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Old people love Kindle
Citing this Amazon forum, Publishers Lunch Deluxe reports:
We extracted about 75 percent of the responses on age (representing about 700 responses, taking equally from the earliest and most recent postings, which show very similar age distributions). Per John Makinson's quip at an LBF panel, over half of reporting Kindle owners are 50 or older, and 70 percent are 40 or older. Here is the full age bracket distribution:
0 - 19: 5%
20 - 29: 10%
30 - 39: 15%
40 - 49: 19.5%
50 - 59: 23%
60 - 69: 19.5%
70 - 79: 6%
80+: 2%
The comments themselves are as illuminating as the numbers. So many users said they like Kindle because they suffer from some form of arthritis that multiple posters indicate that they do or do not have arthritis as a matter of course. A variety of other impairments, from weakening eyes and carpal-tunnel-like syndromes to more exotic disabilities dominate the purchase rationales of these posters. Which in turn explains Amazon's pseudo-statistical case that e-book purchases are incremental/additive, rather than cannibalistic of their print sales. Countless people report being able to read much more with Kindle because it overcomes physical obstacles or limitations that had made reading difficult for them previously.
I thank S. for the pointer.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on April 30, 2009 at 07:35 AM in Books, Web/Tech | Permalink
Comments
That is why it is so disturbing when the Author's Guild is trying to block text to speech on the latest version of Kindle, so many people use Kindle as a tool to overcome fading vision or some other disability.
Posted by: Parker Owens at Apr 30, 2009 7:52:48 AM
Most media reports miss this side of the Kindle story. I am ambivalent about e-book readers, but my wife's eyes are not great and she finds the selection of books (and the range of tastes) available in large print to be pathetic. Once an ereader comes out with a decent sized screen so you can use large fonts and keep more than a handful of words on the page it will be a welcome choice.
Posted by: tom s. at Apr 30, 2009 8:01:57 AM
I'm not sure how old Tyler is, but I'm wagering that when he hits 50 he won't think of himself at old. (Barring physical ailments.)
Posted by: PM at Apr 30, 2009 8:40:42 AM
well i'm young, but i really don't get it. why not use a laptop or even a pc with a big screen?
if i had the money, i'd be sitting on a sofa with a very big monitor at a nice distance with big text, as i always hate having to read at near distance.
Posted by: working class at Apr 30, 2009 9:03:59 AM
working class -- The advantage of the Kindle over any kind of computer screen is that the Kindle is not back-lit. It is therefore much more comfortable for reading over long stretches.
Posted by: JP at Apr 30, 2009 9:27:27 AM
This are fascinating results. If it's correct that a lot of Kindle users are people who wouldn't otherwise be buying many books, I would expect that this will help push more publishers to make more of their titles available in Kindle format.
Posted by: JP at Apr 30, 2009 9:29:18 AM
Older people are on average richer. It isn't a surprise than an expensive toy like this is owned disproportionately by old people because they are disproportionately able to afford them.
Posted by: OneEyedMan at Apr 30, 2009 9:41:21 AM
Bingo, OEM. I'd buy one in an instant if they weren't bloody $400. For that I can get an iPhone. As a single-purpose machine, it's just too costly for people in my demographic (young professionals and students). They really are much nicer to read on, but for the cost I'll take an iPhone and just squint.
Posted by: Renee at Apr 30, 2009 10:15:43 AM
I am over 70, and fortunately my vision is
good, so that
reading books in the conventional format is not
a problem. Two things to watch out for are
glaucoma (excessive pressure within the eye)
and macular degeneration, which can gradually
destroy the ability to read. The sooner
these are caught, the better they can be
treated. And a third thing to watch out for
and avoid is retinal detachment, which can be
caused by a bad fall or violent movement of the
head. But this too can be treated, the earlier
the better--within hours.
Posted by: Candadai Tirumalai at Apr 30, 2009 10:25:02 AM
I've noticed a surge in general in Kindle book sales via Amazon. My main demographic is male - 35-55 who are interested in improving their (and their lovers) love lives.
Personally I've never used a Kindle ... the ol peepers are still working ok.
Posted by: JaniZee at Apr 30, 2009 10:31:55 AM
@Renee an iPhone for thrift? With the price difference on an at&t plan rates costing you 130$ a month without text messaging, 2 yr minimum contract? Sorry that's just laughable... kindle has 0$/month internet and email... if you want to be thrifty you get rid of your phone's data plan, put up with a clunky browser/no apps and recoup the purchase price of your kindle in about half a year.
Posted by: MS at Apr 30, 2009 11:08:14 AM
Wonder if they can get this covered under Medicare? Ha.
Posted by: Jordan at Apr 30, 2009 11:11:47 AM
Wonder if they can get this covered under Medicare? Ha.
Posted by: Jordan at Apr 30, 2009 11:12:01 AM
@MS, @Renee: Yes, the Iphone plans are very expensive. An Ipod touch is a decent solution: cheaper, nothing by month.
I don't think older people are buying Kindle because they are richer. It's because it fills a need.
Posted by: ZBicyclist at Apr 30, 2009 11:30:39 AM
Also Kindle books are cheaper. A new best-seller is usually $9.99 compared to $20 or more for a hardcover. If you buy 40 books a year, you've paid for your Kindle with savings. And you also have access to tens of thousands of free (out of copyright) books that you can carry around with you. And you get free wireless, even though it's clunky. Can't beat it. The only problem I've had is that sometimes the Amazon books are not well edited for the Kindle format. But that will improve with competition, especially if Apple comes out with the rumored "i-pad" medium sized device, about the size of the Kindle, but with touchscreen and larger screen size.
Posted by: Robert Speirs at Apr 30, 2009 3:57:56 PM
Renee and OEM. Your claiming that the $400 price tag too is prohibitive is undermined by your alternative. An iPhone comes with a minimum $129/month contract, so the Kindle looks cheap in comparison.
Posted by: AT at May 1, 2009 10:43:20 AM
I have a Kindle -- wife got it for me this Xmas. She wanted to reduce the number of old books lying around -- I like to keep books I've read. I like Kindle for two reasons. The books are less expensive and they are much more convenient. Finding books in a store can be difficult, cause I am picky about what I read. Finding them on Amazon is great, but then I have to pay and wait for shipping. The Kindle has a smaller selection, but I can get them for less very quickly. And for me it is much harder than average. Instead of buying a book in bed (as I expect many do), I have to walk near the top of a nearby hill to get whispernet connection (I live in the Xurbs of San Diego).
Posted by: Keith at May 2, 2009 4:55:20 PM
Glad the device is useful to *somebody*.
Posted by: sherifffruitfly at May 2, 2009 7:48:02 PM
AT said: "An iPhone comes with a minimum $129/month contract, so the Kindle looks cheap in comparison."
AT,
You are correct. Most people look at the upfront cost and are relatively blind to the month-to-month price that they pay. That is why "free" phones are so popular. We are generally suckers in that way. Also, the Kindle provides free 3G connectivity and even has a rudimentary browser that is more that suitable for reading blogs, news sites, or any other text based information source. A monthly fee of $0 for portable internet access makes the $379 upfront cost a bargain.
Posted by: Rico at May 2, 2009 9:17:30 PM
Will Kindle be a savior for newspapers? Maybe so. Kindle might be the product to finally get newspapers to realize they have to go digital. Read more at http://www.ThePhoenixPrinciple.com
Posted by: adam hartung at May 4, 2009 11:36:04 PM
I'm one of the "old" people, and quite frankly, a Kindle can never equal the simple pleasure of having a book in one's hands or on one's shelf. There's a romance to books that obviously a lot of people are missing. As for kindle, it could be offered free and it'd be in my trash bin before the day was done.
Posted by: Anonymous at May 5, 2009 8:23:30 AM
Will Kindle be a savior for newspapers? Maybe so. Kindle might be the product to finally get newspapers to realize they have to go digital
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