Mongoose selling digital through major book store chains

[DFW]

I recently gathered up all my gift cards received from my last birthday and purchased a new Nook eReader from BN.com. I lamented the fact that Mongoose products are not available via that chain as I would have dropped $150 into Mongoose's pocket. I understand why dead tree products are not in that channel.

It might be profitable to sell .pdf versions through such a retailer. Has Mongoose ever looked into that? (question for Mongoose employees who might glance at this forum). If not, would Matt or someone else want it researched as to possibility?

 

[phavoc]

Did you check to see if BN was part of the Bits & Mortar program? I'm betting that as a big chain, they have no interest in servicing the relatively small gaming community.

But isn't the Nook capable of reading pdf files?

 

[apoc527]

The nook ought to be able to view PDFs from DTRPG just fine. The Kindle can do that too.

 

[DFW]

Did you check to see if BN was part of the Bits & Mortar program? I'm betting that as a big chain, they have no interest in servicing the relatively small gaming community.

But isn't the Nook capable of reading pdf files?

I doubt BN is part of Bits & Mortar. They DO support new authors for direct selling though. So, "servicing small game community" doesn't enter into the equation really.

Not sure why you are asking about pfd & nook. It does read them.

 

[BFalcon]

DFW: check out the two threads further down about the future of roleplaying where we discussed such things and also the one where I suggested the possible use for a larger e-book reader for reading PDFs... I think it was in the latter where someone discussed the Nook specifically and its ability to read PDFs, including those sold on DriveThruRPG, which includes Mongoose products.

 

[DFW]

DFW: check out the two threads further down about the future of roleplaying where we discussed such things and also the one where I suggested the possible use for a larger e-book reader for reading PDFs... I think it was in the latter where someone discussed the Nook specifically and its ability to read PDFs, including those sold on DriveThruRPG, which includes Mongoose products.

Thanks but, not relevant to this thread. This isn't about whether Nook reads pdf's. It is about distribution channels and increased revenue for Mongoose.

 

[bolive]

You can get traveller books from http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/ in PDF format. then you can ether leave them as pdf or convert them to epub with a free program called Calibre. I have them on my Sony ereader and my android Tablet.

 

[BFalcon]

DFW: check out the two threads further down about the future of roleplaying where we discussed such things and also the one where I suggested the possible use for a larger e-book reader for reading PDFs... I think it was in the latter where someone discussed the Nook specifically and its ability to read PDFs, including those sold on DriveThruRPG, which includes Mongoose products.

Thanks but, not relevant to this thread. This isn't about whether Nook reads pdf's. It is about distribution channels and increased revenue for Mongoose.

Actually, I beg to differ - since they already have the books released in a true-to-form format, so why insist on another format which only half the readers can access? If the Nook, then why not also Amazon with their Kindle...?

PDFs are universal, which was their original goal - the only downside is that the Kindle 3 makes reading PDFs a little hard, while it's fine (apparently) on the Nook... so if any format should be looked at, I'd suggest that the Kindle would be higher on the list of priorities (if, indeed, any were).

 

[Dave Chase]

DFW: check out the two threads further down about the future of roleplaying where we discussed such things and also the one where I suggested the possible use for a larger e-book reader for reading PDFs... I think it was in the latter where someone discussed the Nook specifically and its ability to read PDFs, including those sold on DriveThruRPG, which includes Mongoose products.

Thanks but, not relevant to this thread. This isn't about whether Nook reads pdf's. It is about distribution channels and increased revenue for Mongoose.

Actually, I beg to differ - since they already have the books released in a true-to-form format, so why insist on another format which only half the readers can access? If the Nook, then why not also Amazon with their Kindle...?

PDFs are universal, which was their original goal - the only downside is that the Kindle 3 makes reading PDFs a little hard, while it's fine (apparently) on the Nook... so if any format should be looked at, I'd suggest that the Kindle would be higher on the list of priorities (if, indeed, any were).

Dir Sir, you are missing the point that DFW is asking. It's not about format but location of being able to buy the E-version of the material.

Ie, he is wanting to buy the E-version from another location which he frequents regularly.

Dave Chase

 

[phavoc]

Did you check to see if BN was part of the Bits & Mortar program? I'm betting that as a big chain, they have no interest in servicing the relatively small gaming community.

But isn't the Nook capable of reading pdf files?

I doubt BN is part of Bits & Mortar. They DO support new authors for direct selling though. So, "servicing small game community" doesn't enter into the equation really.

Not sure why you are asking about pfd & nook. It does read them.

Since you did not state where you bought your existing books, it was a valid question to ask about their participation in Bits & Mortar - i.e. had you purchased your physical books there, you would be able to receive the pdf versions at no charge.

As to my query about the nook reading pdf files, it was just that. I don't have one, therefore I asked the question.

 

[BFalcon]

Dir Sir, you are missing the point that DFW is asking. It's not about format but location of being able to buy the E-version of the material.

Ie, he is wanting to buy the E-version from another location which he frequents regularly.

Dave Chase

Ah ok - if he's merely asking for the PDFs that are already being made to be sold through another retailer, that *is* a different question... and one that is perfectly valid.

 

[DFW]

Since you did not state where you bought your existing books, it was a valid question to ask about their participation in Bits & Mortar - i.e. had you purchased your physical books there, you would be able to receive the pdf versions at no charge.

As to my query about the nook reading pdf files, it was just that. I don't have one, therefore I asked the question.

Oh, I understand. BN doesn't carry Mongoose. As far as I know, there is no national, physical book store chains that carry Mongoose books.

Nook reads pdf's and I use it extensively for pdf format books, including MGT Trav books.

 

[dmccoy1693]

BN won't touch the small gaming community, and even if it did, many of us won't touch it, even before the chain looked like it was in trouble. The major book stores can return the book at any time they want and we have to refund the money. That can bankrupt a small publisher. Plus, they typically tear the covers off so we can't even resell them. They're pulp at that point.

Beyond that, there's the quantity. I do a Traveller print run of 200, no more. While I don't know for sure, I'm reasonably certain that there are more than 200 BN stores in the US, meaning that I'd have to increase my print run size just to put 1 in each. (There is one purchasing dept for the entire chain, individual stores don't do their own purchasing. So putting one in this store and 1 in that store is not an option.) So it would be a higher cost with probably only a marginal increase in sales volume (and a whole lot of unsellable returns).

The large big box stores are just a big scary mess that small publishers try to avoid.

As far as electronic books go, I believe that they only sell epubs. Putting a gaming book in an epub format is a pain. I know. I tried. With the Traveller SRD infact. I abandoned that project. I don't abandon projects lightly. There were just to many issues for a small publisher to deal with to get all the tables to work right, and have it look good on everything from a blackberry to the ipad. Sure the nook is a standard size, but are you sure someone is going to use the file on the nook? Heck, getting it into Kindle format is just as much work as in ePub format, and there are several different screen sizes and resolutions of Kindles. Plus there are kindle apps on pc, apple and android devices. Impossible to make a 1 size fits all with that level of variation.

 

[DFW]

BN won't touch the small gaming community, and even if it did, many of us won't touch it, even before the chain looked like it was in trouble. The major book stores can return the book at any time they want and we have to refund the money. That can bankrupt a small publisher.

I'm only talking eBooks. I converted MGT pdf to epub. Not sure what problems you ran into. Can't be too hard if I did it with a free pgm and ZERO experience.

But, yes I can see that if they refuse to sell pdf, that's a problem.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I'm only talking eBooks. I converted MGT pdf to epub. Not sure what problems you ran into. Can't be too hard if I did it with a free pgm and ZERO experience.

But, yes I can see that if they refuse to sell pdf, that's a problem.

In the same way there are personal programs that can make a PDF but can't do professional level of PDF creation, there are the same thing when it comes to ePub creation. PDF to ePub conversion is more of a personal thing. Does the file contain any errors from the PDF being in 2 column format? Any at all? Even 1 and we publishers will get complained at. How about reflow? When a line ends in the PDF, does the ePub just end there? If you change the font size, are there lines that just end in mid screen? That would be something that a publisher would need to fix by hand. And the more time that is spent fixing is the less time spent creating new product.

How do the tables look? That's where my problem came in. Any 5-10 column tables in the book you converted? How did they turn out? Readable? If you tried taking the same file and try reading it on a windows mobile device, would it still be readable there? Converting text is EASY! I can type in all the code myself in a short time. Its the tables that are hard.

 

[DFW]

How do the tables look? That's where my problem came in. Any 5-10 column tables in the book you converted? How did they turn out? Readable? If you tried taking the same file and try reading it on a windows mobile device, would it still be readable there? Converting text is EASY! I can type in all the code myself in a short time. Its the tables that are hard.

I'll have to dig it up. I converted ~ a year ago just to see. If I can't find, I'll reconvert. What pub would you like me to attempt? I have most except for those released this year.

 

[dmccoy1693]

The core book is the best place to start. The equipment, combat and world building chapters made me pull my hair out. The careers were unpleasant, but doable.

 

[DFW]

The core book is the best place to start. The equipment, combat and world building chapters made me pull my hair out. The careers were unpleasant, but doable.

I'll give a whirl tomorrow with the CRB and let you know.

 

[Jacqual]

DFW I feel for you I just got an iPad 2 just for books I have all my PDF's on it so far it's 608 Books. Thats counting my AD&D, CT stuff, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, Cyberpunk 2020, Basic Fantasy RPG stuff, and of course my 2 MGT PDF's lol. But I want more mongoose traveller books in both hardcopy and PDF version. If i could get them both for the price of the deadtree version or even a buck more, that would be awesome. But finding a Bits and Morter version is sucking for me now.

 

[dmccoy1693]

BTW, how did this ever turn out? Was it easy to grab a table, make it into an ePub and make it look good on a cell phone screen and an iPad?