Apple and Amazon content restrictions: Convenience or control?

As we go through the process of creating bookstore specific "You Might Also Like" lists to include in each of our nonfiction books, Seth Godin's Paid Content post Who Decides What Gets Sold In The Bookstore? strikes a chord today.

Lamenting the fact that his book was rejected by Apple because it contained links to Amazon books, Godin writes:

We’re heading to a world where there are just a handful of influential bookstores (Amazon, Apple, Nook…) and one by one, the principles of open access are disappearing. Apple, apparently, won’t carry an ebook that contains a link to buy a hardcover book from Amazon.

That’s amazing to me. It must be a mistake, right?

First, because the web, like your mind, works best when it’s open. Second, because once bookstores start to censor the books they carry (business reasons, personal taste, etc.) then the door is open for any interest group to work hard to block books with which they disagree. Where does the line get drawn?

Since we have to do everything possible to keep potential readers coming back to us for more, we are adding links to browse our other nonfiction books and essays in the back of each release.  To do this, we now have to create unique lists and corresponding ePub files for the iBookstore, Barnes & Noble Nook Bookstore and Google Books.  And, of course, a separate list for Kindle Books.  It's not an outrageous task and we've now set up a process to automate the list generation, but it adds time and cost to the production process which, in a time-pressed and budget strained startup like this, just makes the real task at hand, getting the word out about our books, that much harder.

Whining aside, this would seem to be a common sense best practice to create the shortest possible hop to get the reader back the purchase funnel.  And, if you look at in terms of reader convenience, it also makes sense to include platform relevant links.  If I'm reading a Now and Then nonfiction ebook on a Kindle, it's highly likely that I'll probably read my next Now and Then nonfiction ebook on a Kindle.  I don't need a link to buy it on Nook or the iPad. In fact, I'd probably be annoyed if I clicked on non-relevant link.

While it should be a decision left up to the author or publisher, the control is in in this case, convenient.

The issue become a bit murkier, and much less convenient, when you move beyond the dedicated e-reading devices like the original Kindle and the Nook. There's been much made of Apple's move to restrict the reading apps made by Amazon and Barnes and Noble and others from in-app purchases unless they pay the 30% commission.  For those users who choose to read Kindle books on their iOs devices, this restriction makes the purchase process a complete pain in the neck, requiring the user to switchover to Safari, login to Amazon, enter a credit card and then send the purchase over to their Kindle iPad app.   You lost me at "login."   It makes sense that usage is up on the iBookstore (at least for us). Even with Amazon's counter-attack Cloud Reader and Ipad Bookstore solutions, Apple's restrictions have made iBookstore a lot easier to use than Kindle or Nook.

Since the appeal of devices lies mainly in their capability, and capability is more and more provided by third party applications, I agree with Godin and think that it behooves Apple and Amazon to take a step back and look at what lies down the road in terms of competition.   The fact that I can make the choice to purchase books through Kobo, Kindle, Nook OR Google Books apps on my Android tablet makes it that much more appealing to me than my uber-restricted iPad2.  Google's Eric Schmidt today predicted an Android for everyone on the planet.   I honestly don't think that the prediction is that far-fetched.  Even if he's only partially correct, Apple and Amazon will be forced to open up their devices to give the reader the choices to they want.  Otherwise they're going to turn to an Android device that inherently has that much more capability.

Until then, we'll continue to toe Apple and Amazon's respective lines - for our reader's convenience and simple survival in this monopolized industry.  Will Android world dominance lead to the rebirth of the independent bookstore? I certainly hope so.  In the meantime, I wish one of them would come up with an automated "Also by" tool.  Please. It would make things so much easier for us.