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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 351-400 of 2,216 (2216 new)
I feel sad :( and I'm not sure how this news will unfold but a happy ending doesn't seem possible under such a huge corporate cloud. Sticking with Goodreads for now but I'm concerned that the atmosphere here will change and not for the better.
I'll be excited to see Amazon book data once again inflowing into GR, as has not been the case since late January 2012. It'll be wonderful for books I add to my collection to be found on Goodreads, in the Kindle versions, with full and complete data, including ASIN numbers and cover images.:)
I find this a little troubling. I don't want Goodreads to change, I like it the way it is, and I know Amazon won't keep their fingers off the site. I guess it depends on what does (and preferably doesn't) change.
I don't like this at all. I was really hoping this was an April Fool's joke. You've just ruined a really amazing thing. It was good while it lasted.
And by that I mean: "I echo the concerns of others who have expressed valid concerns about Amazon generating revenue off of my participation, the narrowing of the eReader field to the 'obvious' choice of the parent corporation, as well as lament the loss of yet another independent site to the bigger fish pyramid scheme that has become the new face of The Interwebs!"
What a shame! Way to contribute to Amazon's monopolization of the book industry. Super depressing.
Patrick wrote (message 293): "Thanks for all of the comments and thoughts so far. To answer a few questions that have been asked:* We don't expect to make changes to our review policy. Our reviews are obviously a strength of ..."
I really hope this is the case. I would like integration between my kindle app and GR to be better but would want many things to be "opt-in" each time.
Am I too optimistic to hope 'your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads' means only on Goodreads? If Amazon doesn't swallow our version of Goodreads (independent!) and spit out their version, this could work. I use Amazon and have a kindle app on a device or two. My main e-reader is a nook. I have no interest in marrying either of then to my Goodreads account, although if it were not an all or nothing deal it could be quite helpful. Please remember, up to now, Goodreads has the reputation of being a site where you cannot buy a five star review. Do not sink to their standards.
> what integration with Kindle would you love to see the most? As part of Kindle's sync, it would be good to update your reading status on Goodreads (page number or percentage)
Reading the book moves it to the 'currently-reading' shelf.
Also, buying a book adds it to the 'to-read' shelf.
Finishing a book moves it to the 'read' shelf.
There's more - it would be good if your Amazon and Goodreads account could be linked with a login. A rating I place on Amazon is reflected against my Goodreads account.
And to keep some people happy, making the Amazon-Goodreads link optional. Not everyone wants their data involuntarily given away.
Bill wrote: "I have mixed feelings. My first thought is to delete all of my books, reviews and delete my account. Prove me wrong. I will give you 120 days."
Presuming the ability to delete your books and reviews will still be there in 120 days, of course...
Wow, Amazon is taking over everything. I hope someone will find a way to create a new independent place like goodreads at some point.
Seriously?! A year ago you completely split from amazon because of how demanding they were, and now you are being owned by them?? Are you freaking kidding me?! Ugh. If I thought I was done with GR based on a lot of the choices in the past several months before, I am fully done with it now. Not even going to be used as a wishlist anymore. Wow, how irritating. And disturbing.
I'm hoping that when I finish a book, there'll be a place on my kindle screen where I can mark read on my goodreads list instead of having to go to the site itself. Just one little step but it'll help a lot.
Does this mean authors will lose the right to review books? Currently, they aren't allowed to review on Amazon, because they are direct competitors of other autors.
This is so sad. Amazon gobbles up yet another good thing. :-(
I don't consider this to be good news but I'm glad you guys are happy about it. I don't begrudge your success, but I'm not looking forward to the changes that are sure to come.
Am I going to have to moderate my language? You can't even talk about some books in context in Amazon reviews, and it's not like I cuss a lot, but it's a pain in the ass to edit reviews to fit Amazon's criteria for appropriate reviews.See? I wouldn't even be allowed to say "ass" if the reviews get integrated across both sites.
I'm not thrilled, unless nothing is going to change, and...I just worked on an integration project for two companies, so I know things do change. Hmph.
Please please please don't turn this into another Shelfari.
I just really looked at the picture included in this announcement and noticed the GR name plastered over the back of a Kindle. Ugh!
So now Amazon owns Shelfari, 1/2 of Library Thing and now Goodreads. So much for any independence. Amazon is terrible for independent publishers and bookstores. Enjoy your $$$, Elizabeth and Otis.
Please do not allow them to change the way things are done on this site. I'm concerned, among other things, about the schizophrenic approach they've taken to the free access of information on LGBT stories, and would hate to see that affect this site. I've gone through 3 separate mergers in the past 10 years in my work, and it has always had an affect on the culture of the smaller entity. I shop at Amazon, but I would HATE to see the culture of Amazon infect this site. I hope you will give us more specifics to reassure me that this will not be the case here.
Hmmmm. This is a really interesting advancement. I am quite excited to see what comes of it.
Is there a way for me to delete my account and its data as I am not interested in Amazon having it?Look forward to finding a new INDEPENDENT reader community.
Kate wrote: "And after all the work we did when Amazon pulled their database *sigh*"Yup, that's what jumped into my head when I heard about this.
Phillip wrote: "Very disturbing news after all the trouble with Amazon last year."Same here. Although I like Amazon as a bookshop, I loathe Audible and I'd never have a Kindle because of its DRM non-sense (I've had enough problems with audiobooks). I just hope they won't mess Goodreads up :(
As long as Goodreads does not look like Amazon. There is a reason why I spend more time on here than on Amazon. It is friendly and looks better. I only buy books on Amazons and get out. I do not care to post reviews or rate. Goodreads is like family. You mess it up Otis and Elizabeth, I will be broken hearted.
Oh, lovely. The book-loving website is teaming up with the killer of the book industry.
VERY BAD AND SAD NEWS since Goodreads will loose its independence forever!!!
I understand why you made the choice. Money is a powerful motivator, and there's no money like Amazon money. I'm certain you thought long and hard about the decision, weighing the options and impacts, and that you made the choice you felt was right for you as a business owner.That said, as another independent business owner, I'm still sorry to see this happen. As an indie, you have a lot of freedom to make choices you feel are best for your customers. As "a part of the Amazon family" - regardless of their 'respect' for your unique culture - there will be many, many changes made. Not all of them, and likely very few, will be in the best interest of those people who have built GR into what it is today.
If other similar acquisitions are anything to go by, Amazon will initially leave you to your own devices, until they have a feel for everything that makes GR tick, and will spend that time analyzing in-depth your finances, marketing options, and other inner workings they didn't previously have access to. Once that analysis is complete, the *real* changes will begin.
And that's when everything that made GR great, and special, and unique, will be completely, and irrevocably changed. It is unlikely in the extreme that those changes will be as "sunshine and rainbows" as you hope, and far more likely that they will cause a great many of your previous adherents to leave.
As a business owner, it can only be hoped (from your perspective) that their departure will be offset by the addition of many new members. Of course, the fact remains that those new members have not had to learn how GR works, but will instead come in with their own pre-conceived notions of how it SHOULD work, and with the weight of their Amazon money behind them, make the changes that will drive the core of GR away.
THIS is what worries me, and what makes me wonder about the future of the site and of our relationship with it. Here's a good example: will we still be able to do giveaways? That's a core part of the GR experience for us, but it seems highly unlikely that Amazon will let that remain as-is. Charging publishers a fee is likely, as is restricting the types of books that will be given away (only those for sale on Amazon, for example), requiring books be sent only to Amazon account holders, or indeed requiring books be sent into Amazon for distribution to whomever THEY pick, instead of a random drawing.
Just a few worries. It is what it is; the deal cannot be undone now, not by us or anyone except the owners of the site. And that seems highly unlikely. So we have merely to wait, and see, and hope that our predictions don't come true.
I, for one, won't hold my breath, but I will continue to utilize GR until the Amazon influence becomes too much for us. On that day, I'll re-evaluate everything. Until then, I wish the best of luck and good fortune to the GR owners. Thanks for all the work you've put in over the years. Enjoy your just rewards.
Sincerely,
Jason Aydelotte
Executive Director
Grey Gecko Press, LLC
I hope Amazon doesn't force this site to change too much, I like it the way it is. Yes, it will be cool if we don't have to post reviews twice. It'll be nice to have covers for books that don't have them. Other than that, I don't want GoodReads to change.
I think it is great for business, but a little worried that your members will be swapped over.
Maybe you could provide links between the ereader and easons...don't get what the point of this whole thing is???...
Congrats on selling out to the devil! I left Shelfari because of Amazon. Guess I'll be leaving GR now.
I'm very concerned about the neutrality of this site being compromised. For now I'll withold judgment on the merger; but generally mergers result in one partner being totally dissolved. I'm not optimistic about this site's remaining impartial.
Jenny wrote: "So now Amazon owns Shelfari, 1/2 of Library Thing and now Goodreads. So much for any independence. Amazon is terrible for independent publishers and bookstores. Enjoy your $$$, Elizabeth and Otis."Amazon owns half of LibraryThing????
Didn't we just go through a huge ordeal last year because Amazon wouldn't allow GR to use their book info? So after all that hassle, Amazon buys GR? Nice. GR was a community that Amazon could never match. Please don't let them change it. If we wanted to be on Amazon, we'd already be on Amazon.
While not entirely surprised by this news - you've been doing lots of commercial stuff for a while now, without big announcements - I would suggest that your best approach would be to provide opt-in for any integration with Amazon (such as reviews, members' data, etc.). As I think you can gather by now, people tend to get a lot more emotional over Amazon than over, say, Kobo.I also echo the concern others have raised in this thread: Will authors be allowed to continue posting reviews at Goodreads? I and a lot of my friends - many of whom are Goodreads members - have been forced to stop posting reviews at Amazon, because of their current policy on this matter.
As someone who dislikes monopolism, I was very saddened by this news. I own a Kindle for testing the formatting of books but no way I'd use it for reading as I don't want to feed snooping Amazon with any data and I only buy books there if they aren't available anywhere else.As soon as someone comes up with an alternative, I'm out of here.
What devastating news! Love how the users of GR were considered in this monstrous move.
If one of the planned implementations is that reviews are synced between Amazon & Goodreads, I would like there to be an option in the account settings so you can NOT sync them. Goodreads allows a lot more freedom of expression than Amazon's language nanny. I've had problems with words that aren't even cussin', which is why I gave up trying to leave reviews on Amazon long ago.
And technically it's RE-joining the Amazon family. Quite a few people remember the Great Metadata Meltdown of January 2012.
And technically it's RE-joining the Amazon family. Quite a few people remember the Great Metadata Meltdown of January 2012.
I would like to see integration with my Nook. Guess that's not happening.
I am just wondering how will this effect my amazon review ratings? I put a large amount of effort to achieve my amazon ranking by writing reviews, replying to comments, commenting on others reviews, connecting it to my other social sites (twitter).
My amazon ranking is at 3,XXX (I use the Xxx because that goes up and down a lot).
Here on goodreads I have no ranking.. no matter how much time and effort I put into your website! So of course I give you less "attention" yet I am here daily, participating in all the same activities I do at Amazon as well as offering recommendations and R4R.
It is rather distressing to see just how little progress my efforts make here on goodreads, but you rank as you rank, right?
I Appreciate that Amazon Appreciates my efforts.
If Amazon can add to its review list by users here on goodreads who do not put in any time and effort on Amazon. Than truthfully it will do no more good for me to post reviews on amazon then it does for me to post a review here on goodreads.
Goodreads is more "social" networking and the reviews that I have seen here which get ranked high are based not so much off the quality of the review as the friends list of the reviewer. (Quality vs Popularity)
Photos and gif images of half dressed individuals, baby animals and cartoons do not make for quality review anywhere but goodreads.
I am disappointed but not because of goodreads linking to amazon but because amazon is linking to goodreads.
Sorry if that sound harsh, I like goodreads. I recommend it to others, but let us face it, this is a social networking site more so than a site which offers serious quality reviews.
Amazing... I am glad Amazon is back. Will help me, as a librarian, to help others with their books.
Is it too late to do the right thing and nix the deal?
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 ..."Yes, me too!
Amazon, the Wal-Mart for smart people. Blech.