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Forbes.com looks at "how Amazon could change publishing".
The first major technology-enabled change in the books industry came when digital print-on-demand presses started becoming affordable, but for authors looking to gain serious readership, the big question still remains unanswered: How would they market and distribute their books?
"Enter Amazon.com," writes entrepreneur Sramana Mitra. "Some surveys suggest that online booksellers could become the largest channel for book sales by 2009, and Amazon is certainly the 800-pound gorilla in that market--it's the largest bookseller in the world" and "what really keeps customers coming back is the outstanding user experience", in great part due to its recommendation system.
In addition, in 2005, Amazon acquired the print-on-demand company BookSurge and Mobipocket.com, an e-book software company, and in November, it launched the e-book reader Kindle. According to Forbes, Amazon is now poised to revolutionise the book printing business through vertical integration.
The company recently announced it would require all print-on-demand publishers to use its BookSurge print-on-demand, and "over the next few years, Amazon likely will use its power to build direct relationships with authors and gradually phase out publishers and agents", predicts Mitra. "It will first go after the independent print-on-demand self-publishers and get the best authors from that world. Amazon will then take on the large publishers. For decades, the publishing industry has taken advantage of authors. Amazon: authors are counting on you to turn the table!"