Comments on: Kindle relying heavily on older buyers—50+? And are nearly 70 percent of owners over 40? http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/ News & views on e-books, libraries, publishing and related topics Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:18:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kelly http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1050644 Kelly Mon, 04 May 2009 17:00:32 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1050644 I own a Kindle and I'm in my early 20's and it ranks up with my computer and cell phone as far as electronics I no longer think I could live without. However, the only reason I could afford one was by not affording it, it was a gift to me from my parents. I love the ease and convenience of it, and my spending habits on books are equal to what they were when I was buying physical books. In fact in some cases I haven't stopped buying physical books of the next thing I want to read. However, left to my own devices, I may not have been able to purchase one of these on my own. It's a chunk of change upfront and up until recently I went to school full time and worked mostly full time. These statistics are interesting, but I don't know if they are conclusive. I also think that if the Kindle were a little more affordable, you would have a lot more of the younger crowd interested. After all, with an ipod I can listen to all of my CD's but I had to pay for it up front as well. I own a Kindle and I’m in my early 20’s and it ranks up with my computer and cell phone as far as electronics I no longer think I could live without. However, the only reason I could afford one was by not affording it, it was a gift to me from my parents. I love the ease and convenience of it, and my spending habits on books are equal to what they were when I was buying physical books. In fact in some cases I haven’t stopped buying physical books of the next thing I want to read. However, left to my own devices, I may not have been able to purchase one of these on my own. It’s a chunk of change upfront and up until recently I went to school full time and worked mostly full time. These statistics are interesting, but I don’t know if they are conclusive. I also think that if the Kindle were a little more affordable, you would have a lot more of the younger crowd interested. After all, with an ipod I can listen to all of my CD’s but I had to pay for it up front as well.

]]> By: Katharine Leab http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1048798 Katharine Leab Sat, 02 May 2009 13:59:50 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1048798 I own one, and I'm in my sixties. My son owns one, and he just turned 30. Another factor for older people is weight -- it's easier to read really heavy books on a Kindle. Not to mention that if you travel a good deal, having choice in one small package is great. I own one, and I’m in my sixties. My son owns one, and he just turned 30. Another factor for older people is weight — it’s easier to read really heavy books on a Kindle. Not to mention that if you travel a good deal, having choice in one small package is great.

]]> By: Joy http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1048187 Joy Sat, 02 May 2009 00:19:06 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1048187 I can't see paying $10 a read for something I retain no rights in. I can't lend the "book" to a friend or sell it or even decorate a room with it. And then I have to pay hundreds of dollars upfront for a device that will be twice as good at half the price in another year? Because of the above, I haven't checked what books are available for it, but I doubt that many of the odd and/or old reads I favor are on the list. And then there is the possibility of breaking it, losing it, or having it stolen. I'm going to stick with paperbacks. I can’t see paying $10 a read for something I retain no rights in. I can’t lend the “book” to a friend or sell it or even decorate a room with it. And then I have to pay hundreds of dollars upfront for a device that will be twice as good at half the price in another year?

Because of the above, I haven’t checked what books are available for it, but I doubt that many of the odd and/or old reads I favor are on the list.

And then there is the possibility of breaking it, losing it, or having it stolen.

I’m going to stick with paperbacks.

]]> By: Brad http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1048068 Brad Fri, 01 May 2009 22:51:52 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1048068 Interesting statistics! The only person I know who owns a Kindle is fairly young, so I can't really speak from personal experience. However, it does make sense that Kindle users would be a little older. People in their 50s also probably have more disposable income (than say, someone in their 20s who just graduated college) to spend on a Kindle. And being able to adjust the print size is a big plus for many. I find myself increasing the text size on my Sony Reader when my eyes get tired. Interesting statistics! The only person I know who owns a Kindle is fairly young, so I can’t really speak from personal experience. However, it does make sense that Kindle users would be a little older.

People in their 50s also probably have more disposable income (than say, someone in their 20s who just graduated college) to spend on a Kindle. And being able to adjust the print size is a big plus for many. I find myself increasing the text size on my Sony Reader when my eyes get tired.

]]> By: Vicki http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1047906 Vicki Fri, 01 May 2009 19:42:51 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1047906 I wouldn't bet the rent on that. The posters in the Kindle forum (including me) are a pretty small percentage of Kindle owners, and the regulars willing to share their age are an even smaller percentage of Kindle owners. I also think forum denizens are likely to skew older anyway. An on-line survey of anything is grossly unscientific. I'd put this in the "Dewey beat Truman!" catagory. Vicki I wouldn’t bet the rent on that.

The posters in the Kindle forum (including me) are a pretty small percentage of Kindle owners, and the regulars willing to share their age are an even smaller percentage of Kindle owners. I also think forum denizens are likely to skew older anyway.

An on-line survey of anything is grossly unscientific. I’d put this in the “Dewey beat Truman!” catagory.

Vicki

]]> By: Steve Jordan http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1047800 Steve Jordan Fri, 01 May 2009 15:52:43 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1047800 <blockquote>Quite correctly, Crave wonders why Amazon is using younger models to push a device with such powerful appeal to the old. Then again, this just might reflect a tendency of ads to play up glamour at the expense of reality.</blockquote> I don't know... why don't the women in <em>Desperate Housewives</em> look like the housewives in <em>my</em> neighborhood?

Quite correctly, Crave wonders why Amazon is using younger models to push a device with such powerful appeal to the old. Then again, this just might reflect a tendency of ads to play up glamour at the expense of reality.

I don’t know… why don’t the women in Desperate Housewives look like the housewives in my neighborhood?

]]> By: David Rothman http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1047775 David Rothman Fri, 01 May 2009 14:53:30 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1047775 Hey, Rob, we're all movie stars, right? as for your main point in the second graph, you could be right. As noted: "Could the Kindle stats be one more indication that books are losing popularity among many young people?" But then again, as I also said, could young people still be reading---but perhaps using cellphones instead of Kindles? I'm a boomer and yet even I do a lot of reading on my iPod Touch, a close relative of the iPhone. Thanks, David Hey, Rob, we’re all movie stars, right? as for your main point in the second graph, you could be right. As noted:

“Could the Kindle stats be one more indication that books are losing popularity among many young people?”

But then again, as I also said, could young people still be reading—but perhaps using cellphones instead of Kindles? I’m a boomer and yet even I do a lot of reading on my iPod Touch, a close relative of the iPhone.

Thanks,
David

]]> By: Rob Preece, Publisher http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/comment-page-1/#comment-1047753 Rob Preece, Publisher Fri, 01 May 2009 14:01:55 +0000 http://www.teleread.org/2009/05/01/kindle-relying-heavily-on-older-buyers-50-and-nearly-70-percent-of-owners-over-40/#comment-1047753 Those of us in our 50s think of ourselves as young and glamorous, you know. Seriously, why should this be a surprise. The only people who'd buy a Kindle are people who read. And who's reading these days? Hint--despite Twilight and Harry Potter, young people are not the high-volume readers that mature adults (not sure I like being a 'mature adult') are. Rob Preece Publisher, Those of us in our 50s think of ourselves as young and glamorous, you know.

Seriously, why should this be a surprise. The only people who’d buy a Kindle are people who read. And who’s reading these days? Hint–despite Twilight and Harry Potter, young people are not the high-volume readers that mature adults (not sure I like being a ‘mature adult’) are.

Rob Preece
Publisher,

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