Sign in with Facebook
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 51-100 of 2,216 (2216 new)
I like Amazon (and real book shops) and I like Goodreads but one is major e-commerce the other major e-community - I hope it works and doesn't change the shape and atmosphere of what is a great site for readers/reviewers.
This is terrible news. Guess i have to stop using this site because you are greedy and decided to join up with what is killing books.
I would like the bookshelf feature available on both
I hope GoodReads won't now do the same thing Amazon does and delete reviews arbitrarily.I'd rather support independent sites. Will have to see if I still support after the merger.
For people who think that goodreads might go under because of the partnership with Amazon...just don't let it happen! We'll have a riot...a world-wide riot! Yeah! More power to readers! xD
With the right integration, and a continued commitment to what already makes Goodreads great, this could be wonderful news. I love my Kindle, and I love Goodreads.A couple things that would be nice: automatic (optionally) updates to our shelves as we purchase, make progress in, and finish books; support the Kindle Cloud Reader in addition to Kindle devices; integrate Amazon and Goodreads reviews and scores; allow Kindle to track/match books purchased anywhere, not just through Amazon; support apps on devices other than the Kindle.
I think these measures would not only be beneficial to the Goodreads experience; they would prevent Goodreads from becoming only defined by the Amazon relationship. For all the good the connection to Amazon can bring, and as much as I love my Kindle, Goodreads should never be seen as being a site solely for Kindle users.
I am excited about this. Hoping that I only have to write one review now.
Amazon is one of the biggest "slum lords" on the internet. Prepare to be mismanaged, then abandoned.
If you are going to be "an independent entity, under the Goodreads brand and with our unique culture", then there will be no Kindle integration. And no other integration with Amazon. I expect regulators will stop this purchase if Goodreads is turned into an Amazon storefront. Maybe not in the US, but I suspect the EU will have a say.
If you're happy, then Congratulations. I'll reserve judgment until I see what happens next and the responses to these questions.
I hope this doesn't make the good indie and the lesser known books more expensive on amazon. good job goodreads! ;)
Congratulations! But don't think this is good for your users. I am worried too!
Add me to the list of people who aren't happy about the change.
Amy wrote: "What about us Nookies?"Tough cookies for the Nookies.
I am hoping that Goodreads remains independent but that this is a linking between Goodreads and Amazon for cross-feature tools like ratings and discussion. I would love for Goodreads reviews to automatically show up on Amazon, for example. Goodreads is a different monster from Amazon in that it encourages book discussion where Amazon is about book consumption. I don't see this changing, nor do I see Amazon as being able to just swoop in and "kill" Goodreads. I know there is a great deal of negativity directed at Amazon, but I will step out on the limb and say that I have had nothing but good experiences with Amazon / Kindle. I am willing to support this and support GoodReads and see where it goes.
Amazon already owns Shelfari, doesn't it? Shelfari and Goodreads are pretty similar, so I'm not sure I understand how this will work.
Sync reading progress from Kindle to my goodreads account.
Congratulations to you. I am not sure what to think of this merger but I'm happy that you're happy and that you're not going away. I really enjoy both Goodreads and Amazon.
I do NOT share your enthusiasm. I suppose I'll stop using goodreads when this happens. It's not good news as far as I am concerned.
Well, here's to hoping that this time next year GR won't be featured on Our Incredible Journey... but I won't be surprised if that happens.
Will GR no longer provide the various places available online to purchase a copy? I do not own a Kindle (Nook here) and like that I can click B&N to buy a copy or click my local library for borrowing.
Another company swallowed up by a multi national. Hope you got a good price for GR. Bit sad really. All the best to you.
While I do have a Kindle, I do not like to post reviews or rate books on Amazon. I use them strictly as a merchant and I am not interested in the "community" aspect of Amazon. As such, while it will be great to have things integrated for those who like it, I would hope that I still have the option to keep things separate when all is said and done. Most importantly to me, I do not want reviews I post on GR to auto post to Amazon unless I choose them to. I do not post reviews on Amazon for a reason.
If you're merging reviews, what would you do about the star ratings? They're different across the sites. 'It was OK' is 2 stars on Goodreads, but 3 stars on Amazon. I rate differently when I post my reviews on both sites.Also, will this include Amazon UK (etc)? I'm British.
Despite buying from Amazon, I'm not happy to hear this. While I'm happy for you and hope you received a great deal of money for this *merger*, I worry about what will happen next. As a Sony eReader fan, I have to wonder how long it will be before only Kindle and Kindle published books will be honored here.
Kimberly wrote: "Bye Bye Shelfari . . . Hello Goodreads!! I hope nothing changes with Goodreads. I hope Amazon merges my "To read" list with my Amazon Wishlist."I would not like to see that happen. They are two completely different things.
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 treat Goodreads similarly.
Sorry to hear this news! Nook owners love our e- readers. Not always about Amazon! Loved the site the way it was. Money is always the driving force!
Another blow to independent bookstores. This is really too bad.
With the good comes the bad I (like others)would have rather this site be independent. Since the deal is done lets hope this site can improve Amazon and it's self.
I'd like all the books I have said I own on Amazon to appear as to read books on GoodReads. That would save a ton of time.
Anne wrote: "I'm an amazon customer and certainly don't hate the company and I am happy that people who took the initiative to put goodreads together are being rewarded financially. That said, this news strike..."Agreed. One of the most attractive features to me about Goodreads was its status as a community, not a retailer. I feel stalked by Amazon enough already without it being able to infiltrate my Goodreads account as well.
It would be great if you could do an app-style agreement, where Goodreads and Amazon partner to bring Goodreads to the Kindle, but keeps the hardcover and paperback readers separate. Download the app for the Kindle if you want the access (and maybe this could work for Nook, iPad, etc.), but if you don't want it nothing will change.
I'm not just concerned about Amazon stalking me, but also about the potential for heavily increased advertising. I certainly don't mind the book adverts I've seen on Goodreads in the past, but with Amazon I think things could get out of hand.
Jacquie wrote: "for me, I would like to be able to post one review and have it go to both sites"
YES! That would be awesome!
YES! That would be awesome!
The ability to make a comment about a specific passage and post it to a Good Reads discussion thread, e.g. allow readers to start book clubs hosted by Good Reads and when I highlight and comment on a passage, it shows up to members of my Book Club hosted on Good Reads. Right now I can do that on Facebook, but many FB friends might not be interested. Being able to easily communicate to just others interested in the particular book easily would be great.
karen wrote: "amazon has been very hands-on and overcautious with the way it treats its reviews and reviewers. will you at least tell us before you delete our reviews?? because they don't."Important concern for me. I don't want my reviews on Amazon unless I put them there. The review "culture" is nasty and the way they process reviews is commerce-centric, not reader-centric. Please shed light on the plans GR has to remain independent in this most important regard.
I would rather have to Opt IN to have purchases added to my Goodreads list-I mostly buy books for my kids on Amazon.
Catherine wrote: "Feature Request: When I buy a book on Amazon I'd like it to automatically get added to my to read or reading shelf (unless I click a box to not post it, which I would do if it was something like a ..."
You've said a lot but it all amounts to "noise" in the scheme of things. There is no denying fact that you've "sold out." Amazon has one purpose and that is to own everything and now it owns Goodreads. :(
I truly don't understand what everyone is so upset about. At least wait until the changes are announced to have issues with it! For all we know, nothing is going to change (I mean, it basically states it in the press release). This may only end up providing extra features to Kindle users! I know I would love being able to post a status update from my Kindle, with quotes and all. It will also be useful if our reviews are doubly posted on Amazon. I can't imagine they will remove negative reviews, as one of GoodRead's best features is that we can count on honest reviews.Lets give this a shot. You all might be getting worked up over nothing for all we know.
I hope self published authors who don't use Amazon's CreateSpace will still get a fair shake ...
It would be cool if Whispersync could set the progress bar.
I am glad you are still covering paper books.
Such a shame, another site where we are now going to get Amazon shoved down our throats on every page. I don't own, nor want a Kindle, and you can bet now that Goodreads is going to be tailored for Kindle readers specifically, as lets face it, it means Amazon will ultimately make their money back.
I use Goodreads as a way to keep track of my reading/books & don't necessarily want my reviews posted to both sites. For one, some of my Goodreads reviews have very short notes to myself that I wouldn't want posted and that wouldn't meet Amazon's word length. Perhaps, a button that allows posting to Amazon (like the Twitter feature) that could be unchecked.
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..."Amen. Maybe as a silver lining Amazon will take care of the downright cruel, vulgar reviews getting posted where people just attack each other.
Alise wrote: "What a slap in the face to indies. Go capitalism?"☆★☆ＡＭＥＲＩＣＡ！☆★☆
☆★☆ＡＭＥＲＩＣＡ！☆★☆
☆★☆ＡＭＥＲＩＣＡ！☆★☆
But really, this is indeed a bit disconcerting. Oftentimes with buy-outs like this the worry ends up being for nothing, so I'm hoping that that's the case with this too. A little bit of Amazon integration wouldn't be the most egregious thing in the world so long as it's tasteful or minimally invasive. That won't drive me away, but I can imagine a whole lot that would.
And even if the site itself remains relatively unchanged, it's a bit sad in a conceptual sense as well. As if Amazon doesn't have enough control.
I'm concerned about ownership of reviews. Can you address this issue? While I do have an Amazon account, I mostly buy from independent booksellers, and I don't like the idea of my reviews being used by Amazon and the endorsement that implies. I hope the groups and communities in place on Goodreads are also able to stay intact.
Amazon doesn't have the best track record for serving international users or playing well outside of the Kindle, which was a MAJOR focus in your announcement. I really hope Goodreads can maintain the same level of awesome it currently has.