Kindle Matchbook

Amazon is getting ready to launch another innovation that will help keep them at the head of the pack in online book sales: Kindle Matchbook.

Kindle-Matchbook

Kindle Matchbook is a program that allows you to buy the ebook version of hard copy books that you purchased through Amazon at a discounted price – but only if a publisher opts that book into the program.

Publishers have the option of pricing these ebooks at $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, or completely free. For publishers who traditionally charge more for their ebooks, this may come with some sticker shock.

The program will even work for new purchases. Let’s say that there is a book that is a must-have. You hop onto Amazon to order the paperback, but you can’t wait a week for it to come in the mail. With this program, you could get the ebook at a discounted price and start reading right away.

Personally, I am excited about the program, both as a reader and as an author / publisher. Why should I pay full price for an ebook when I already own the paperback? Why should my readers pay full price for an ebook if they already purchased my book?

It will be interesting to see how many Catholic publishers jump on board. So far, few participate in Amazon’s KDP Select, which allows them to “lend” books for free to Amazon Prime members (the publisher still gets paid).

How does that work?

For $79 a year, Amazon customers can sign up for Amazon Prime, which gives Kindle owners the ability to borrow books from KDP Select (as well as other perks, like free shipping from Amazon). Get a free trial HERE.

Some publishers will choose not to participate in Kindle Matchbook to boycott against Amazon because of their political views. Others simply will not want to feed the online juggernaut.

Personally, I think it is an excellent move by a company that continues to innovate in the book industry. They are not popular with their competitors because of their business practices, but that’s only because they thought of it first.

Kindle Matchbook seems like a natural evolution as the world goes from print to digital. What do you think of the program?

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