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Exciting News About Goodreads: We're Joining the Amazon Family!
When Elizabeth and I started Goodreads from my living room seven years ago, we set out to create a better way for people to find and share books they love. It's been a wild ride seeing how the company has grown and watching as more than 16 million readers from across the globe have joined Goodreads and connected over a passion for books.
Today I'm really happy to announce a new milestone for Goodreads: We are joining the Amazon family. We truly could not think of a more perfect partner for Goodreads as we both share a love of books and an appreciation for the authors who write them. We also both love to invent products and services that touch millions of people.
I'm excited about this for three reasons:
1. With the reach and resources of Amazon, Goodreads can introduce more readers to our vibrant community of book lovers and create an even better experience for our members.
2. Our members have been asking us to bring the Goodreads experience to an e-reader for a long time. Now we're looking forward to bringing Goodreads to the most popular e-reader in the world, Kindle, and further reinventing what reading can be.
3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture.
It's important to be clear that Goodreads and the awesome team behind it are not going away. Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community that we all cherish. We plan to continue offering you everything that you love about the site—the ability to track what you read, discover great books, discuss and share them with fellow book lovers, and connect directly with your favorite authors—and your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads. And it's incredibly important to us that we remain a home for all types of readers, no matter if you read on paper, audio, digitally, from scrolls, or even stone tablets.
For all of you Kindle readers, there's obviously an extra bonus in this announcement. You've asked us for a long time to be able to integrate your Kindle and Goodreads experiences. Making that option a reality is one of our top priorities.
Our team gets out of bed every day motivated by the belief that the right book in the right hands can change the world. Now Goodreads can help make that happen in an even bigger and more meaningful way thanks to joining the Amazon family. (And if you want to be part of this, please check out our Jobs page for open positions. We've got a lot of hires to make!)
This is an emotional day for me. Goodreads is more than a company to me – it's something that Elizabeth and I created because we wanted it to exist. Since then it has grown a lot and become a place we love working at, full of incredibly smart and passionate people who also believe in our mission. I feel a little like a college graduate – happy to come to this milestone, nostalgic for the past amazing seven years, and incredibly, incredibly, excited for the future.
Otis
P.S. For the more official version of the announcement, here's the press release that went out today.
P.P.S. Please let us know – what integration with Kindle would you love to see the most?
Today I'm really happy to announce a new milestone for Goodreads: We are joining the Amazon family. We truly could not think of a more perfect partner for Goodreads as we both share a love of books and an appreciation for the authors who write them. We also both love to invent products and services that touch millions of people.
I'm excited about this for three reasons:
1. With the reach and resources of Amazon, Goodreads can introduce more readers to our vibrant community of book lovers and create an even better experience for our members.
2. Our members have been asking us to bring the Goodreads experience to an e-reader for a long time. Now we're looking forward to bringing Goodreads to the most popular e-reader in the world, Kindle, and further reinventing what reading can be.
3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture.
It's important to be clear that Goodreads and the awesome team behind it are not going away. Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community that we all cherish. We plan to continue offering you everything that you love about the site—the ability to track what you read, discover great books, discuss and share them with fellow book lovers, and connect directly with your favorite authors—and your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads. And it's incredibly important to us that we remain a home for all types of readers, no matter if you read on paper, audio, digitally, from scrolls, or even stone tablets.
For all of you Kindle readers, there's obviously an extra bonus in this announcement. You've asked us for a long time to be able to integrate your Kindle and Goodreads experiences. Making that option a reality is one of our top priorities.
Our team gets out of bed every day motivated by the belief that the right book in the right hands can change the world. Now Goodreads can help make that happen in an even bigger and more meaningful way thanks to joining the Amazon family. (And if you want to be part of this, please check out our Jobs page for open positions. We've got a lot of hires to make!)
This is an emotional day for me. Goodreads is more than a company to me – it's something that Elizabeth and I created because we wanted it to exist. Since then it has grown a lot and become a place we love working at, full of incredibly smart and passionate people who also believe in our mission. I feel a little like a college graduate – happy to come to this milestone, nostalgic for the past amazing seven years, and incredibly, incredibly, excited for the future.
Otis
P.S. For the more official version of the announcement, here's the press release that went out today.
P.P.S. Please let us know – what integration with Kindle would you love to see the most?
Comments Showing 751-800 of 2,216 (2216 new)
If we close our Goodreads account, is all of our information deleted? Or does Goodreads keep our data and hand it over to Amazon?
I'm an Amazon customer and I've bought lots of things from them over the years, from books to toys to kitchen gadgets. I also own a Kindle, though I buy most of my actual ebooks from other sellers. I don't love them, but I don't think they're the devil either. They just a big, huge corporation.As a long time Audible customer, I know that at first there were no changes, then they started feeding our reviews to Amazon (with no active opt-in), then they forced us to merge our accounts. Lots of people stopped reviewing books on Audible because they don't want their reviews on Amazon. This substantially weakened Audible reviews.
The account mergers automatically made Kindles your listening device if you own one, and you can't change it. Audible listeners complained extensively and all we got was "but having what you don't want is better for you!" Typical big business: what's better for their business is claimed to be for their customers' benefit. And this was from the merger of another retail site.
A social site that they're trying to monetize will probably be worse. I don't want Amazon to own what I write. Not unless they pay me for it at the professional rate I get for other things I write. And I don't want my accounts merged. But sooner or later I'm guessing these things will happen.
Ah well. It was good while it lasted.
Hopefully this doesn't mean iOS is left out of the loop with the Goodreads app, it's just about the only way I really use GR. Good luck, hope it doesn't die in the ass.
Wendi wrote: "Too bad. Another good independent thing bites the dust. Happy for you and the money you'll make off the cool thing you started; sad for me, and sad for the internet, which will soon be owned by Ama..."I'd call it selling out, but I guess that's what this system makes us do isn't it. We're all prostitutes under good ole Western capitalism.
OK, got some replies to my post and couldn't even find half of them in the melee.To clarify:
I'm a pro writer, have been for well over a decade, living on it. I've done the starvation thing. Didn't like it much. This is business, not pleasure.
Sites don't survive on goodwill and occasional handouts. This makes sense to me in expanding a market which is severely undersold. GR readers and authors make solid contributions. The site is credible for that reason.
You want to talk ethics and cultural standards, take a look at most traditional publishers. Shopping lists and spreadsheets. Same thing, done very badly in comparison to Amazon. They take forever to do anything. Amazon books exists partly because of their sheer inefficiency. This isn't the Bohemian ideal, sure, but it's a damn sight better than the usual industry constipation factor can ever be.
For writers, Amazon is a plus. You can publish almost anything, do it your way, and get it out there. GR is part of the mix already. Every book you see here is already on Amazon. Is there a contradiction? I don't think so.
Angela wrote: "Not sure how I feel about this and I am an Amazon Customer. What I lOVE about GR is that it's truly crowd-sourced. Amazon is not a family- it's a profit making machine. Quoting Anne (message 33) "..."Yes! I am very leery of this!
Cindy wrote: "I am nook owner, so I know I'm now SOL. But, to me the bigger picture is why i joined Goodreads to begin with. I LOVED the idea of an independent, one more time, independent book site. I loved th..."I'm a Nook user, too, and I'm just ... honestly, this is the worst news I've read all week, and maybe all month. I suppose I'll delete my data and check out LibraryThing.
Very sorry to hear about this. But hoping I can live with the results. If not, GR will just become a place with a list of my books.
So not happy with all the librarian changes we went through last year, now all for naught.
Shawn wrote: "If we close our Goodreads account, is all of our information deleted? Or does Goodreads keep our data and hand it over to Amazon?"You'd have to delete all your reviews...
Derrick wrote: "As long as all the dreck Amazon reviews for books don't get merged with the ones here on GR, I'm ok with that.Amazon "reviews" are a joke."
Very much so. Their system is so played.
"3. Amazon supports us continuing to grow our vision as an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture."
I'm sorry - but this statement by Otis in the press release is such bullcrap, I can't even. Get bought out by Amazon and remain independent? How so? How the heck do you remain "unique" when you sucker being bought out by the most monopolizing company? Wowsa.
I'm sorry - but this statement by Otis in the press release is such bullcrap, I can't even. Get bought out by Amazon and remain independent? How so? How the heck do you remain "unique" when you sucker being bought out by the most monopolizing company? Wowsa.
I would love a feature where I can set a time of day where it will post my reading progress. Reason I don't want the update when I put the kindle to sleep deals with constant interruptions during my reading time and closing my cover, hence putting my book to sleep. Once a day update of my reading progress would be amazing. Oh and let me rate and write a review when I finish a book automatically.
Sue wrote: "Wendi wrote: "Too bad. Another good independent thing bites the dust. Happy for you and the money you'll make off the cool thing you started; sad for me, and sad for the internet, which will soon b..."Yep, it's a free market. They are free to make money, we are free to go elsewhere. It works. It has worked for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.
Really hate that it's Amazon...seems like they want to monopolize control of reading for everyone, and that can not be a good thing. Also, I own a Kobo, not a Kindle. Goodreads was all about readers reading books - I'm afraid now it will be all about getting Goodreads readers to buy books from Amazon.
Hopefully all the naysayers who say they're going to close their account do-it will only improved Goodreads without you.Stamping your feet and holding your breath over progress is a silly and amusing thing to see.
I LOVE Goodreads and tell ppl about it all the time! I'm really hoping nothing changes other than being able to link up with your Kindle bks. Love you the way you already are!
Hoping I can sync all my Amazon book history into my shelves...
I think this is good news! Here are my ideas for integration points. I'm sure you've thought of most of these.- when I buy a book, add it to my shelf (let me pick which one, or if I want to at all). Perhaps set it up so I can have a default setting on goodreads to blanket-approve this action or not, or set up a queue so that I can approve each add manually. Another way to do this is adding button on the Amazon interface after I've purchased a book. "Add to Goodreads" or something.
- Keep my progress up to date from my Kindle
- Allow me to see Goodreads reviews when shopping on Amazon or through my Kindle
- Allow me to see Goodreads community content on the book I'm reading from my Kindle
EXTREMELY UNHAPPY and DISAPPOINTED. I had nothing but good things to say about GoodReads. No longer. Hundreds of reviews I've written, and now I'll need to move or delete them.
I'm a Nook owner and have been boycotting Amazon for several years. This is the absolute worst news I could possibly read.
Anyone have any suggestions for a truly independent reader community?
Count me as one NOT happy with this change. I hope our reviews don't start showing up on Amazon - and if they plan to do so, I'm hoping we have an option to delete/withhold our reviews. I've enjoyed my years in the Goodreads community, but I feel like this is coming to an end. I'll be keeping an eye out for change and will be gone quickly should I see the Amazon hand in everything.I agree with Anne (message 33) "I liked/would prefer a community of readers not backed by someone with motives to a) unrelentingly mine my data and b) sell me stuff."
Kathy wrote: "Am I missing something??? Why is everyone complaining? As long as we do not lose our personal lists of books read with our reviews and ratings, I am happy. I have only good things to say about G..."You didn't see my first post in this thread, then. Why are we complaining? Because Amazon have a record of horrible, unethical decisions and actions:
- filtering LGBTQ books out of bestseller lists when they would have been there going by figures;
- blackmailing publishers and driving physical bookshops out of business;
- carelessly allowing the advertisement of clothing featuring rape jokes;
- violating users' privacy without notice;
- deleting users' work in notes on Kindle books when withdrawing them...
Need I go on?
And what about us loyal Barnes and Noble people or independent bookstore followers? Are the "buy now" buttons for everyone but Amazon going to disappear? You may be happy at the change, but I think this will build more walls in the bookselling community than bring people together. I work in a brick and mortar store. What happens when a customer is looking up reviews Good Reads, sees Amazon's price and we lose the sale? More money for them, more money for you, but it's one more step in losing actual bookstores. I hope everyone likes browsing online because that's all that's going to be left...
anieva wrote: "Did Goodreads really think most of its users would like this new development?"Of course not! Why did they wait until the end of the day before a three day weekend before announcing the "happy news." If they really thought there would be rejoicing and partying there would have been hints beforehand and the announcement would be early in the day so everyone could party "til the sun go down."
Ooh! Awesome. I don't have a Kindle, but Amazon is cool. I can't imagine how great it will be for GR, I'm sure the amount of members are going double, which will be insane! I'll be interested to see what happens. Amazon is huge! Which will probably make GR's even more huge! I still know people you don't know what Goodreads is... and I'm like... YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT GOODREADS IS? It's like Facebook for books!It's... Bookbook Or maybe Pagebook... Or... Readbook... or... :P
Well, this gets worse and worse. I just started researching Library Thing, and found that Amazon owns at least 40% of them, according to Wikipedia.Please, if any of you know of a book site in the vein of Goodreads that isn't owned in part or entirely by Amazon, let me know. Thank you.
Dijun wrote: "I am not sure I am happy with that announcement but we'll see.(I find it sad that it's certainly be all about the kindle...It already is when you read this article. there is more than one brand f..."
Not everyone wants an e-reader and those who do don't necessarily want a Kindle!
Goodreads, you are now an active contributor to this: Amazon kills 70% royalties for authors"Does Amazon need the royalties of self-published authors? No. This is about price regulation, and Amazon's efforts to continue to dominate the e-book market. [...] If Amazon wants to change the sale price of a self-published work to $.99, for example, it is only required to pay 35% royalties."
Would Otis and Elizabeth still be smiling if amazon paid them only 34-cents minus delivery fee for their hard work?
I came to Goodreads because it was an independent site. I wanted to read reviews not controlled by someone who wants to sell me something. I don't think this is a good thing for us.
I am so, so saddened by this news, though I suppose it is good for you, founders of Goodreads.I got out of Abebooks when Amazon bought them, because despite all assurances that everything would be just the same, unique individuality, yadda yadda, it was assuredly not so.
Corporate enterprise is corporate enterprise.
A tragic day in the book world.
E.W. wrote: "Too bad the members were not clued on this decision. I would have paid a fee to keep this site independent. Now all I can do is wait and see."Hear, hear!
Scott wrote: "Hopefully all the naysayers who say they're going to close their account do-it will only improved Goodreads without you.Stamping your feet and holding your breath over progress is a silly and amu..."
I don't know what's so silly about bemoaning the trajectory of this kind of "progress". Progress generally means that something is going to improve. But what seems to happen is that the smaller companies are, the closest to the ground they are, that's when they're the freshest and the most life is within them. By the time their originators sell them to a larger company in order to make themselves some decent dosh to "set themselves up" with, this tends to mark the beginning of the decline of the quality of the product now it's columned into some other company's spreadsheet. It doesn't feel like progress to me, it feels like decline.
This sucks... I chose goodreads because it was an awesome independent site for readers to comment and keep track of their books, I just hope amazon doesn't make it so commercial that I'll just end up leaving the site.
E.W. wrote: "Too bad the members were not clued on this decision. I would have paid a fee to keep this site independent. Now all I can do is wait and see."Same here. I would've gladly subscribed, vs. seeing it handed over to a private retailer, especially Amazon.
I understand this may have been necessary, but it's sad. Amazon is company. Goodreads is (was?) a community. Big difference. Plus, I'm a B&N person, so Kindle integration does nothing for me. I'm also afraid we'll lose the links to the different online retailers located on each book's page- I rely on those for price comparison, especially using the mobile app.
I really hope that I will not be required to link my GR account to my Amazon account. I like to keep my online accounts separate.
I hope the bookshelves feature will somehow integrate - that is the most frustrating thing on a Kindle. I'd like the option to have one review go to both sites. And also on the Amazon side to select the shelves I want to have a Kindle book I purchase on and to update the own a copy information.
Too bad - I like GR and use it nearly every day. We'll see what happens when Amazon gets hold of it.
Scott wrote: "Hopefully all the naysayers who say they're going to close their account do-it will only improved Goodreads without you.Stamping your feet and holding your breath over progress is a silly..."
Not all of us think corporate ownership of yet more of our lives is progress.
I am cautiously optimistic about this announcement. I like Amazon as a company and I anticipate their ownership will clean up the database on Goodreads.
Me too...not sure I'm happy with this announcement.However, please make sure freedom still be here...with enough and multiple ways to access to the books we like same as so far...not only amazon book & kindle..
Katharine wrote: "E.W. wrote: "Too bad the members were not clued on this decision. I would have paid a fee to keep this site independent. Now all I can do is wait and see."Same here. I would've gladly subscribe..."
me too
I could care less to hear about joining Amazon and integration with Kindle.The only serious flaw of GR was the lack of mobile website to be displayed on smartphone.
I'm not excited about this, I think it's a fallback. I don't see what you're happy aout.
I love that you have the ability to just choose a star rating for a book on Goodreads and not include a review. I hope this feature doesn't change with the merger since Amazon requires a review with all ratings. I know many readers hesitate to rate a book if they have to review it too, and as an author, I enjoy seeing both ratings and reviews on my GR page. It gives you a true understanding of how people feel about your books.
Jason wrote: "For those of you distressed by this news, consider that Amazon also owns IMDB (Internet Movie Database), which has remained a separate, thriving brand and site. It seems likely that Amazon will tre...".....IMDB doesn't sell books. IMDB doesn't even sell DVDs. And the whole "how can we integrate all this with your KINDLE???" push is worrisome and aggravating.
Boo. =(I'm happy for the exalted entrepreneurs who brought us Goodreads, but this is a sad day for us users.
I started coming to Goodreads to get REAL ratings of books, not filtered reviews being pushed on me by a company that has an interest in selling me more stuff by declaring that everything's excessively awesome.
I love the community of fellow readers I've found here at Goodreads. I love the honesty and passion and INDEPENDENT spirit of Goodreads.
(Ever compared a book's rating on Amazon and here on Goodreads??? Many times, they're not even CLOSE. And I think we know which rating is more honest.)
Cathy wrote: "So another good site succumbs to the lure of the big name...I hope the original purpose of Goodreads won't be lost. If it is, I'll return to pencil/paper to record my reading."I just joined goodreads a few months ago. Love the site, with Amazon involved now-I will likely delete my account and stick to pen and paper.
E.W. wrote: "Too bad the members were not clued on this decision. I would have paid a fee to keep this site independent."Agreed.
I wholly agree with this. I'll delete my data before the transition occurs. Guess I'll be taking a look at LibraryThing.