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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 2,101-2,150 of 2,216 (2216 new)
Kim wrote: "Does this mean that those who don't use Kindles are going to eventually be kicked out? I'm not sure that I like this "buyout" because I use a Nook and have no intention of ever buying a Kindle."Doubtful, unless they are also going to kick out every person who doesn't buy all their hardcopy books from Amazon. And I hardly think they would do that. It'd be a lot of manpower.
What does this mean for Shelfari? Are we going to see the best features from both services merge?
I hope this merger moves along quickly. I'm tired of having to manually input kindle books to add them to my Goodreads library!Wayne in Victoria, BC
Allow me to qualify this statement with the truth that I'm an Indie Author with books on Amazon. Now, having said that -I'm totally disappointed in this decision. I really...Really...enjoyed the fact that Goodreads was independent and focused upon Reader participation, and I can not see anything coming out of this except for it becoming controlled by the 'big-name' say-so...which will drive READERS away from the site and make it all the more difficult for the small-fry like me to connect and build relationships with them. One thing that was important here was the sense of Community and Respect among those in Groups and Forums -I can't imagine it remaining that way with a 'review-centric' format geared towards Selling books...and we know it will be.
Sorry, I do find much of the scaremongering daft.The reviews on Good Reads are independent because independent people make them, not because the company is or isn't independent.
That is also true of Amazon - there are loads of products on Amazon that have really terrible reviews and loads that have great reviews.
I would love to see how you think Amazon will somehow control what you do on this site when they don't control the reviews on their own site (allowing for the normal legal stuff like libel!)
"...we both share a love of books and an appreciation for the authors who write them" In what universe does Amazon give a shit about books or the writers who write them or the publishers who publish them?I love Goodreads, but I boycotted Amazon years ago... not too happy about this marriage.
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 ..."^ This *****
Paul wrote: "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..."Make that opt in not opt out. If you want it posted, thenyou click to add it. I, for one, want to keep Amazon and Goodreads separate. The default action should be do not post.
I would like better integration between my kindle and goodreads...making it easier to post quotes on my goodreads page
Anything automated here should be opt in, not mandatory or opt out.
Lisa wrote: "Anything automated here should be opt in, not mandatory or opt out."Peter wrote: "Paul wrote: "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..."
THIS and THIS! ^^^^^^
phew not a great move I don't rate Amazon they do not treat their resellers wellwww.thepsychiccompany.co.uk
Hi! I'm new to all of this but I'm looking forward to learning more about promoting books. Thank you.
Much of the appeal of this site was its independence. I don't like this idea, and I hope we don't get bombarded with all things Amazon. I agree with the idea that any crossover between GR and Amazon should be voluntary. I don't want them linked.I, for one, am a proud Nook owner, and B&N shopper - I hope we don't get alienated.
I would love to see complete integration between the Author pages of both sites, but with the focus leaning much more in the Goodreads direction. It would help optimise search results and access to readers from our end. Thanks, and good luck with everything.
How do I get you to read my ebook, The Phoenix Connection, Healing through the Art of Living? http://www.amazon.com/The-Phoenix-Con... so it can be on your "read" list to others?
CC wrote: "Sorry, I do find much of the scaremongering daft.The reviews on Good Reads are independent because independent people make them, not because the company is or isn't independent.
That is also tru..."
^^^This^^^
Brenda wrote: "How do I get you to read my ebook, The Phoenix Connection, Healing through the Art of Living? http://www.amazon.com/The-Phoenix-Con... so it can be on your "read" list..."Brenda:
This is not the place to push your book. This is a Goodreads blog.
You need to spend some time on Goodreads and find out who authors contact for promotion of their book(s.
I would like to have reviews for my book to be posted simultaneously on my Amazon book pages and on Goodreads.
Has everything settled down? Have any of the dire consequences frantically predicted when the announcement was made come true?
Lewis wrote: "Has everything settled down? Have any of the dire consequences frantically predicted when the announcement was made come true?"Lew: I haven't noticed anything myself. No dire consequences as you said.
Looks like things have settled on this blog, those of us who read and review and know the GR site anyway. The others posting here, not quite sure what's going on.
I have a feeling that it will take time for any changes that are going to be made, and we don't even know if there are going to be any, to become apparent to the membership. Does anyone know if there have been any departures from the site yet. Hopefully everyone is taking a mature approach to this.
John wrote: "I have a feeling that it will take time for any changes that are going to be made, and we don't even know if there are going to be any, to become apparent to the membership. Does anyone know if the..."IF you mean people leaving, then yes. You can see even in this thread (deleted user), and I know I've seen a couple among reviews as well. I'm one of those "wait & see" types. I like Goodreads overall, esp for tracking, but am leery of them joining with a giant like Amazon, thus adding to the monopoly aspect.
Thanks for the info. To be honest I haven't gone back and re-read the thread so I'd not noticed that. Pity that people have left. I honestly don't think it is going to be as bad as some people made it out to be, but then I was wrong in my thinking when Target moved into Canada and turned out to be lacking in integrity.
John wrote: "Thanks for the info. To be honest I haven't gone back and re-read the thread so I'd not noticed that. Pity that people have left. I honestly don't think it is going to be as bad as some people made..."Hi John:
I was and still am a "wait and see" person. But take a look at the first pages here and you'll see what Dawn is talking about. Some were directed at the couple who started the site.
Earlier I posted something that said "it's not the end of the world, folks." There were almost 2,000 posts within the first couple of days of the announcement, mostly negative, many saying they were leaving.
Been following this thread since the beginning.
I love the idea of posting one review & rating and it posts to both sites so I don't have to copy & paste.
With this new setup, one would think that Goodreads book reviews would be included on Amazon for the same book. That would help Goodreads authors. But Amazon is such a greedy and selfserving company that it just isn't going to happen.Most sincerely,
A.J. Campbell, Goodreads author
A.J. wrote: "With this new setup, one would think that Goodreads book reviews would be included on Amazon for the same book. That would help Goodreads authors. But Amazon is such a greedy and selfserving compan..."A.J. And you know know, in my opinion, with your firsthand experience. I trust what you say.
I'm sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread, but I'm concerned about content ownership. Will Amazon now claim ownership over all content reviewers post on goodreads, the way they do for reviews posted directly on Amazon,and the way Facebook does (did? was this ever changed?)? What about author content or blogger content that is secondarily posted to goodreads? If Amazon wants to claim all of this as their property, there will be a mass exodus. Even casual bloggers and reviewers want their content to remain their own.
Janet wrote: "I'm sorry if I missed this earlier in the thread, but I'm concerned about content ownership. Will Amazon now claim ownership over all content reviewers post on goodreads, the way they do for review..."Hi Janet:
Sorry, yes you did miss the earlier discussion. If you want to hear the comment, go to page one, two, etc.
The questions asked then are much like the ones you asked and supposedly there was an exodus. How many? I don't know, haven't asked don't even know who to ask. All good questions though.
Probably never really will know how many have left over this. There will be those who deleted their accounts and made their feelings known. However there will be others who simply decided to never return, even to delete their accounts. Also there will be some who happen to stop using this site for one reason or another that had nothing to do with this situation.
John wrote: "Probably never really will know how many have left over this. There will be those who deleted their accounts and made their feelings known. However there will be others who simply decided to never ..."I was recently reminded of this: For every person who complains and agitates and so on, there are 10 who either simply endure, hoping things will improve, or quietly stop using the service.
I only found this thread by accident and friendship with a former user who did know. It was NEVER made easy to find to the average user (I had no idea Otis even had a blog!). So how many average users just closed up their accounts when the story hit the newswire? We'll never know.
I'd like to see integration between my audible account and GR. Books that I've marked as "to read" on GR get automatically populated into my "wish list" for Audible. Since they're both Amazon companies it seems feasible.
I still do not get that this has only been announced to the librarians and not the the average users. I bet it will be announced when there are new terms of use, right?
Redangel333 wrote: "I still do not get that this has only been announced to the librarians and not the the average users. I bet it will be announced when there are new terms of use, right?"This is a blog available to all members, all internet users actually, and not just librarians. Unfortunately, most average users don't know about the blog, and I'm sure many did not see the site announcement when posted either.
I only saw it when happening upon the item in the news section, and I really am not sure why I was in the news section to begin with as I pretty much come on and add some boos to my shelves and then leave.
So far, I have not noticed ANY significant difference. People leaving seems like an overreaction. I love Goodreads and will stay a member unless something drastically changes.
Susan wrote: "So far, I have not noticed ANY significant difference. People leaving seems like an overreaction. I love Goodreads and will stay a member unless something drastically changes."Yup.
Redangel333: Go to the beginning of this thread...there's a news release for the media and GR users. And I agree with Susan. I haven't noticed any significant changes either. I'm a wait and see person.
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 ..."And then if I could sort my books by popularity and genre and see other reviews it would be wonderful!
Gary wrote: "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..."Not me! I buy a lot of books as gifts. I come from a family of readers. And a lot of my friends are readers too!
Just to make sure...I'm Cathy, not Catherine (on GR) and looked for her post but can't find it. Not me though; I've said nothing about present topic.
I'm getting emails/friend requests from authors I've never heard of, plus really annoying ads that don't go away without some trouble... I take it this is an Amazon thing plugging their own interests.Disappointed and not impressed. Who wants a Kindle to purchase anything held by Amazon that I want to read? I don't. Fascism sucks.
Runningrabbit wrote: "I'm getting emails/friend requests from authors I've never heard of, plus really annoying ads that don't go away without some trouble... I take it this is an Amazon thing plugging their own intere..."Odd, I'm not receiving anything along those lines. I get emails from Amazon but only because I agreed to that when I used Amazon.ca last year.
I have not received anything like that either.
I want samples sent to my kindle for every book I add to my to read list.
Richard wrote: "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..."I agree
What if you're buying a gift book, for someone else?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C...