DO NOT POST SURVEY L Old Media, New Media:  Newspapers, TV and Radio Are Losing A Bit Of Ground To The Likes Of Kindle Nation Daily And Other Online Book Reviews, Author Profiles, And Assorted Book News And Hype--Pre- And Post-Kindle Comparisons (Part 2)

By Tom Dulaney, Contributing Reporter

(This is the second in a three part series of posts comparing ebook buying in the pre-Kindle and post-Kindle worlds.)

Two questions in the Winter 2011 Kindle Nation Citizen Survey conducted in January sought to learn how buying habits and patterns have changed with the advent of the Kindle and ebooks. Some 2,275 respondents shared pre-Kindle and post-Kindle ebook buying details.

Each question delved into one of 9 specific book purchasing behaviors. This is the second article in a short mini-series comparing pre-Kindle and post-Kindle patterns, an attempt to divine how—if at all—the ebook revolution impacts book reading and book buying.

SURVEY STATEMENT: “I bought an ebook that was recommended, listed, or excerpted on Kindle Nation Daily.”

In this situation, at the very least, the Kindle Nation Daily blog is incomparable! That is, of course, because it didn't exist before the Kindle was born.

Coming from out of nowhere, the daily blog now influences 77% of the survey respondents to buy an ebook. It prompts purchases among the hard core 24% of frequent buyers, among the 27% of mid-range readers buying 3 to 10 books annually, and among the 26% who “dabble” and buy once or twice a year. Among the most avid book buyers, they purchased following a Kindle Nation Daily recommendation at this pace: 11% buy more than twice a month; 13% buy once or twice a month.

SURVEY STATEMENT: “I bought an ebook after reading a free excerpt, author interview, or other material online/on Kindle Nation Daily or another source.”

The two versions of this question—before and after--straddled the advent of the Kindle in this way: Before the Kindle, it applies to online book information. After the Kindle, it applies to online information from Kindle Nation Daily or another online source.

The change is dramatic. Before the Kindle and KND, 62% purchased upon reading information about the book or author online. After, some 83% report being influenced by either KND or other online information.

Buyers plunked down cash much more frequently due to online and KND information since the Kindle arrived. Those buying more than twice a month rose from 2% to 10% of all respondents. The group buying once or twice a month tripled from 5% to 15%. The bunch buying 3 to 10 times a year increased by 12%, from 19% to 31%.

The spots they vacated indicate online information and Kindle Nation Daily are prompting increased book buying. The group that “never” bought due to online information dropped from 36% to 27% over the transition to the new world of ebooks.

Most significantly, the group who “never” bought was cut in half, from 38% to 17%. From this data, it is pretty clear more people are reading books because of the ebook revolution and the profusion of information about the books online and in Kindle Nation Daily. Plus, they are buying ebooks much more often and in greater numbers than they did before the Kindle appeared.

SURVEY STATEMENT: “I bought a book after hearing about it on the radio or television, or reading a review in a newspaper or magazine.”

The incursion of internet-based information into domains once completely ruled by TV, radio, newspapers and magazines is a well known shifting of media use throughout our culture. In the corner of that issue dealing with books and ebooks, the trend is the same.

Before the Kindle, 80% or respondents bought books after hearing about them in the “old media.” Since the Kindle, about 73% are still influenced by the “old media” in the purchasing. The shifts per group based on how frequently they buy is slight for frequent buyers, more dramatic for occasional buyers and those who never bought due to old media information. The group buying more than twice monthly edged up from 2% to 3%. The group buing once or twice a month rose from 6% to 9%.

There was a small decline, from 29% to 27%, in the group buying 3 to 10 times annually. A much bigger drop was recorded in the group buying once or twice a year—down to 33% from 42%. Notably, those who “never” buy based on old media information rose from 20% to 27%, undoubtedly because they are relying more on net based and other information sources.