Overall Survey Results:


Kindle Nation Summer 2010 Citizen Survey


Text Block:
Your views about the Kindle, reading and publishing are important to other readers and to authors, publishers, booksellers, and those who follow the book business. They are also very important to me as I try to make Kindle Nation better each day, and I appreciate you taking a few minutes to respond to this survey.
Text Block:
In our last three surveys (April 2009, October 2009 and February 2010), we've had extremely high levels of participation and attracted plenty of interest. I've limited this survey to 15 questions, but I also hope you will use the comment areas to say whatever needs saying. Future posts will provide detailed reports on your responses, but we respect your privacy and your identity will always remain strictly confidential.
Text Block:
Finally, I am grateful to Paul Levine, the author of the Jake Lassiter series of crime novels, for agreeing to sponsor this survey and help defray its expenses.
1Please indicate which devices you use for reading Kindle or other ebook content, and when you first began using each of them for digital reading. (Please select all that apply.)
 
 1 = More than 12 months ago , 2 = In the last 12 months , 3 = Not Yet, But I Have Ordered One , 4 = Not Yet, But I Expect to Get One in 2010
Answer
1234
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Kindle 1 or Kindle 2, 6-inch Kindle
   
1806 1.4
Kindle DX, 9.7 inch Kindle
   
231 1.9
New 6-inch "Kindle 3" with 3G plus Wi-Fi
   
483 3.3
New 6-inch Kindle with WiFi only
   
123 3.3
Nook, Sony, or Other Dedicated eReader
   
77 2.1
Desktop or Laptop Mac, PC or Netbook (with Kindle App)
   
894 1.7
iPad (with Kindle for iPad App)
   
279 2.2
iPhone or iPod Touch (with Kindle for iPhone App)
   
596 1.7
Blackberry or Android Device (with Kindle App)
   
267 2.1
Other Device (Please use the comment area to specify)
   
57 1.9
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


2For each of the following devices, how many do you and/or your fellow household members own or have on pre-order?
 
 1 = 0 , 2 = 1 , 3 = 2 , 4 = 3 , 5 = 4 or more
Answer
12345
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Kindle 1 or 2
   
1830 2.2
Kindle DX
   
821 1.3
Kindle 3 with 3G and Wi-Fi
   
905 1.4
Kindle with W-Fi Only
   
713 1.2
iPad
   
817 1.4
iPhone
   
906 1.7
iPod Touch
   
912 1.7
BlackBerry or Android
   
937 1.7
Desktop, Laptop or Other PC or Mac
   
1535 3.3
Automobile
   
1207 2.8
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


3Please use the following ranking system to estimate as well as you can your current book buying habits, since you began reading on a Kindle or Kindle App. (Note: Although some of the choices involve free content, we're using the word "buy" here to refer to any books that you may acquire or borrow, regardless of price.)
 
 1 = I don't buy them , 2 = I buy fewer than 5 per year , 3 = I buy 5 to 15 per year , 4 = I buy 15 to 30 per year , 5 = I buy 30 to 60 per year , 6 = I buy more than 60 per year
Answer
123456
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Kindle ebooks that are priced at $10 and above
   
1891 2.1
Kindle ebooks that are priced between 99 cents and $9.99
   
1921 4.0
Kindle ebooks that are free or less than 99 cents
   
1910 4.3
eBooks purchased from iBooks or other ebook retailers (not including Amazon)
   
1737 1.5
Used print books
   
1833 2.1
New hardcover or paperback print books from Amazon and other online stores
   
1847 2.2
New hardcover or paperback print books from physical stores
   
1858 1.9
Library print or audio books
   
1798 1.9
Audiobooks from Audible.com or the iTunes Store
   
1770 1.5
Free ebooks from other websites or services
   
1813 2.2
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


4Please use the following ranking system to estimate as well as you can your previous book buying or borrowing habits, before you began reading on the Kindle or a Kindle App. (For library books, think "borrowed" when you read "bought.")
 
 1 = I didn't buy them , 2 = I bought fewer than 5 per year , 3 = I bought 5 to 15 per year , 4 = I bought 15 to 30 per year , 5 = I buy 30 to 60 per year , 6 = I bought more than 60 per year
Answer
123456
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Used print books
   
1872 2.9
New hardcover or paperback print books from Amazon
   
1894 2.9
New hardcover or paperback print books from independent booksellers
   
1882 2.4
New hardcover or paperback print books from chain or big-box stores
   
1878 2.7
Print and audio books borrowed from the library
   
1847 2.5
Audiobooks from Audible.com, the iTunes Store, or elsewhere
   
1804 1.5
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


5Please use the following scale to tell us about the ebook stores or sites you use to acquire the ebooks that you read.
 
 1 = Never use , 2 = Tried out, but don't use regularly , 3 = Use for 10% to 50% of my ebook acquisitions , 4 = Use for over 50% to 75% of my ebook acquisitions , 5 = Use for 75% to 90% of my acquisitions , 6 = Use for over 90% of my ebook acquisitions
Answer
123456
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Kindle Store
   
1939 5.5
iBooks Store
   
1734 1.2
Barnes & Noble eBook Store
   
1745 1.2
Borders eBook Store
   
1744 1.1
Smashwords
   
1745 1.2
ScribD
   
1733 1.1
Google Books
   
1729 1.2
Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive
   
1786 1.8
Baen Books
   
1741 1.3
Other sources (please specify in comment area)
   
1503 1.3
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


6Please use the following scale to tell us which factors have greater or lesser influence on where you shop for ebook content.
 
 1 = Doesn't influence me at all , 2 = Influences me slightly , 3 = Influences me significantly , 4 = Absolutely essential , 5 = Don't know
Answer
12345
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Number and selection of total ebook titles offered by an ebook store
   
1901 3.1
Number of New York Times bestsellers offered by an ebook store
   
1890 2.0
Number of public domain titles offered by an ebook store
   
1895 2.3
Number of backlist or contemporary classic titles offered by an ebook store
   
1876 2.4
An ebook store's capacity to consistently offer the lowest prices
   
1900 3.4
The ability to read ebooks on a range of different devices including a Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, or computer, whether or not I own a Kindle
   
1900 2.4
The convenience of having a personal digital library consisting primarily of titles on a single ebook platform
   
1879 3.2
The convenience of being able to purchase and download ebooks wirelessly in a few seconds
   
1909 3.6
The familiarity and comfort of having shopped in the same online retail environment for print books in the past
   
1902 2.9
Your confidence that your account and payment information will be securely maintained
   
1912 3.8
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


7Please use the following scale to tell us about your use of various Kindle features.
 
 1 = Wasn't aware of this feature , 2 = Rarely use , 3 = Sometimes use , 4 = Use every week , 5 = Use nearly every day
Answer
12345
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Purchasing, downloading, and reading Kindle books
   
1925 4.4
Downloading and reading ebooks from other sources
   
1898 2.4
Checking out free samples before I buy a Kindle book
   
1919 3.2
Listening to Kindle content with text-to-speech
   
1903 2.3
Listening to music or audiobooks from Audible.com or other sources on Kindle
   
1883 2.0
Purchasing, downloading, and reading Kindle books with a Kindle app rather than on the Kindle device
   
1891 2.6
Using the Kindle web browser to check email or other web information
   
1898 2.3
Subscribing to and reading Kindle editions of blogs
   
1892 2.8
Using Calibre or Instapaper to send web-based content to my Kindle to read
   
1877 1.9
Sending personal documents, memos, manuscripts, etc., to my Kindle to read
   
1890 2.1
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


8Please use the following scale to tell us about your likely use of possible Kindle features if they were offered to you at some time in the future.
 
 1 = Would not be interested , 2 = Somewhat interested , 3 = Very interested , 4 = I would love this
Answer
1234
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
The ability to buy, download and play non-book content such as music and movies via enhanced Kindle-branded hardware
   
1926 2.0
The ability to order any item directly from any part of the Amazon.com store via your Kindle
   
1916 2.4
An opt-in feature that would provide discounted pricing for ebooks with limited amounts of embedded text advertsiing
   
1908 1.9
An opt-in feature that would provide free subscriptions to Kindle editions of blogs with limited amounts of embedded text advertsiing
   
1908 1.9
An opt-in feature that would provide discounted subscriptions to Kindle editions of newspapers and magazines with limited amounts of embedded text advertsiing
   
1906 2.0
A multi-purpose tablet that plays media, runs Apps and surfs web
   
1916 2.1
A non-reflective color touch screen that can be read in direct sunlight
   
1916 2.8
Ability to convert and read ebooks that I have acquired elsewhere in ePub or other formats
   
1898 2.7
An annual "bookshelf" subscription that would allow you to download an unlimited number of Kindle books
   
1898 2.9
Features that would allow you to gift Kindle books to friends or loved ones and/or send free sample chapters to other Kindle owners with whom you establish a "Kindle friends" relationship
   
1914 2.8
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


9Please select the choices that describe your feelings about each of these groups, companies, or individuals, as a customer who reads and might buy their books or products, in terms of your loyalty to them or willingness to trust what they say about books, book prices and selection, the cost factors involved in the book business, and the future of publishing.
 
 1 = Very Negative , 2 = Negative , 3 = Neutral or No Feelings , 4 = Positive , 5 = Very Positive , 6 = Never heard of them
Answer
123456
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Bestselling authors
   
1902 3.7
Independent or emerging authors
   
1893 3.7
Big Six Publishers (MacMillan, Random House, Harper, Hachette, etc.)
   
1901 2.6
Small independent publishers
   
1896 3.5
Literary agents
   
1881 2.9
Jeff Bezos and Amazon
   
1900 4.1
Steve Jobs and Apple
   
1883 2.9
Author J.A. "Joe" Konrath
   
1881 4.0
Andrew Wylie of The Wylie Agency
   
1870 4.0
Steve Windwalker and Kindle Nation Daily
   
1893 4.3
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


10Please use this scale to share your opinions about Kindle Nation in order to help us make it better.
 
 1 = Never , 2 = Occasionally , 3 = Often , 4 = All the time
Answer
1234
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
I subscribe to the Kindle Nation Daily blog and read it on my Kindle.
   
1902 2.0
I visit the Kindle Nation Daily website and read it there.
   
1888 2.1
I read the weekly email newsletter when it arrives in my inbox.
   
1887 2.9
I read back issues on the Kindle Nation archive website.
   
1875 1.6
I enjoy receiving the daily Free Book Alerts and prefer having the full listings included so I don't have to go rooting around for them.
   
1883 2.8
I am annoyed by the length of the Free Book Alerts and would prefer that only a few titles were included each day.
   
1864 1.7
I appreciate the work that goes into Kindle Nation and don't mind seeing a few ads and sponsorships to help defray expenses and pay Windwalker.
   
1893 3.0
I'm annoyed by the ads and sponsorships that I see on Kindle Nation.
   
1876 1.4
I'm annoyed by the inclusion of UK-specific information on Kindle Nation and would prefer that the publisher create a separate UK blog.
   
1874 2.0
I appreciate what Kindle Nation does for the Kindle community and I can deal with the fact that some posts are more or less interesting to me, personally, than others.
   
1900 3.4
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.
11Amazon has been clear that its mission with the Kindle is to provide a purpose-built reading device that delivers a superior reading experience. How would you rate the Kindle's performance in each of the following areas?
 
 1 = An annoying distraction from the Kindle's purpose , 2 = Not particularly useful , 3 = Okay, but not very important to me , 4 = Useful, even if flawed , 5 = A superior experience
Answer
12345
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
Reading books
 
1920 4.9
Readings newspapers
   
1857 3.2
Reading blogs
   
1851 3.3
Playing word games or using other apps and utilities
   
1856 2.8
Reading manuscripts and personal or business documents
   
1866 3.1
Checking email
   
1872 2.7
Surfing the web
   
1874 2.7
Listening to text-to-speech
   
1864 3.2
Listening to audiobooks from Audible.com or other sources
   
1836 2.9
Browsing and ordering Kindle ebooks
   
1896 4.4
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


12Please rate the following statements about ebook prices and selection in terms of how well they may apply to your ebook buying behavior.
 
 1 = Strongly disagree , 2 = Disagree , 3 = Agree , 4 = Strongly agree , 5 = Don't know yet
Answer
12345
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
I will probably pay $10 to $14.99 for newly released ebook titles if necessary.
   
1922 2.3
I will never pay more than $9.99 for an ebook.
   
1904 2.7
I'll pay over $9.99, but only rarely when I simply must have an ebook.
   
1919 3.1
I'll pay over $9.99, but only for technical or professional ebooks.
   
1893 2.7
I didn't think I would be willing to pay over $9.99 for ebooks, but I've been doing it at least twice a month.
   
1904 2.0
With higher bestseller prices, I'll buy more backlist or indie titles.
   
1895 3.3
With recent ebook price wars, I've become more price-conscious.
   
1901 3.3
Publishers know their costs, so I'm happy to pay the prices they set.
   
1901 1.7
Jeff Bezos and Amazon have my back, and I believe they set prices as low as they can set them and still make an honest profit.
   
1902 3.3
I'd be willing to pay more if I really thought it would go to authors.
   
1900 3.0
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


13If you could name three improvements that you'd like to see in the Kindle in the future, what would they be? Anything is fair game: price, software, hardware, user-friendliness, content, anything.
 
 Number of
Responses
  1402
14(Please answer this question only if you own both a Kindle and an iPad.)
Please rate the following statements to tell us how well they describe your use of different devices. Unless stated specifically, answer only for the period when you have owned both a Kindle and an iPad, or when you have owned an iPad and disposed of a Kindle. (For the last two statements, please excuse the fact that the statements aren't exactly like the others and answer "Never" if the statement does not apply to you and "All the time" if it does apply to you.)
 
 1 = Never , 2 = Rarely , 3 = Occasionally , 4 = Frequently , 5 = All the time , 6 = Not sure
Answer
123456
Number of
  Responses		Rating
Score*
I read ebooks on the Kindle.
   
481 4.6
I read ebooks on the iPad.
   
466 2.5
I read newspapers on the Kindle.
   
466 2.0
I read newspapers on the iPad.
   
462 2.1
I read magazines on the Kindle.
   
461 1.9
I read magazines on the iPad.
   
455 2.0
When purchasing ebooks to read on my iPad, I use the iBooks store.
   
443 1.7
When purchasing ebooks to read on my iPad, I use the Kindle store.
   
446 2.9
I rarely use the Kindle since I began using the iPad.
   
433 1.9
I have disposed of my Kindle since I began using the iPad.
   
434 1.3
*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.


15As a male of relentlessly advancing years and Cherokee and Scots-Irish lineage, I find myself mildly interested in the profile and demographics of Kindle owners. If you would like to share a little information, I'd be interested. I won't share individual information with anyone else, but I may aggregate it and write in general terms about who we are as citizens of Kindle Nation. (Please choose all that apply to you.)
 
Answer
0%100%
Number of
Responses		Response
Ratio
I am a female.
   
1189 61.8%
I am a male.
   
710 36.9%
I am under 25 years of age.
   
18 <1%
I am between 25 and 54 years of age.
   
773 40.2%
I am 55 years of age or older.
   
1126 58.5%
I love technology and pick up new technology knowledge easily.
   
1447 75.2%
I am not tech-savvy, but I had to have a Kindle.
   
362 18.8%
To the extent my budget allows, I am an early adopter of new technology.
   
1326 68.9%
I have this Kindle gadget, but I don't know how to use it.
   
21 1.0%
I am an author, publisher, blogger, or journalist.
   
185 9.6%
I frequently speak and read a language other than English. (Please specify)
   
134 6.9%
I am a U.S. resident.
   
1807 94.0%
I am a U.K. resident.
   
21 1.0%
I am a resident of a country other than the U.S. or the U.K.
   
77 4.0%
I use my Kindle frequently in travel outside my country of residence.
   
368 19.1%
Other
   
102 5.3%
 Totals1922100%

Text Block:
Thanks for participating in the Kindle Nation Summer 2010 Citizen Survey. We respect your privacy and your identity will always remain strictly confidential.
Steve Windwalker, Kindle Nation Daily
 
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