Ask HN: Should or shouldn’t Amazon.com create a publishing company?

#1

Post by PJNasty » Thu, Feb 04, 2010, 1:37 PM UTC

In light of recent events, I can’t see why they don’t begin publishing. Would this make sense for Amazon? If not, what issues make it a bad move?

Re: Ask HN: Should or shouldn’t Amazon.com create a publishing company?

#2

Post by stonemetal » Thu, Feb 04, 2010, 1:43 PM UTC

#3

Post by ippisl » Thu, Feb 04, 2010, 1:43 PM UTC

It's a long term strategy, and very much dependent on kindle market share.

It's not a move that will help the kindle in the near/mid-term future. And that's where they're focusing now.

But in the long term if the kindle becomes popular , it might be a good move.

#4

Post by mooism2 » Thu, Feb 04, 2010, 1:49 PM UTC

I'm sceptical. What does Amazon know about publishing?

With the Kindle, they were already skilled at retailing and designing user interfaces.

With their cloud services, they were selling a service they had to provide for themselves anyway.

Why would an author sign to Amazon instead of an established publisher? What could Amazon do better than them?