the label. TV ads show people waking in the moring all bright and cheerful - hair done, guys don't need a shave, etc.

Intel has ads with space aliens using their chip. Toyota has camels driving their four wheel drives.

And I have NEVER bought a Big Mac that looked anything like the picture.

Need I go on?

Michael Ross.

Re: Bait and switch. . .
 

Hi Michael

>Boy, you must really get annoyed walking down the supermarket isles...

Sure do . . . . the price keeps going up.

>And I have NEVER bought a Big Mac that looked anything like the picture.

Did you ever order a Big Mac, get home and find out you have a Filet-of-Fish?

Chugmug

Why aren't flat covers used for e-books?
 

How is a flat cover any more "real" for an ebook than the so called 3D cover? How can something that is downloaded electronically have a cover at all? You said, "It don't seem right to have a picture of one thing and and sell something else." So why do you think it's okay to have a cover at all for something that is downloaded electronically--that has no tangibility at all?

The fact is, the majority of the people on the internet understand that the 3D image is for an ebook. I never looked at a site selling an ebook an expected to get a paperback despite the 3D image.

I don't generally think I am smarter than the average bear, but on this I think I am one up on you. Most people prefer the 3D image over the flat image or know image at all. This is reflected in that more ebooks are sold when a 3D image is shown. And a flat image creates more sales than no image.

But since neither image is "real" what does it matter whether it is 3D or not?

By the way, Amazon and other online bookstores show what you call flat images of paperback books. Why don't you complain about that? According to your logic they are showing pictures of "ebooks" and not paperbacks.

Just my thoughts.
Sharon

Re: Why aren't flat covers used for e-books?
 

Hi Sharon

This is not hard to figure out. At Amazon.com they show
you a picture of the cover of the book you are thinking
about buying.

Below the book cover, you can click on to either "looking
inside this book" or "see more product details". There
they show you the front book cover, back book cover, and
pages that are in the book.

I'm sure they don't need a 3-D graphic to lure you into
buying their books, just the book cove is all they need.

On the other hand people that sale e-books NEED to fool
you with an image of a 3-D graphic. It's nothing more then
a gimmick to manipulate you mind, luring you with bait (3-D)
graphic to buy their book.

If you noticed NO e-book publisher has come out and
explained to us WHY THEY do it.

You did bring up a good point about, there are no covers
on e-books . . . Makes you wonder about why they use
3-D graphic . . ?????????

Regards,
Chugmug

I ordered a "Big & Tasty" from MickyD's...
 

while on vacation, got back to my hotel
room only to discover is was neither Big
or Tasty. They had omitted the meat.

All I got was a bun with lettuce, tomato,
onion, pickle, and mayo. It reminded me
of the "Where's the beef?" commercials
from way back when...

And the Happy Meals for the kids were not happy;
they were sad...the fries were hard on the outside
and grease-soaked inside.

Did I go back and complain? It wasn't worth the effort.
It was late. I didn't want to fight the traffic.

Did I go back to that particular restaurant?
Not in your life. It was not a WYSIWYG experience.
It did not represent the McDonalds' Corporation well at all.

Do I still frequent McDonalds'? Yes, I had an
All-American Burger today for lunch...love those
Bread&Butter pickles...

The old adage "Don't judge a book by it's cover"
can be applied to most everything in life.

However, since most all of us DO succomb to
judging "by the cover", the marketing experts
take advantage of our weakness and seduce us
into their web by offering something delightful.
They capture their unsuspecting "victim"
and have their way with him, stripping him
of his hard earned dollars. The "victim"
is left with a receipt and "something" for his
trouble.

Ebook covers are an effort to get your attention
before someone else does...to give the perception
that one ebook is better than another.

Is it really better?
Who knows? It depends on the content,
and what you are looking for at the time.

Buy an ebook with a nice looking, 3D cover
but with terrible content, and you will be asking
for your money back.

An ebook that has good content doesn't have to
have a fancy 3D graphic...but in my opinion,
it will sell better with a 3D presentation.

Just my humble opinion,

JDB


How to buy fries online...

Re: I ordered a "Big & Tasty" from MickyD's...
 

Hi John

Sorry about your order at the Golden Arches.
Next time eat inside McDonalds . . . I bet they would
have replace your order ASAP.

>An ebook that has good content doesn't have to have a
>fancy 3D graphic...but in my opinion, it will sell better
>with a 3D presentation.

I went to your link and I see a big 3-D graphic, but it's
an ebook. I don't know, I think I'll pass and buy the
Brooklyn Bridge.

Regards,
Chugmug

Do you want the Ebook alone, or do you want the value meal?
 

> I went to your link and I see a big 3-D
> graphic, but it's
> an ebook. I don't know, I think I'll pass
> and buy the
> Brooklyn Bridge.

> Regards,
> Chugmug

Would you rather pay $17 for an ebook alone, or get the "Value Meal" for $49 (value meal includes the ebook pdf file, a hard copy in a 3-ring binder, and a CD containing the ebook plus several other ebooks as a bonus?

And would you like a Frozen Fruit Parfait, or a M&M Flurry with that?

(What are you willing to pay for the Brooklyn Bridge? Mr. Hartunian may still have a few pieces left...)

JDB